FAMILY SYSTEMS THINKING
Houston Graduate School of Theology
CS 654
INTRODUCTION TO BOWEN THEORY AS A WAY TO
THINK ABOUT PASTORAL LEADERSHIP
INTRODUCTION TO BOWEN THEORY AS A WAY TO
THINK ABOUT PASTORAL LEADERSHIP
My story
INTRODUCTION TO BOWEN THEORY AS A WAY TO
THINK ABOUT PASTORAL LEADERSHIP
My story
Varieties of
systems
INTRODUCTION TO BOWEN THEORY AS A WAY TO
THINK ABOUT PASTORAL LEADERSHIP
My story
Varieties of
systems
In our culture, the focus has
been solely on changing the
systems to the neglect of
individual responsibility in
relation to the system.
INTRODUCTION TO BOWEN THEORY AS A WAY TO
THINK ABOUT PASTORAL LEADERSHIP
My story
Varieties of
systems
In our culture, the focus has
been solely on changing the
systems to the neglect of
individual responsibility in
relation to the system.
Family systems thinking
leads to the conclusion
that the system will be
changed as the individuals
within the system focus on
managing self in the
context of the nuclear
family.
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
Nuclear Family Emotional System
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
Nuclear Family Emotional System
Differentiation of Self Scale
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
Nuclear Family Emotional System
Differentiation of Self Scale
Triangles
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
Nuclear Family Emotional System
Differentiation of Self Scale
Triangles
Cutoff
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
Nuclear Family Emotional System
Differentiation of Self Scale
Triangles
Cutoff
Family Projection Process
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
Nuclear Family Emotional System
Differentiation of Self Scale
Triangles
Cutoff
Family Projection Process
Multigenerational Transmission Process
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
Nuclear Family Emotional System
Differentiation of Self Scale
Triangles
Cutoff
Family Projection Process
Multigenerational Transmission Process
Sibling Position
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
Nuclear Family Emotional System
Differentiation of Self Scale
Triangles
Cutoff
Family Projection Process
Multigenerational Transmission Process
Sibling Position
Societal Emotional Process
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
Nuclear Family Emotional System
Differentiation of Self Scale
Triangles
Cutoff
Family Projection Process
Multigenerational Transmission Process
Sibling Position
Societal Emotional Process
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
Nuclear Family Emotional System
Differentiation of Self Scale
Triangles
Cutoff
Family Projection Process
Multigenerational Transmission Process
Sibling Position
Societal Emotional Process
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
Nuclear Family Emotional System
Differentiation of Self Scale
Triangles
Cutoff
Family Projection Process
Multigenerational Transmission Process
Sibling Position
Societal Emotional Process
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
Nuclear Family Emotional System
Differentiation of Self Scale
Triangles
Cutoff
Family Projection Process
Multigenerational Transmission Process
Sibling Position
Societal Emotional Process
THE EIGHT CONCEPTS OF BOWEN THEORY
Nuclear Family Emotional System
Differentiation of Self Scale
Triangles
Cutoff
Family Projection Process
Multigenerational Transmission Process
Sibling Position
Societal Emotional Process
NUCLEAR FAMILY EMOTIONAL SYSTEM
NUCLEAR FAMILY EMOTIONAL SYSTEM
The nuclear
family, rather than
the individual, is
the emotional
unit.
NUCLEAR FAMILY EMOTIONAL SYSTEM
The nuclear
family, rather than
the individual, is
the emotional
unit.
Whatever affects one
affects each one in the
system, i.e., anxiety
moves easily from
person to person in the
group.
NUCLEAR FAMILY EMOTIONAL SYSTEM
The nuclear
family, rather than
the individual, is
the emotional
unit.
Whatever affects one
affects each one in the
system, i.e., anxiety
moves easily from
person to person in the
group.
Acute
Anxiety
NUCLEAR FAMILY EMOTIONAL SYSTEM
The nuclear
family, rather than
the individual, is
the emotional
unit.
Whatever affects one
affects each one in the
system, i.e., anxiety
moves easily from
person to person in the
group.
Acute
Anxiety
Chronic
Anxiety
NUCLEAR FAMILY EMOTIONAL SYSTEM
Family members trade • Togetherness forces
“self” into the family
• Individuality forces
relationship
(togetherness) in a
family “fusion” of selves.
NUCLEAR FAMILY EMOTIONAL SYSTEM
Family members trade • Togetherness forces
“self” into the family
• Individuality forces
relationship
(togetherness) in a
family “fusion” of selves.
