BOWEN’S FAMILY SYSTEMS
Emotionally Focused Therapy Research Paper
Clinton Hall
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
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BOWEN’S FAMILY SYSTEMS2
Bowen’s Family Systems
Leading Figures
Family Systems Therapy was developed by Dr. Murray Bowen. Bowen was born in
Waverly, Tennessee in 1913. Bowen was the oldest of five children in his family. Bowen later
attended medical school and became and M.D. at the University of Tennessee Medical School
(The Bowen Center, n.d.).
Bowen joined the military during World War II and spent 5 years on active duty. Bowen
had planned to pursue a career as a surgeon, however his time in the army caused him to re-
evaluate that course of action and opted instead to pursue a career in psychiatry (The Bowen
Center,n.d.). Murray’s firsthand experience working with trauma in soldiers during WWII is
largely responsible for his decision to reroute his career, and Bowen’s theory has been
instrumental in the field in understanding how different people manage stress inducing situations.
Development of the Theory/Historical Events
As Bowen worked with mentally ill patients as a psychiatrist, he became interested in
patients suffering from schizophrenia. Bowen was fascinated by the interaction between a mother
and her schizophrenic child. He later expanded his observations to include the child’s
interactions with his or her father. These observations led Bowen to want to study and
understand relationships across generations (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2014).
As Bowen began to study whole families, he observed that there were patterns to ways
families managed their anxieties. Bowen also noted that this was similar to what happens in other
species when they are responding to threats in their herds and packs. Just like the exaggerated
responses of other animals, he believed both the personal problems and relationship problems of
Key Concepts
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his patients resulted from their own exaggerated responses when family harmony was threatened
(Family Systems Institute, n.d.).
Bowen’s fascination with family relationships across generations led him to come up with
his family systems theory. Bowen saw families as one emotional unit that included many
interlocking relationships (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2014). Those relationships created
intense connections between individuals based on emotions. As he studies family units, he
observed that individuals were so incredibly connected that he said it was as though those people
were living under the same emotional skin. Like any system, when one individual changes how
it is functioning, there is an inevitable reciprocal change made by the other individuals, making
the individual family members interdependent. Bowen concluded that all family systems
included this interdependence, but there was some variance regarding the degree to which it was
present (Introduction to the Eight Concepts, n.d.). Bowen believed these interdependent forces
evolved as a means of ensuring survival by allowing the individual members maintain a
psychological state of lower anxiety, which is required for wellness (MacKay, 2012).
Basic Assumptions and Key Philosophy
Bowen’s family systems theory is based around the assumption that all families
are made up of multiple interdependent individuals which form a single system. Within that
system, when one member’s function is changed, there is an inevitable effect on the other
member that results in them changing (Bowen, 1966).
BOWEN’S FAMILY SYSTEMS4
A key concept to understanding Bowen’s family systems is what Bowen called the
differentiation of self (Charles, 2001). Bowen believed there is a tension that exists for everyone
as they try to balance being an individual while simultaneously being attached to the family
system. When there is a lack of differentiation of self, individual members set aside their own
interests in pursuit of harmony in the system. Bowen called this lack of differentiation fusion
(Brown & Wright, 2010).
Bowen’s theory included the concept of an emotional system. He saw this system as
separate from the feeling and intellectual systems and saw this emotional field as a common
shared experience across all lifeforms. Bowen believed that the emotional system operated
around the counterbalancing life forces or individuality and togetherness. As the level of anxiety
rises in the emotional system, there is a natural move toward togetherness and away from
individuality (The Family Systems Institute, n.d.).
Another key concept to family systems is unresolved emotional attachment. Bowen
believed that an individual’s level of unresolved attachment to the parents determined how well
the individual will be able to balance their individuality with togetherness as an adult.
Individuals need to be able to separate themselves emotionally and not be emotionally dependent
on others (MacKay, 2012).
The idea of triangles and triangulation is another important concept in family systems
theory. Bowen saw the triangle as the most stable shape in the system and described triangling
as two people in a relationship drawing in a third person to focus on as a way to manage their
anxiety (Klever, 2009).
BOWEN’S FAMILY SYSTEMS5
Another key concept is Bowen’s idea of emotional cut-off. Bowen understood distance
as the safety mechanism for the emotional system so when an individual seeks space and
distance they are becoming emotionally cut off from the system. This makes the individual
vulnerable in relationships away from the original family.
Techniques
Bowen saw the goal of family systems therapy as reducing the client’s sensitivity to the
expectations, attention, distress, and approval of others. Bowen referred to his technique as
“coaching.” Coaching involved the therapist working with the client to increase their ability to
respond in emotionally mature ways to others and thereby reducing their over-sensitivity to
others.
Similarities and Dissimilarities
Bowen’s family systems therapy is similar to Sue Johnson’s emotionally focused therapy
in that both are based around the emotions and emotional bonds of relationship. Another
similarity is that bot incorporate attachment theory and understand an individual’s attachment
styles in childhood will affect their ability to be in relationship as an adult (Stavrianopoulos,
2014).
