This is a brief overview of the Bowen Family Systems Theory. Developed in the 1950s, still very useful in working with families.

1. Counselcarecanada.org
Bowen Family Systems Theory
Relevant for more than half a century
By PresenterMedia.com

2. Bowen Family Systems Theory
An Overview
Dr. Murray Bowen
Georgetown Family Center, 1975
Multigenerational Transmission of Family Problems
An Eight-Factor Theory
Looked at Multigenerational Trends
By Examining Eight Concepts of Family Functioning
Who
What
How
Much
Why
How
Created an Objective Theory for taking Intuitiveness out of Therapy

3. A way of thinking about the emotional
functioning of people who belong to
multigenerational, self-perpetuating
systems
• Nuclear family rather than the individual
is viewed as the emotional unit to be
treated.
• Since change in one family member
creates change in the others in this
emotionally interdependent system, it is
possible to do some level of family
therapy with only one persont.
Basic Tenets of the Theory
Tied together in
THINKING, FEELING, &
BEHAVIOUR
Family : Emotional
unit-network of
interlocking
relationships

4. DIFFERENTIATED FAMILY
• Members of healthy family can
differentiate between own
thoughts and feelings and those of
others;
• The opposite of differentiation is
Fusion;
• The greater the fusion between
individual members, the poorer the
functioning.
• Un-differentiated person unable to
distinguish between intellectual
processes and the feeling process
he or she is experiencing.
• a conglomerate emotional
oneness.
UN-DIFFERENTIATED FAMILY
Eight interlocking concepts are embedded in the basic ideas
represented by this theory
Ask about the
‘scale’

5. • Two members experience
stress, and bring in another
family member to relieve the
tension, and a Triangle is
formed
• During intense stress, the
triangle gets bigger and will
bring in interlocking
relationships with other
triangles
• When anxiety increases people
need increased closeness
(fusion) or distance.
Triangles

6. • Anxiety Increases
• Need for distance or closeness increases
• Anxiety Decreases
• Need for distance or closeness decreases
Triangles
Dysfunctional response to increased stress and anxiety

7. Fusion in Partner Relationship
Dysfunction of a Partner
Couple Conflict
Projection to one or
more children
Dysfunction of partner
can take a number of
forms, including physical,
emotional or social
dysfunction and can
include substance abuse
or other acting out
behaviours.
The other partner is
often unaware of the
problem, and becomes
stronger as the other
experiences dysfunction.
.
Nuclear Family Emotional System

8. Distant Spouse
Rejected Parent
turns to
children,
especially one
Anxious
attachment to
them,
especially one
Most infantile
of children
Child does not
differentiate—
fused to anxious
parent
Family Projection Process

9. Multigenerational Transmission Process
Transmission
of anxiety
from
generation to
generation
Dysfunctional
Processes and
Roles
transmitted
from
generation to
generation
More anxiety
focused on
children, lesser
differentiation
Child most
fused with
anxious parent
has lowest
differentiation

10. Emotional Cut-Off
The greater
the fusion,
the greater
the cut-off
A way of
dealing with
intense fusion
& anxiety
Distances self
physically and
emotionally
A Way of
Getting Away--
Escape

11. • Sib-line positions share
common characteristics
• Sibling roles complement each
other
• Research indicates positions
people take on in relationships
Sibling Position

12. • Coping strategies for life are
passed down through
generations
• More highly differentiated
people cope better with life’s
stresses
• How families deal with social
expectations passed down.
Societal Emotional Process

13. • Promote greater understanding of family
as system
• Focus on the Unit
• Decrease Anxiety
• Understand triangulation patterns
Working with Families
to…….

14. • Reduce triangulation
• Reduce emotional cut-off
• Genogram the family’s story
• Teach healthy communication patterns
and to…

15. That’s just the ‘nuts and bolts’

16. Invest in families
Invest in life!
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