•
Patterns or postures of •
anxiety within the system •
•
Triangling
Conflict
Distance
Overfunctioning /underfunctioning
DIFFERENTIATION OF SELF SCALE
DIFFERENTIATION OF SELF SCALE
The scale of differentiation of
self is the only of the eight
concepts that considers, in
depth, characteristics of the
individual.
DIFFERENTIATION OF SELF SCALE
The scale of differentiation of
self is the only of the eight
concepts that considers, in
depth, characteristics of the
individual.
This is the work of
differentiating self from one’s
emotional systems.
DIFFERENTIATION OF SELF SCALE
The scale of differentiation of
self is the only of the eight
concepts that considers, in
depth, characteristics of the
individual.
But even this concept is derived
from the basic idea of family as
the emotional unit. The degree
of individuality each has
depends on how fused he or
she was/is in family
relationships.
This is the work of
differentiating self from one’s
emotional systems.
DIFFERENTIATION OF SELF SCALE
Pseudo-self
Participant in the relationship exchange
involved in fusions
Immature
Automatic
Reactive
Lets in the anxiety from
the system, functions
on borrowed self from
another, or conversely,
gives up self to another
in an instant.
DIFFERENTIATION OF SELF SCALE
Basic-self
Guided by
principles
arrived at
through the
best thinking,
based on logic
and fact.
Higher on the
scale,
boundaries
between the
basic-self and
pseudo-self are
less permeable.
The most
effective place to
change
relationship or
personality
difficulties is in
the system where
they first
developed.
Since anxiety
figures so large in
relationship
dilemmas, many
people work on
regulating anxiety
as part of their work
of differentiation.
TRIANGLES
TRIANGLES
A three-person emotional configuration—the basic
building block of any emotional system.
TRIANGLES
A three-person emotional configuration—the basic
building block of any emotional system.
The smallest stable relationship system.
TRIANGLES
A three-person emotional configuration—the basic building
block of any emotional system.
The smallest stable relationship system.
When tension in the triangle is too great for the threesome, it
involves others to become a series of interlocking triangles.
TRIANGLES
A three-person emotional configuration—the basic building
block of any emotional system.
The smallest stable relationship system.
When tension in the triangle is too great for the threesome, it
involves others to become a series of interlocking triangles.
A three-person system is one triangle, a four-person system is
four primary triangles, a five-person system is nine.
TRIANGLES
Resist the urge to be in the middle of it, not feeling
“left out” when outside the intensity (Gilbert, 51).
TRIANGLES
Resist the urge to be in the middle of it, not feeling
“left out” when outside the intensity (Gilbert, 51).
Work to get to a calmer, more “outside” position.
TRIANGLES
Resist the urge to be in the middle of it, not feeling
“left out” when outside the intensity (Gilbert, 51).
Work to get to a calmer, more “outside” position.
Become the calmer observer in order to think
objectively.
TRIANGLES
Resist the urge to be in the middle of it, not feeling
“left out” when outside the intensity (Gilbert, 51).
Work to get to a calmer, more “outside” position.
Become the calmer observer in order to think
objectively.
Stay emotionally neutral in order to think.
CUTOFF
A process of separation, isolation, withdrawal,
running away, or denying the importance of the
parental family.
CUTOFF
A process of separation, isolation, withdrawal,
running away, or denying the importance of the
parental family.
An extreme form of distancing.
CUTOFF
A process of separation, isolation, withdrawal, running
away, or denying the importance of the parental family.
An extreme form of distancing.
One of the ways people attempt to resolve the relationship
tension that results from that unresolved attachment, fusion,
or undifferentiation and the anxiety it engenders.
FAMILY PROJECTION PROCESS
An explanation of how differentiation levels are passed from parents
to offspring as well as how that process can be different for each
child in the family.
FAMILY PROJECTION PROCESS
An explanation of how differentiation levels are passed from parents
to offspring as well as how that process can be different for each
child in the family.
Levels of differentiation can be quite different among siblings.
FAMILY PROJECTION PROCESS
An explanation of how differentiation levels are passed from parents
to offspring as well as how that process can be different for each
child in the family.
Levels of differentiation can be quite different among siblings.
The worried “child-focus” or “projection” of anxiety gets off-loaded to
offspring.
FAMILY PROJECTION PROCESS
An explanation of how differentiation levels are passed from parents
to offspring as well as how that process can be different for each
child in the family.
Levels of differentiation can be quite different among siblings.
The worried “child-focus” or “projection” of anxiety gets off-loaded to
offspring.
It seems that the projection process is different for different children.