Bowen’s family systems is similar to structural family therapy in that both view the
family as a system, however structural family therapy sees the family systems as a barrier to the
individual becoming healthier emotionally. Behavioral therapy sees actions taken by individuals
in the system as needing to be either rewarded or punished.
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New Knowledge Acquired
Prior to this assignment, my knowledge about Bowen’s family systems was minimal at
best, so I feel like I have acquired a great deal of ne knowledge. Something I found particularly
interested was just how emotionally interdependent individuals in a family system are. I was
also fascinated to learn about the ways family systems respond to increased stress or anxiety is so
similar to the way animals respond in their herds or packs.
Part II: Personal Integration
I am pursuing a career as a counselor mostly because of the significant role counseling
has played in my own journey. As a Christian, what I have learned and lived through my
counseling journey has not conflicted with my faith, but has served to bring it to life, so I can’t
imagine not integrating my faith into my counseling.
William Watson (1997) makes the case that family therapy is one of the easiest areas of
counseling to integrate spirituality. The first reason he gives is that the professional roots of
family therapy go back to religious traditions. As an example, Watson points out that marriage
therapy at one time was considered a responsibility of pastors.
Watson (1997) goes on to point out that family therapies roots prevent it from having a
strong allegiance to any single professional ideology. The Anti-religion biases that are inherent
in other areas of therapy do not have the same type of foothold in the family therapy arena.
Watson (1997) also notes that the postmodern perspectives provide a positive foundation
for family therapy. The prominent family therapy styles including social constructivism,
narrative therapy, and conversational approaches are changing the language of therapy and it is
becoming more amenable to integrating faith.
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Another important aspect for integrating faith into family therapy is that it is necessary to
take into account that our actions affect others, which immediately ties into so many principles
that are fundamental to Christianity. Somethings as simple as the golden rule, learning to
sacrifice, or to consider others better than ourselves immediately ties the work of family therapy
to the faith of so many.
Part III: SYMBIS Assessment
My assessment says that I have a resolute mindset about marriage, and I believe that to be
accurate. I grew up in a house where divorce was not considered to be an option, and my parents
lived that out. Even when my dad had an affair, and I begged my mom to be done with him, she
never gave us any indication that was an option she would consider. In my own marriage, there
have been some rough times, and even time where my wife was quick to explore the option of
divorce, it was never something I wanted any part of. I made a sign that hangs above our bed
that sums up my view of marriage. It says “Always and Forever. No matter what.”
Prior to taking this assessment, I do not think I would have expected to have acceptance
at the top of my definition of love. However, as I reflect on it, I can certainly see how there is a
lot of truth to that for me.
I am surprised that my attitude shows a relatively low resilience level and that I am a
glass half empty type of person. I do resist change, so it makes sense that it would show that I
struggle to adjust to circumstances beyond my control.
I am a deliberating spouse when it comes to communication, and I would agree with that.
I try to be quick to listen and slow to speak, and I keep in mind the power of the tongue.
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I think the reminder that Amy needs to be cherished is convicting to me. I know that to be
true, both regarding gender differences but also just knowing my wife. I fall so short on putting
that into practice and need to be more intentional in that.
I also am a deliberating spouse when it comes to conflict. It points out that I may tend to
do the same thing over and over and create a rut, which I can definitely relate to.
I plan to try to have more spiritual conversations with Amy, be intentional to pray
together, and prioritize praying for her every day.
I think the SYMBIS Assessment works well with family systems therapy. I think it is a
tool that can help couples figure out how well differentiated they are from their families and
identify areas that could present generational issues for their new family.
References
Bowen, M. (1966). The use of family theory in clinical practice. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 7(5),
345-374.
Brown, J. & Wright, J. (2010). Inviting each partner out of the fusion: Bowen Family Systems
Theory and couple therapy. The CAPA Quarterly, 2, 17-20.
Charles, R. (2001). Is there any empirical support for Bowen's concepts of differentiation of self,
triangulation, and fusion? American Journal of Family Therapy, 29(4), 279-292.
Dr. Bowen. The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family. (n.d.).
https://www.thebowencenter.org/dr-bowen.
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Goldenberg, H., & Goldenberg, I. (2013). Family therapy: An overview (8th ed.). Belmont, CA:
Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.
Introduction to the Eight Concepts. The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family. (n.d.).
Klever, P. (2009). The primary triangle and variation in nuclear family functioning.
Contemporary Family Therapy, 31(2), 140-159.
MacKay, L. (2012). Trauma and Bowen family systems theory: Working with adults who were
abused as children. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 33(3), 232-
241.
Stavrianopoulos, K., Faller, G., & Furrow, J. (2014). Emotionally focused family therapy:
Facilitating change within a family system. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy.
13, 25-43.
Watson, W. (1997). Soul and system: The integrative possibilities of family therapy. Journal of
psychology and theology. 25, 123-135.
