Bowen

Oh No!

I have an exam coming up.

What is trans generational systems theory?

Woah there!

You sound a little nervous.

Don't worry,

I am here to help.

First! All trans generational theorist share the belief that

present day problems are related to issues in a persons family of origin

and all though their theories and practices may differ.

They all agree that the way to problem resolution involves

working with more than on generation in therapy.

Trans generational approaches to family therapy grow out of the work of

such pioneers as Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy

James Framo,

Norman Paul,

and Murray Bowen.

Although their theories and practice my differ,

all of them agree that the royal road to problem resolution

involves working with more than one generation in therapy.

Specifically, it is the unresolved conflicts, beliefs and roles in a individual

that are thought to be transmitted across generations.

And I know you want to know about all the theories,

but how about we just stick to one today.

Today lets talk about Bowen's Model of family therapy.

And to help me

I brought along Murray Bowen.

Hi class!

I am Murray Bowen.

Bowen conducted clinical studies at the National Institute of Mental Health

in which entire families lived on a psychiatric ward with their family members.

He noticed the patients and their parents

acted in predictable inter-actional patterns.

He found that anxiety was often transmitted from

one family member to another

and even to other staff members working on the unit.

In fact, he found that a families anxiety often subsided

as various members of the unit staff

began to take on the anxiety for them.

These observations lead Bowen to develop a system concept for

Schizophrenia and other disorders.

A core assumption of Bowen system theory

is that families and other natural systems

response in organized pattern behaviors.

This instinctual organizing into repetitive patterns

is called the emotional system.

Although there is a lot of information in my theory

I really want to talk about the six major concepts.

Good idea, Murray!

There are Differentiation of Self,

Triangles,

Nuclear Family Emotional Process,

Family Projection Process,

and Multi Generational Transmission Process.

I think that's it, right?

You forgot Sibling Position.

And then there is my other ideas:

Genograms, Coaching, Eye Position, Person to Person Relationship,

Process Questions, Emotional Reactivity, Emotional Cutoff, Projective Hypothesis.

I could go on and on.

Yes Murray! But we don't have time to talk about all of that.

So how about we pick a few and talk about them individually.

How's that?

Yeah! Let's do it!

Bowen theorized that families are living organisms

with identifiable patterns of behavior.

In the family organism patterns of dysfunctional behavior

tend to be repeated and become stabilized over time

and can under mind family relationships.

Individuals within the family system are pulled between

belonging to the group and being separate.

Ideally there should be balance.

Can you talk more about that?

Isn't it your idea of differentiation?

Yes! My idea of Differentiation of Self

explains the degree of closeness and distance individuals are in their family.

Bowen coined the term differentiation to address the life long process individuals

go through to define the self within the family emotional system.

Differentiation of Self is demonstrated by the degree to which a person can

think, plan, and follow his or own values or convictions separate from

their families emotional system.

Highly differentiated individuals are able to react to the world

rationally and enter into relationships while balancing competing needs

for belonging and being an individual.

Would you say differentiation is the corner stone of your model?

Yes! And the goal of therapy is to help one or more family members to a

higher level of differentiation

so that they can form open and honest relationships with others.

Those persons with low levels of differentiation

cannot think clearly for themselves and tend to be emotionally reactive.

Without their own identity these persons mimic views they have heard

rather than developing ideas of their own.

In order to classify all levels of human functioning,

Bowen developed the differentiation of self scale.

The scale quantifies from zero to hundred the basic level of self in a person.

People at the higher end of the scale or said to have a solid self.

A person with a solid self is more differentiated and is able to function

based upon a personal defined set of values, beliefs and life principles.

Those at the lower end of the scale have a pseudo self

that is negotiable in relationships

and are easily influenced according to others emotions.

The pseudo self is composed of beliefs and ideas

that are essentialy borrowed.

Those with a pseudo self live according to feelings not facts.

Bowen developed this scale from zero or no self

to one hundred, the highest level of differentiation

as a way to evaluate the degree of emotional fusion one has

with others and their families of origin.

Bowen believes that people chose mates with levels of differentiation

similar to their own.

His concept of Nuclear Family Emotional System

describes three possible patterns in a nuclear family

when patterns are intensely fused.

They are

Martial Conflict,

Impairment In One of More of the Children,

and Dysfunction In The Spouse.

Let's meet the Smith Family, who will show us examples.

My mom's coming over for dinner.

Can you get rid of that hat?

You know how much she hates it.

No way!

I don't care what she thinks.

I love this hat.

You never do what I ask you to do.

I ask you to mow the lawn,

you don't mow the lawn.

I ask you to clean the dishes,

you don't clean the dishes.

I ask you to take your hat off,

you don't even take your hat off.

Blah, blah, blah, that's all I ever hear is blah, blah, blah.

You don't do this,

you don't do that.

I can't take it anymore.

The Family Projection Process described the primary way

parents transmit their emotional problems to a child.

Children can inherit problems as well as strengths

through the relationship with their parents.

Undifferentiated parents can transmit their immaturity

or lack of differentiation to their children through the Family Projection Process.

Let's see how one child was affected.

Mom can I please have candy?

Please, please, please, please, so much please.

I will give you a dollar.

Please?

Can I please have candy?

Can I please have candy?

Can I please, please, please have candy?

According to Bowen, the position the child has within the family

impacts their development and behavior.

This child is the youngest and has turned out to be quite demanding.

Dad give me candy, but you don't.

Please just give me some candy.

Wow! This family could use some help.

How bout Murray?

But wait! Now is a good time to talk about triangles.

I know what a triangle is.

It's?

It has one face and three corners.

CORNERS!!

Yes! In my model a triangle is the smallest unit in a family system.

When anxiety forms between two people

drawing in a third person helps stabilize the system.

And let's bring in the mother in law to show us an example.

Hey honey!

I bought you some groceries seeing we all know your wife hates to cook

and doesn't know how to food shop.

Thanks mom!

You're the best.

Triangles are the basic build blocks of an emotional system

and serves to connect individuals to each other

as anxiety builds between two members of a family.

A third individuals involved to stabilize the relationship

or bind the anxiety.

Bye guys.

Love you.

Glad I could help.

According to Bowen; roles, patterns, emotional reactivity and family structure

is passed from one generation to another.

In each generation, the child that is most fused with the family

is the less differentiated.

Conversely, the one that is less anxiously involved

becomes the most differentiated.

Mr. Murray are you almost done?

I really want to talk about treatment.

Yes! But first let me tell the class a little about some of my treatment ideas.

First, my model doesn't required all members of the family to be present.

But it does require an understanding of how they family system operates

across multiple generations.

Second, I will do a family Gemogram and collect important information including

ages, marriages, divorces, births, deaths and the quality of relationships.

It will indicate any loyalties, conflicts and cutoffs.

In Bowen's model, the therapists role

is one of helping the client start a life long process

of self discovery and differentiation.

The therapists encourages family members to take

increasing responsibility for their roles in creating and maintaining problems

by coaching them to make statements to reflect their own thoughts and feelings

instead of blaming others.

And of course without getting triangulated into the system themselves.

Simply put,

the therapist teaches them how emotional systems operate.

and initiate the work of differentiation from the respective families of origin.

Well! I've got to get back to class.

But thanks for your help Murray.

And to everyone else good luck on your exam.

Now we can relax.

[upbeat music]