First Do No Harm is a powerful film based on a true story. The message about a mother's incredible tenacity to advocate for her son touched me deeply.

Yet the reason I am telling you about it is how it portrays her marriage. She and her husband have a vibrant relationship, where they both work together to contribute to the myriad needs of their children. Yet the mammoth  stress of epilepsy plunges their family into chaos, catapulting their marriage to the breaking point.

 

I believe that something crucial happens when we watch couples navigate serious problems together. First of all it gives us an image of how people can atrophy from healthy ways of interacting, to corrosive ones. When we observe those conversations and arguments, it can give us the perspective to avoid those mistakes in our own marriages. I found myself wanting to shout to the screen, "Don't blame your husband! He is trying as hard as he can to protect all of you!" No one on the set could hear me, but maybe those words will be etched in my mind, and might echo back when I am tempted to blame my own husband in the future.