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Bowen Family Bowen Family Systems Theory: An Systems Theory: An

Overview Overview

Barbara Barbara Cunningham, Cunningham, Psy.D., LMFTPsy.D., LMFT

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Objectives:Objectives:

AssumptionsAssumptions General ConceptsGeneral Concepts Eight ConceptsEight Concepts The role of the therapistThe role of the therapist PrecautionsPrecautions Goals of therapyGoals of therapy InterventionsInterventions Defining a selfDefining a self

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AssumptionsAssumptions

Bowen developed his theory underBowen developed his theory under

two assumptions: first, is thetwo assumptions: first, is the

understanding that man’s emotionalunderstanding that man’s emotional

functioning must extend beyondfunctioning must extend beyond

psychological constructs to recognizepsychological constructs to recognize

the human’s relatedness to all life; the human’s relatedness to all life;

and the second is that an adequateand the second is that an adequate

understanding of human behaviorunderstanding of human behavior

must rest on a foundation thatmust rest on a foundation that

includes a relational system. Bowenincludes a relational system. Bowen

assumed that the family was aassumed that the family was a

naturally occurring system.naturally occurring system.

(Kerr & Bowen, 1988). (Kerr & Bowen, 1988).

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General ConceptsGeneral Concepts

Focus on system dynamics Focus on system dynamics rather than symptomsrather than symptoms

Chronic AnxietyChronic Anxiety Over and UnderfunctioningOver and Underfunctioning Closeness and Distance as Closeness and Distance as

two opposing forces two opposing forces creating the tension in creating the tension in human relationshipshuman relationships

Emotional system Emotional system (instincts) and Intellectual (instincts) and Intellectual system (capacity to think)system (capacity to think)

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Eight ConceptsEight Concepts

TrianglesTriangles

Differentiation of Self Differentiation of Self

Nuclear Family Emotional Nuclear Family Emotional System System

Family Projection Process Family Projection Process

Multigenerational Multigenerational Transmission Transmission

Emotional Cut-off Emotional Cut-off

Sibling Position Sibling Position

Societal Emotional Process Societal Emotional Process

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TrianglesTriangles

““This concept describes the This concept describes the way three people relate to way three people relate to each other and involve each other and involve others in the emotional issue others in the emotional issue between them”between them”

““A two person system is A two person system is basically unstable. In a basically unstable. In a tension field, the two people tension field, the two people predictably involve a third predictably involve a third person to make a triangle. If person to make a triangle. If it involves four or more it involves four or more people, the system becomes people, the system becomes a series of interlocking a series of interlocking triangles”. triangles”.

Bowen, 1978Bowen, 1978

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Differentiation of Differentiation of Self Self

Solid Self Solid Self

Pseudoself Pseudoself

Differentiation ScaleDifferentiation Scale

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Nuclear Family Nuclear Family Emotional System Emotional System

Describes four basic Describes four basic relationshiprelationship

patterns that govern where patterns that govern where problemsproblems

develop in a family.develop in a family.

1.1. Marital ConflictMarital Conflict

2.2. Dysfunction in one spouseDysfunction in one spouse

3.3. Impairment of one or more Impairment of one or more childrenchildren

4.4. Emotional DistanceEmotional Distance

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Family Projection Family Projection ProcessProcess

The family projection process describes The family projection process describes the primary way parents transmit their the primary way parents transmit their emotional problems to a child.emotional problems to a child.

The projection process follows three steps: The projection process follows three steps:

1.1. the parent focuses on a child out of the parent focuses on a child out of fear that something is wrong with the fear that something is wrong with the child;child;

2.2. the parent interprets the child's the parent interprets the child's behavior as confirming the fear; andbehavior as confirming the fear; and

3.3. the parent treats the child as if the parent treats the child as if something is really wrong with the something is really wrong with the child. child.

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Multigenerational Multigenerational Transmission ProcessTransmission Process

ll

Describes how small Describes how small differences in the levels differences in the levels of differentiation between of differentiation between parents and their parents and their offspring lead over many offspring lead over many generations to marked generations to marked differences in differences in differentiation among the differentiation among the members of a members of a multigenerational family.multigenerational family.

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Emotional Cut-off Emotional Cut-off

Describes people managing their Describes people managing their unresolved emotional issues unresolved emotional issues with parents, siblings, and with parents, siblings, and other family members by other family members by reducing or totally cutting off reducing or totally cutting off emotional contact with them.emotional contact with them.

1.1. Feels like a child to adult Feels like a child to adult relationship with the parent relationship with the parent rather than adult to adult.rather than adult to adult.

2.2. Feels guilty; must solve their Feels guilty; must solve their conflicts or distresses.conflicts or distresses.

3.3. Feels enraged that his parents Feels enraged that his parents do not seem to understand or do not seem to understand or approve of him/her.approve of him/her.

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Sibling Position Sibling Position

Walter Toman Walter Toman The basic idea is that The basic idea is that

people who grow up in the people who grow up in the same sibling position same sibling position predictably have important predictably have important common characteristics.common characteristics.

Toman's research showed Toman's research showed that sibling positions may that sibling positions may affect relational dynamics affect relational dynamics in adult life in adult life

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Societal Emotional Societal Emotional ProcessProcess

Describes how the emotional Describes how the emotional system governs behavior on a system governs behavior on a societal level, promoting both societal level, promoting both progressive and regressive progressive and regressive periods in a society.periods in a society.

Human societies undergo periods Human societies undergo periods of regression and progression in of regression and progression in their history. The current their history. The current regression seems related to regression seems related to factors such as the population factors such as the population explosion, a sense of explosion, a sense of diminishing frontiers, and the diminishing frontiers, and the depletion of natural resources.depletion of natural resources.

