1
Theory
Family Systems Theory
Samantha Stoffel
MPTC
2
Theory
I chose to write on the Bowenian theory of addiction counseling. I found this theory to be
a bit more interesting than the others. Murray Bowen was an evolutionist who founded and
developed what is called the “family systems” theory. Murray dates back to the second Civil War
and after the war he trained and worked at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas. As he
resided there he became more aware of his own family of origin and discovered that many
patients tended to complain about the way the family members interacted. He believed people
are a result of an evolutionary process and all processes are common in nature. Therefore, the
way an individual receives and processes information will directly result in the way that
individual behaves. The belief is we function within our family in a cognitive/emotional state.
These two states are interdependent and therefore develop patterns in cognitive and emotional
functioning. These are both entities within all of us as well as learned responses to the issues
around us. Bowen also believed in multigenerational transmission. He felt focusing on a
multigenerational plane would best give reasons to the issues one is dealing with in the present.
This means that until issues within the family as a whole are dealt with successfully, the same
issues will continue to effect generations to come. This will only cause a downward spiral within
the family and change will cease to exist. Therapy is geared towards both the individual and
couples who have an effect on the family and therefore works from the inside out (“Bowenian
Family Systems Theory and Therapy”, 2014).
Bowen is a believer of self-differentiation. Self-differentiation is the ability to separate
one’s intellectual and emotional functioning while at the same time having the ability to separate
you from the issues of others. Individuals within a family are greatly influenced by the family’s
emotional atmosphere. One’s beliefs, values, attitudes and feelings can all be influenced by this.
3
Theory
In most cases, the parents, or the individuals who make the rules are the ones who create the
atmosphere within the family. In a family who is chemically dependent, the locus of control
usually lies with the most dysfunctional person. The most dysfunctional person does not
necessarily mean the one who has the addiction. Each person within a family perceives the
family atmosphere differently. Bowen also talks about “emotional maturity” and is referred to as
the “level of differentiation.” People usually follow their parents or grandparents when speaking
of emotional maturity. People look to their elders for a sense of belonging, security, and how
they react to what is happening around them. Many children often follow on how their parents
react about issues and the way they view not only issues, but outside individuals as well. People
look to their elders for wisdom and guidance. For many, this is all they know and what is
considered to be dysfunctional to others is considered functional or normal to them. It seems
very abnormal and twisted, but this is very real. I have seen it many times and have happened
directly to me on many occasions with my family as a child and as an adult.
According to Bowen, the level of functioning depends on four factors; basic level of
emotional maturity, level of stress, patterns of symptomatic reaction peculiar to the family or
particular to a family member and the level of adult-to-adult contact with members of the
extended family (Curtis, Chemical Dependency: A Family Affair, 1999, pp 35). In a family there
is usually a person who acts underresponsible and one who acts overresponsible. This depends
on the family’s emotional maturity. The overresponsible person usually feels responsible for
everyone in the household, including feelings, acts, and emotions. They feel they need to pick up
the slack leftover from the other family members. The person taking on this role feels they need
to control what is going on and tries to do “what’s best” for the family. Manipulation tactics and
enabling become useful tools in the event of trying to cover up the truth and the family will
4
Theory
appear “normal” to outsiders looking in. The underresponsible person tends to give too much of
themselves and become more and more dependent on the overreponsible one. This person also
loses confidence in them. Neither of these roles is healthy. This is where counseling comes in.
The goals of this therapy are; reframing the problem as multigenerational,
lowering anxiety, increasing differentiation, opening closed ties with cutoff family members,
focusing on the overall problem, and evaluating the progress of the family (“Bowenian Family
Therapy”). The role of the counselor is to help the client see and accept they have a problem and
go from there. It is the role of the counselor to trace the family pattern and pay attention to the
patterns of emotional reactivity. Some of the advantages of this therapy are that it offers a multiview of a family over generations. The therapist is able to apply their life in one way or another
to the therapy process (“Family Therapy, 2011”). Some disadvantages I found were that this
therapy has sometimes devoted to much time to the mother’s contribution to the family and not
enough on the father.
All in all, I find this therapy useful for clients facing addiction. I find it intriguing that
this therapy focuses a lot on the previous generations. I do not know much about my previous
generations to give much of an analysis. I also enjoy that it focuses on the role of the family
members and deals with issues individually and together. Anxiety is something everyone faces at
one point or another during their lives, addressing it and dealing with it is key. I know I could
use some help with my anxiety issues. My anxiety affects everyone in my family and it is hard to
control. I am working on it.
5
Theory
References
Bowenian Family Therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2014, from
http://www.psychpage.com/learning/library/counseling/bowen.html
Bowenian Family Systems Theory and Therapy. (2014, January 1). Retrieved November 7,
2014, from http://www.theravive.com/research/Bowenian-Family-Systems-Theory-and-Therapy
Curtis, O. (1999). Family Therapeutic Theories. In Chemical Dependency: A Family Affair (pp.
25-26). Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole.
Family Therapy. (2010, January 1). Retrieved November 14, 2014, from
http://www.ukessays.com/essays/psychology/family-therapy.php
("Bowenian Family Systems Theory and Therapy", 2014)
6
Theory
(Curtis, Chemical Dependency: A Family Affair, 1999, pp. 25-26)