Bowen Part II Overview Theoretical-Therapeutic System

Question 1

What does the term Theory refer to in Bowen’s thinking?

Answer 1

• All individual and family behavior must be understood in terms of a natural variation of natural systems theory.
• Evolutionary biology accounts for process and the relationship accounts for content.
  Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 7

Question 2

How is Family Therapy defined by Bowen?

Answer 2

The way in which the therapist thinks about the family, and the therapy is designed to help bring about change in the family, whether the change is brought about through one or more family members
Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 8

Question 3

What two factors is the therapist efforts based on?

Answer 3

1. The therapist’s efforts toward defining a self in his/her own family.
2. The therapist’s understanding of Bowen theory and it’s relationship to natural systems theory.
   Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 8

Question 4

How does Bowen define differentiation?

Answer 4

The degree in which people are able to distinguish between the feeling process and the intellectual process.
Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 8

Question 5

The concept of differentiation defines people according to what?

Answer 5

The degree of fusion, or differentiation between emotional and intellectual functioning.
Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 8

Question 6

What is the goal of Bowen Family System Therapy

Answer 6

To increase the capacity of one or more member to adapt to deal with the vicissitudes of life.
Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 8

Question 7

Bowen initially spoke of the Undifferentiated Family Ego Mass. How is it described? What term did he use to replace it and better describe the family?

Answer 7

How the child and adult are embedded in a an emotional oneness.
- Multigenerational Emotional Unit.
Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 9

Question 8

What are the typical Bowen functioning positions?

Answer 8

-Responsible oldest
-irresponsible youngest
-leader of the clan
-family historian
-mediator
-sick one
-smart one
Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 10

Question 9

How is a triangle characterized?

Answer 9

A rigit or fixed dysfunctional stability involving a lack of openness among all three members and a relative lack of differentiation. (Like a 3 legged stool)
Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 12

Question 10

What makes a triangle unstable?

Answer 10

When the it is overloaded by q combination of stress and undifferentiation, distancing between two members or fusion between two members (pulling out of one leg).
Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 12

Question 11

How is “Parental We-ness” defined?

Answer 11

An emotional amalgam against which the child has difficulty developing an individual relationship with each parent.
The poorly defined selfs of the parents fuse into a common self.
Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 15

Question 12

What are the 2 steps in the process of differentiation?

Answer 12

1. developing a person to person relationship
2. de-triangling
   Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 19

Question 13

What is the overall goal of de-triangling?

Answer 13

Be in constant contact with an emotional issue involving two other people and self, without taking sides, counter-attacking or defending self, and to always have a neutral response.
Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 21

Question 14

What 3 clinical approaches to differentiation of self does Bowen describe?

Answer 14

1. Psychotherapy with both spouses
2. Psychotherapy with one family member
3. Psychotherapy with one spouse in preparation for a long-term effort with both spouses.
   Clinical Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory P. 23
   Bowen II Class notes p.3

Question 15

What is the therapist main tool.

Answer 15

Himself/herself: being as differentiated as possible creates a space, an opening or invitation , for the client to improve his/her level of differentiation,
Bowen II Class notes p.1

Question 16

What are the reasons Bowen went back to his family of origin?

Answer 16

In an effort to:
1. develop a person-to-person relationship
2. de-triangle himself
3. raise his level of differentiation 
Bowen II Class notes p.1-2

Question 17

In order to examine a family’s emotion system it is suggested that one should go back a minimum of how many generations? What is the optimum?

Answer 17

Minimum of 3
Optimum 4-7
Bowen II Class notes p.2

Question 18

What is the purpose of going back to the family of origin? What is the associated belief?

Answer 18

To change self as opposed to changing the family. The belief is that if done properly change will ripple through the entire system.
Bowen II Class notes p.2

Question 19

What did Bowen see as the vehicle of change?

Answer 19

Insight and understanding, not action or the use of techniques.
Bowen II Class notes p.2

Question 20

Bowen therapist seek to minimize _____ and foster ___?

Answer 20

emotions - self reflection

Bowen II Class notes p.2

Question 21

How is self-reflection fostered?

Answer 21

Through a series of self reflection questions designed to manage emotional reactivity.
Bowen II Class notes p.3

Question 22

What did Bowen encourage each of his clients to do? Why

Answer 22

Develop a person-to-person relationship with each extended family member. It facilitates differentiation.
Bowen II Class notes p.4

Question 23

What is the purpose of “process questions”?

Answer 23

They help people understand what’s going on inside themselves and between themselves and others.
Bowen II Class notes p.5

Question 24

What do Relationship experiment do?

Answer 24

They ask clients to go into their families and be different. They help clients discover their ability to move against the ways their emotions are driving them.
Bowen II Class notes p.5

Question 25

Bowen preferred the term “coach”. Why?

Answer 25

A coach avoids taking over for the client and/or becoming triangulated. The also ask question and avoid telling people what to do.
Bowen II Class notes p.5

Question 26

What are “I statements” based on?

Answer 26

A person’s oppinions, beliefs, core values

Bowen II Class notes p.5

Question 27

Describe a “Replacement stories”.

Answer 27

They are like parables, they help family members achieve distance in order to see their role in a family system.
Bowen II Class notes p.6

Question 28

What do Bowenians pay attention to?

Answer 28

Patterns of emotional reactivity in a family (process) and the interlocking network of triangles (structure).
Bowen II Class notes p.1

Question 29

What is the major focus and the most important system that Bowen uses in an effort to facilitate change?

Answer 29

The marital dyad

Bowen II Class notes p.1

Question 30

What does lowering anxiety and increasing self focus do in the therapeutic process?

Answer 30

Enables the ability to see one’s own role in a family’s emotional process.
Bowen II Class notes p.2

Question 31

Who did Bowen preferred to work what family configuration?

Answer 31

• With the couple
• With an individual
• With an individual which turns into couples therapy
  Bowen II Class notes p.3

Question 32

What do “I statements” reflect?

Answer 32

What a person feels and thinks and not what others fell and think.
Bowen II Class notes p.5

Question 33

What is the purpose of Displacement Stories?

Answer 33

The help the family members achieve emotional distance in order to see their role in a family system.
Bowen II Class notes p.6

Question 34

Define Psycho-education.

Answer 34

Teaching clients Bowen’s theory: he maintained that information would empower his clients to change.
Class 6 notes P . 7