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The role of the The role of the therapisttherapist

CoachCoach Calm and neutral while still Calm and neutral while still

maintaining emotional maintaining emotional contact.contact.

Emotionally detriangled.Emotionally detriangled. Focus on facts more than Focus on facts more than

feelings--objective feelings--objective presence.presence.

Teaching the theory.Teaching the theory. Defining and clarifying the Defining and clarifying the

relationships between relationships between family members.family members.

Be a curious person: How, Be a curious person: How, What, When and Where. What, When and Where.

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PrecautionsPrecautions

Low level of self means rigorous Low level of self means rigorous differentiation work is indicateddifferentiation work is indicated

Discourage others’ reactivity Discourage others’ reactivity by guiding them toward looking by guiding them toward looking for facts that explain the for facts that explain the sensitivitysensitivity

Avoid clients’ attempts to Avoid clients’ attempts to triangle in therapisttriangle in therapist

Attempts to make others Attempts to make others change must be redirected change must be redirected toward increased focus on selftoward increased focus on self

AngerAnger Low motivation to changeLow motivation to change

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Goals of TherapyGoals of Therapy

Increase level of differentiationIncrease level of differentiation Reduce reactivity in the momentReduce reactivity in the moment Decrease chronic levels of Decrease chronic levels of

anxietyanxiety Reduce fusion of thoughts and Reduce fusion of thoughts and

feelingsfeelings Educate and model differentiationEducate and model differentiation DetriangleDetriangle I messages; self-definitionI messages; self-definition Reconnect Reconnect Increase the capacity for one to Increase the capacity for one to

one relationshipsone relationships

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InterventionsInterventions

Work first with the person more Work first with the person more differentiateddifferentiated

Focus on thinking more than Focus on thinking more than feeling (ie Do not ask, “How do feeling (ie Do not ask, “How do you feel about…,” but rather you feel about…,” but rather “How do you think about…”)“How do you think about…”)

DetriangleDetriangle Therapist = neutral presenceTherapist = neutral presence Reduce interaction between Reduce interaction between

dyad; each client speaks to the dyad; each client speaks to the therapisttherapist

I messagesI messages Teach about the function of the Teach about the function of the

emotional systememotional system Identify triggers for reactivityIdentify triggers for reactivity Family diagramFamily diagram

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Seven Steps to Seven Steps to Defining SelfDefining Self

1.1. Clarify one’s own internal goals, Clarify one’s own internal goals, mission, vision and values--what is mission, vision and values--what is your bottom line? What are your non-your bottom line? What are your non-negotiables (what I will and will not negotiables (what I will and will not do, despite relationship pressure) do, despite relationship pressure)

2.2. What are the obstacles within self?What are the obstacles within self?3.3. What are the obstacles in the What are the obstacles in the

important relationship triangles?important relationship triangles?4.4. Can you trace your relationship Can you trace your relationship

sensitivity to the nuclear family sensitivity to the nuclear family emotional process?emotional process?

5.5. What are the multigenerational What are the multigenerational processes that influence your values, processes that influence your values, strengths and weaknesses?strengths and weaknesses?

6.6. What are the useful new and old What are the useful new and old strategies?strategies?

7.7. How is feedback from the How is feedback from the environment used for learning?environment used for learning?

C. Jacobs, 2002C. Jacobs, 2002

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ReferencesReferences

Bowen, M. (1978). Bowen, M. (1978). Family therapy in clinical practice.Family therapy in clinical practice. New York: Jason Aronson, Inc. New York: Jason Aronson, Inc.

Gilbert, R.M. (1994). Gilbert, R.M. (1994). Extraordinary relationships: A new Extraordinary relationships: A new way of thinking about human interactionsway of thinking about human interactions. . Minneapolis: Chronimed Publishing. Minneapolis: Chronimed Publishing.

Kerr, M. (1998, Spring). Kerr, M. (1998, Spring). Darwin to Freud to Bowen: Darwin to Freud to Bowen: Toward a natural system theory of human behavior.Toward a natural system theory of human behavior. GeorgetownGeorgetown,, 17-19, 44. 17-19, 44.

Kerr, M. E., & Bowen, M. (1988). Kerr, M. E., & Bowen, M. (1988). Family evaluation.Family evaluation. New York: Norton.New York: Norton.

Papero, D.V. (1995). Bowen family systems and Papero, D.V. (1995). Bowen family systems and marriage. In N. S. Jacobson & A. S. Gurman (Eds.), marriage. In N. S. Jacobson & A. S. Gurman (Eds.), Clinical handbook of couples therapyClinical handbook of couples therapy (I, pp. 11-30). (I, pp. 11-30). New York: Guilford Publications.New York: Guilford Publications.

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Web SitesWeb Siteshttp://www.georgetownfamilycenter.org/index.hthttp://www.georgetownfamilycenter.org/index.htmlml

http://www.http://www.ideastoactionideastoaction.com/8concepts.html.com/8concepts.html

http://www.psychpage.com/learning/library/http://www.psychpage.com/learning/library/counseling/bowen.htmlcounseling/bowen.html

http://education.smsu.edu/counseling/COU633Fahttp://education.smsu.edu/counseling/COU633FamilyTherapyTheory.htmmilyTherapyTheory.htmhttp://www.ideastoaction.com/bowencv.htmlhttp://www.ideastoaction.com/bowencv.html

http://http://ideastoactionideastoaction.com/connect.html.com/connect.html

http://www.mindymac.com/http://www.mindymac.com/Feminist_Family_Therapy.htmFeminist_Family_Therapy.htm

http://www.ideastoaction.com/murraybowenintro.htmlhttp://www.ideastoaction.com/murraybowenintro.html

http://www.wholepsych.com/private/Reactivity.htmlhttp://www.wholepsych.com/private/Reactivity.html