Softening: Loving a Child with Special Needs 2012
Distributed by Films Media Group, 132 West 31st St., 17th Floor, New York, NY 10001; 800-257-5126
Produced by Kelly O’Brien
Directed by Kelly O’Brien
DVD, color, 39 min.
College - General Adult
Social Work, Sociology, Counseling
Date Entered: 03/16/2015
Reviewed by Rodney Birch, Reference Librarian, George Fox UniversitySoftening is a poignant look into a family adjusting to the “new normal.” The couple’s son was born with microphaly, a condition in which the brain does not fully develop. The film includes audio overlays of the mother expressing frustration, hurt, and sometimes anger over this new normal. She indicates that at the announcement of her son’s birth, “No one said congratulations. I don’t think people knew what to say.” There are expressions of anger and resentment from the sister, but as the film progresses the viewer senses a transformation in how the family adapts to life and interacts with this child with special needs. This film would be a useful resource for social work, mental health professionals, and sociologists.