This is a presentation about the movie Fireproof.

1. To examine the use of film:
1. To explore and assess the
different components in family
functioning.
2. To assess characteristics of
family relationships as well as
Psychosocial Tasks and
Developmental Stages.
3. To incorporate movies as
learning experiences in the
practice of family therapy for
ourselves and our families.
mariacristinajsantos.blogspot.com
http://dlsu.academia.edu/MariaCristinaSantos

2.  Husband and wife having different
goals and drifting apart due to
consistent bashing. They had this
pre-trial separation since Catherine
filed for a divorce and was just
pondering when to submit it.
During that time, Caleb consulted
his father and sought advice about
his married life. His father gave
him the “Love Day 40 Day
Challenge and this is where Caleb
experienced a new realization
which brought him to wanting to
save his marriage and make it
work.

3.  Capt. Caleb Holt (Kirk Cameron) knows
how to manage a crisis. Everyday, he
directs a team of brave firefighters as
they answer calls for help. At the same
time, he doesn’t realize the danger his
own marriage is facing. In a desperate
attempt to win back his wife Catherine
(Erin Bethea), Caleb goes to his father
for some expert advice. To be able to
save his marriage, Caleb agreed to
undergo the “40-Day Love Dare” which
he hesitantly followed at first but
eventually helped him win back
Catherine’s heart again.

4. 1. BOUNDARIES (Caleb and Catherine)
- Disengagement – there is already lack of
intimacy, self-disclosure and sense of
belongingness.
- Scenarios in the Movie:
- As Caleb said (gym scene and even to his
dad): “… I don’t feel respected at my own
home.”
-Catherine and Caleb have different work
shifts and because of this they are not eating
together and it even came to the point that
they are no longer sharing bedroom (pre-
separation trial).
- The sharing of Catherine with her girlfriends
also show discontent with her marriage with
Caleb.

5. 1. BOUNDARIES (Caleb and his
Mother)
- Lack of intimacy
-Caleb does not even see his mother as
an authority figure.
-He is a lot closer to his dad that is why
his father even wrote the 40 day
Love Dare so his son would read it.
2. Power
– both Caleb and Catherine are
struggling for power. Both of
them would like to be the
more powerful person in the
relationship.

6. 3. Alignment
-Both Caleb and Catherine are not
working towards a common goal.
 As simple as Catherine’s desire to
have a better lawn, more shelves
(for Caleb these are mere
preferences)
 Caleb is saving up for his boat
and 1/3 of his previous salary
went to boat savings that is why
Catherine had to work full-time to
be able to help with her Mother’s
hospital needs

7. 4. Triangulation Issue
-In a way, due to the
marital issues, the Father
of Caleb was drawn to their
marital set-up since he
served as the sounding
board of Caleb and source
of Caleb’s expert advice in
his marriage.
- Caleb’s father in a way
was recruited to reduce
pressure and stress.

8. 5. Family Emotion Regulation -
Caleb
-ability to monitor own and others’
feelings
- At first, Caleb found it difficult to
control his porno addiction.
- In a way, while following the Love Dare
40 Day Challenge Caleb was
learning to regulate his emotions
bit by bit like not saying negative
things to Catherine or following the
daily instructions despite his internal
struggles and hesitations and even
after experiencing rejection after
rejection from Catherine.

9. 5. Family Emotion Regulation –
(Catherine)
- During the pre-trial separation,
Catherine was more open in
welcoming a new relationship with
Gavin or Dr. Keller. Eventhough it
was not sexual in nature, she was
emotionally falling for him.
- In a way, she was not able to
regulate her emotions since they
were not officially nor legally
divorced yet.

10. 6. Individual Differences
CALEB
 into pornographic films (addicted)
 he was so dedicated and
consumed with his work that he
overlooked his marriage which is
about to go up in smoke
CATHERINE
 still very much attached to her
mom and dad. She still sees them
every week (considering their
culture) as compared as to Caleb
who just tends to call his father
whenever he is in distress.
 she has this overwhelming adoration
with her father that is why during the
flashback she mentioned she wanted
to marry her dad as opposed to Caleb
who is not that close to his mother.

11. 7. Family Development
stages of marital and family
life cycle
Caleb and Catherine were in
their 7th year of marriage
and there is what we call
the “7th Year Itch.”

12. 1.Rule
– random –
anybody
decides
Caleb decides for
himself as well
as Catherine
(not as a
couple)
2. Focus
– individual desires
over family
(random)
3. Affection
– covert (closed)
4. Goal
– random –both of
them have different
goals; not aligned

13. 5. Ambiguity
– closed – not tolerated
Differences in goals and
personalities/interests
became source of conflict
6. Conflict –
not tolerated (closed)
Source of constant bashing
and discontentment in the
relationship which led to the
filing of the divorce

14. 7. Decision-making
Individualistic (random)
-both Caleb and Catherine go on with their own
decisions (1/3 salary for his boat and
Catherine decided to work full time for the
things she wants to improve in their house as
well as to help her parents.
8. Information Processing
– random (carry over effect of differences
in goals, focus and decision-making)
9. Communication
– restrictive (closed)
“If you just communicate with me properly,
perhaps I can prepare something for
you.”
10. In a crisis
– (random) lacks sufficient consistency

15.  The marital system
is in conflict as
compared to the
parental subsystem.
 Parental Subsystem
– Catherine is in good
terms with her father
and mother and Caleb is
in good terms with his
father but not as much
as with his mother.

16.  Marital Identity
 Caleb and Catherine are not sharing
the same marital identity.
 They appeared to be more
concerned with the “I” than the
“We.”
 Catherine –already removed her
wedding ring
 Caleb – boat and his devotion to his
work
 Catherine –worked full time for a
better lawn, more shelves and help
her mother’s hospital needs (bed
and wheelchair).
 Sexual Identity
The couple afterall the bashing
and their pre-trial separation did
not share one bedroom
 They appeared to forget to
build a relationship that is fun
and interesting.
 Before the 40 Day Love
Dare, their marriage was not a
zone of safety and nurturance.
 Caleb: “… I don’t feel respected in
my very own home.”