Half Day

November 21, 2024 (Thurs)

9:15 am – 1:00pm

Language: English 

Schedule

November 21, 2024 (Thurs)

9:15 am – 1:00pm

Language: English 

Ronald W. Richardson, D. Min.

Many congregations and church leaders are bedeviled by emotional turmoil around any number of problematic issues. The spiritual resources of our faith (like prayer) are one of the resources we rely on to help us get through these events. However, pastors and church leaders need to know more about what happens with people around this turmoil and how best to lead in the midst of it. Bowen family systems theory is an excellent resource for understanding the emotional system of our congregations and for being a more helpful leader. This seminar will focus on some of the challenges we face and how Bowen theory helps us to create healthier congregations.

Dr. Ron Richardson was a Presbyterian pastor for ten years in the United States before becoming a pastoral counsellor. He was the Executive Director of a metropolitan-wide counselling agency in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada when he retired. He was a Diplomate and Supervisor in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, and a Clinical Member and Supervisor for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. He has taught and consulted with many churches, church leaders, and pastors. He is the author of a number of best-selling books on the application of Bowen theory to congregational lifeincludingCreating a Healthier Church, Becoming a Healthier Pastor, Polarization and the Healthier Church, The Church in Transition, and The Pastoral Care of Congregations.

Presentation Outline

A. Introduction –The Church as a Human Institution, Not Just a Sacred One

B. The Emotional Involvement in Our Churches and Bowen Family Systems Theory – The Challenges We Face

C. How Churches Function at the Human Level – We are All in This Together

D. The Congregation as an Emotional Whole – The Challenge of Having a Good Theory of Human Functioning

E. One Major Source of Our Difficulties – The Challenge of Recognizing and Addressing Anxiety

F. Becoming a Solid Person of Faith – The Challenge of Differentiation of Self

G. What Does Our Own Family Have To Do With It? Practical Suggestion Number One

H. Human Triangles Are Not About Math – Practical Suggestion Number Two

I. CEO or Pastor – Practical Suggestion Number Three

Day 1

November 22, 2024 (Fri)

9:15 am – 5:15 pm

Language: English

Schedule

Day 1 – Bowen family systems theory concepts and couple therapy

Introduction – The goal of couple therapy

The therapeutic relationship and Bowen theory

The Bowen theory and couple’s therapy

• Anxiety
• The life forces of togetherness and individuality
• Nuclear family emotional system and couples
• Marital conflict
• Projection of anxiety to the child
• Sibling position
• Triangles
• Differentiation of self

Throughout the day, there will be opportunity for questions and comments from the attendees

Day 2

November 23, 2024 (Sat)

9:15 am – 5:15 pm

Language: English

Schedule

Day 2 – What the therapy looks like, specifically

First Phase

• Intake and assessment
• Special issues like violence and affairs and gay relationships
• Recommendations to the couple
• Start of therapy
• Tracking emotional process

Middle Phase

• Signs of start of middle phase
• Goals
• Symptom reduction
• Unresolved emotional attachment
• Family of origin work

Ending Phase and Termination

November 22, 2024 (Fri)

9:15 am – 5:15 pm

Language: English

November 23, 2024 (Sat)

9:15 am – 5:15 pm

Language: English

Ronald W. Richardson, D. Min.

Dr. Ronald Richardson (retired) was the Executive Director of Living Systems in Vancouver, Canada. Living Systems became a local counseling agency with 5 clinical staff when he joined it. By the time he retired there were 25 clinical staff and 8 field offices around the metropolitan area.

Shortly after he joined the agency in 1977, he began to introduce Bowen family systems theory into this individually focused therapy staff. He started teaching a training program for graduate level therapists in Bowen theory at the agency and gradually, over a few years, the agency used Bowen theory as its primary modality for working with all clients – individuals, couples, and families.

He was also on the faculty of The Pacific Coast Family Therapy Training Program in Vancouver, where he met Peggy Chan. Dr. Richardson has written many books on the application of Bowen family systems theory to many settings including Couples in Conflict. He is a respected teacher and has given many workshops over the years.

He will give an in-depth presentation on the application of Bowen theory to working with couples. He will give many personal examples of his work and show specifically how Bowen theory applies to the work with couples. He will welcome questions and have discussions with attendees about the work. Those who attend will learn a great deal about how to work with couples using this approach. For instance, many ask about “unresolved emotional attachment” in Bowen theory and he will explain how this works with examples, including from his own family.

Fee

(Hong Kong Dollars)

Students are required to provide proof of student identity (transcript, copy of a current student identification card, or letter signed by head of department) by email (issfi@isshk.org). 

Enrollment

You may proceed to online enrollment. 

Click here for the application form.