Systems Thinking in Daily Life: Bowen Theory in Families, Organizations and Communities – May 17, 2018
$1000
About this course
Keynote Speech
What Difference Does Systems Thinking Make (Anne S. McKnight) Preview
Theory Sessions
1) Differentiation from the Ground Up (Daniel V. Papero) Preview
2) How to Grow Yourself Up? Relationships: the Best Laboratory for Maturity (Jenny Brown) Preview
Concurrent Topical Presentations
– in Ministry
1) Bowen Theory and Formation in Ministry (Kenton T. Derstine) Preview
2) Becoming a Healthier Pastor (Emlyn A. Ott) Preview
3) Studying Spiritual Abuse from the Perspective of Bowen Family Systems Theory (Doris Tai) Preview
4) Congregational Leadership for Creating Healthier Churches (Ronald W. Richardson) Preview
-in Culture
1) An Anthropological Perspective: The Family and Human Connection with the Environment (Joanne Bowen) Preview
2) Bowen Theory Applied to Chinese Families – a Woman’s Voice (Peggy Chan) Preview
3) Bowen Theory Applied to Latin Families (Mariana Martinez) Preview
-in Clinical Practice
1) Therapeutic Relationships: Traditional and Bowen Theory & Therapy Perspectives (Jack Butler) Preview
2) Interplay between Family Emotional Process and Symptom Development (Michael E. Kerr) Preview
3) The Predictability of the Family Emotional System (Randall T. Frost) Preview
4) Bowen Theory and Aging – Clinical and Personal Perspectives (James B. Smith) Preview
Syllabus
Keynote Speech 0/1
What Difference Does Systems Thinking Make (Anne S. McKnight)
Dr. McKnight explores how thinking about family system changes the way we understand and treat family problems. The fundamental concepts of Bowen theory are viewed to apply not only to family but also to organizations, church congregations, businesses, and societal problems as well.
Theory Sessions 0/1
1) Differentiation from the Ground Up (Daniel V. Papero)
Dr. Papero examines the fundamental process of growing up that blocks the development of self. The clinical process can be considered as restarting the development processes of differentiation of self towards a mature and competent functioning of the individual, and for more flexibility and resiliency of the family system.
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2) How to Grow Yourself Up? Relationships: the Best Laboratory for Maturity (Jenny Brown)
Dr. Brown speaks in layman’s terms how systems thinking can be applied to life. An overview of the principles of maturing in one’s important relationship is offered to show how these principles can facilitate self in the system exploration.
Concurrent Topical Presentations - in Ministry 0/1
1) Bowen Theory and Formation in Ministry (Kenton T. Derstine)
Many pastors have relied on the Bowen family systems theory to manage their ministries through challenges of difficult relationships, and complicated and anxious group processes. Bowen theory provides a pathway for developing qualities and capacities in church leaders toward greater self/other awareness, clarity of purpose and thoughtfully informed guiding principles to sustain their ministries.
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2) Becoming a Healthier Pastor (Emlyn A. Ott)
Rev. Dr. Ott presents how Bowen theory can be a helpful resource for ministry leaders to grow as a leader towards greater health and maturity at church and at home. Becoming aware of their own principles and beliefs, the impact of being a global church and of family dynamics are key towards this goal.
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3) Studying Spiritual Abuse from the Perspective of Bowen Family Systems Theory (Doris Tai)
Inappropriate and ungodly behaviours are often attributed to Satanic influence and spiritual abuse is seldom acknowledged or discussed in the Christian community. Abusive behaviours get to be repeated resulting in unresolved trauma buried deep in their members’ souls and spirits. The emotional interaction emotional processes between leaders and followers may have a part to play in this perpetuation. A higher level of differentiation of self as understood by Bowen theory in both the leader and the congregation is needed for a system to be healthy and functional, even in the church context.
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4) Congregational Leadership for Creating Healthier Churches (Ronald W. Richardson)
Dr. Richardson presents how Bowen family systems theory can be an excellent resource to help pastors and church leaders understand the emotional system of their congregation and the emotional processes that are associated with their problematic issues so as to be able to lead them through their issues in a more helpful way thereby creating a healthier congregation.
Concurrent Topical Presentations - in Culture 0/1
1) An Anthropological Perspective: The Family and Human Connection with the Environment (Joanne Bowen)
Dr. Bowen explores how humans evolve through their connection with their physical and social environments which is affected by the family’s social relationship as well as their procurement, production, and distribution of foods which can lead to a disharmony with the land and a societal-level disharmony when the relationship between labour, land and resources are altered.
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2) Bowen Theory Applied to Chinese Families – a Woman’s Voice (Peggy Chan)
Mrs. Chan examines the evolution of Chinese woman’s roles through the history of China and the emotional processes engendered in families and societies of the Chinese culture to find the relevance of Bowen theory when applied to the traditional practices and hierarchical structure of Chinese families.
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3) Bowen Theory Applied to Latin Families (Mariana Martinez)
Familyism and collectivism are characteristics of Latin culture. For some, giving up of self for others takes priority, yet there is a way to honour the group without sacrificing self. Understanding the life forces between togetherness and individuality and the concept of differentiation of self helps to circumvent this imbalance.
Concurrent Topical Presentations - in Clinical Practice 0/1
1) Therapeutic Relationships: Traditional & Bowen Theory & Therapy Perspectives (Jack Butler)
Instead of a unitary concept of transference and counter-transference, Bowen sees the therapeutic relationship consisting of three separate but interrelated concepts: the alliance, transference and counter-transference and the real relationship between client and clinicians. The Bowen theory will be reviewed against William Meissner and Charles Gelso’s concepts.
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2) Interplay between Family Emotional Process and Symptom Development (Michael E. Kerr)
There is an ever increasing understanding of mind and body as an integrated whole. In this talk, Dr. Kerr presents how Bowen family systems theory provides a well-developed framework to understand the individual social context reciprocal interactions (especially within the family) that connects to the development of a full range of clinical problems.
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3) The Predictability of the Family Emotional System (Randall T. Frost)
Bowen theory contends that the degree of dysfunctional vulnerability for each person and their nuclear family can be predicted from the intensity of their unresolved emotional attachment with their original families. The videos show how the therapist’s understanding of this predictability helps towards his therapeutic efforts for his client.
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4) Bowen Theory and Aging - Clinical and Personal Perspectives (James B. Smith)
Mr. Smith shares how he applies the basic principles of Bowen theory in his clinical work which focuses mainly on the elderly and in his family life as he becomes older as well as stories of other elderly individuals who are working on differentiating themselves as they face their aging process. He proposes that the ability to differentiate self is the most important variable to the elderly and their important others as they face the fact of their aging and impending death.