Making Clinical Sense of Sibling Bereavement: Ordinary People as a Case Study

The loss of a child at any stage in life is a powerful and catalytic process for the family (Rubin, Malkinson, & Witztum, 2012). The artistic portrayal of family and sibling bereavement in the film Ordinary People (Schwary & Redford, 1980) allows for the education of clinicians and the engagement of bereaved siblings and families. Considering a fictional case accessible to all allows for nuanced discussion amongst clinicians and families (Rubin, 2001).