Family Therapy Concepts and Methods FOURTH EDITION Michael P. Nichols, Ph.D. College of Wiliam and Mary | Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D. ‘The Family Institute at Northwestern University OS: 2 oy Foreword by Salvador Minuchin, M.D. | Family Studies BIE BS USL Allyn and Bacon a Boston London ‘Toronto Sydney Tokyo Singapore5 Bowen Family Systems Therapy fare grown upindependent adults, re at last of their parents influence. Some people prize Ind vidualiy and take itasa sgn of growth wo sepa- makes wile meplect her own le to manage ber calren's ives? Murray Bowen sought answers— ‘and solutions —te such qaestions in the larger network of femllyrelatlonships. ‘outof rangeot the lnmediate confit, they forget m1142+ Bonen oii SysensToary oughly trained In psychoansly undergoing thirteen yeas of pason |_ ment” wbichsacenal aspect difiretiton, .chmeat isthe opposteof “uncool attach owen developed his comprehensive theory of family therapy inspzed an entire generation of students, and became an intern While working on her ALS.W. at Hunter College, iabeth (Betty) Carter was unable 12 find eld placement in group therapy and sp tion to being a respected leader In the eld of. family therapy and n poplar teacher Betty Cat- terisan active cincien who spectelies in marital therapy and therapy with emactied couples. ‘Monica MeGoldsck is another therapist in he Bowenian tradition who lke hee fiend and league Betty Carter, has become one of the atry, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson M School. She isa popular teacher, wt Sketcbesof Leading Figues #143 sltherasan independent pratitioner orasa col Teague of Ivan Bostormenyi-Nagy. be ncorpo- ‘ted many of Bowen's eas in ls woek.Pramo is pthps best known for his steadast advocacy of coupes grouys, Several Ley publications oer the ‘markersin the development of Bower stems theory, Bowen’ ist moor paper out all of bs own papers rors various professional Journals and published them in Family Therapy ‘Cla Prac, 1a 1987 Guerin and his col144+ Bowen Fanly Sytem Thespy ‘useful guide tothe dlinical application of these ideas ‘Theoretical Formulations human condition evolved from mother-child sumbiasts to undifferentiated fray ego mass, to and seling ocnes tn concert-with ecko dfer- cation Between oneself and others, ecause ‘thy eles able to think leas andiferentat- sntonaly—govey neg tiveyto the dictates stent ues These ele te ‘objective and behave pressure of emotional base processes thar operat in the formation of ‘Theoretical Formaladons ¢ 145 Some forms of wiangulation seem so inno- cent that we hardly notice their destructive fet. Most parents who have petty good rla- onshpwth etre cans ret ‘changes seem harmless enough. But we sou hear story in which one person victim ‘and te other vlan, you're being invited into trang. ‘When we listen to long or too often to someone complaining aboat someone els, the Aaticrngfeling of being conde in gives way toa nagging suspicion that maybe ‘would, too, except—vwel, t's too awkward. The average persomis about a abe to resist emo- tional uianglesas the average catis ble toresist bids If something's really bothering you and you're afraid to alk about it—afald you won't146 + Bowen Family Systems Therapy be listened tothe urge to conde in someone emotional distance, or reciprocal over- and working only on a twosome may have imited results, Teaching a mother better tech- ‘Nuclear Family Emotional Process ‘sme eal he coal ben relieves his own anxiety the busband supports sement with the eildren, He ciecly by virtue of his t. ‘of psychological impairment, necessitating fur- ther parental oucera and solving the fally pattern Family Projection Process This the process by which parents transit ther immaturity and lack of differentiation to thet children. motional fasion between spoas- cs creates tension that leads to marital conflict, aterm at peeiect | the ansety bebind negatively Jadged sling relationship (Boer 1990), ‘The importance of birth order reeently re- ‘ceived powertl support in provocative and148 © BowenFanilySystens Therapy tn three channels. The four dimensions of self riz the cost of having siblings by Tey also tend to be more tional system. and the operating thinking peter ats, judgment, ‘otto lear what characterizes one group or nother, butrather to be open a dfecences, ‘bef vst oo from tee paren Societal Emotional Process ‘Thisisaconcept Keer and Bowen cisussin thet 1988 book, Femily Brean, But they de (schizophrenic, nearotc. or ne all ames vary along a continaam onal fasion to diferentiaton, 7 - : ‘motional procesthatinfectfamis—andone eine at shouldbe fought, and fought hard 7 hen’ utisendtcoanteenmgrltentns _Brnotional cult describes the way people man- Fogarty (19762) bas described individuals ‘ge undiferentiston (and emotional iatensity _asharingfour dimensions and celating others formen to get ahead in the world with their parents from an adolescent to anNormal Family Development, @ 151 must cope with decining health i= en death, the great equalizer "Theone malor variation inthe acy too 3 much pressure om the two- thyourg ciléren oust adjust gin. People who were sted thelr original families “The reward for those parents who survive the preceding tages isto have cher chikiren turn into adalescents. Adlescenceisa time when lldzen no longer want tobe ke Mommy and Daddy; they want tobe themselves. They sug tmpbasine sets more than tage of dvelop- 1970) Salomon (19 tment. Uie-yce changes within individuals, Carter and McGoldrick have described the fami - dyadic relationships, and the family as a whole froup.wikesmponensinerchpenon:(3)They iy le ecie asa proces of expansion, contr ‘uvntended) i thetbows roogh thefamly ste seer esproducngemincreasg demaadon cls152 «Bowen Family SystensThespy Development of Behavior Disorders Inthe Bowenian system. symptomsare thought feomomazepste cetearetsouti belly smarciage willbe at les isk chan an equally im ‘mature person who's alone orn an unhoelthy relationship. Symptoms develop when the level of ensity exces the system’sabltyta bind or ety willbe reduced and symptom- ‘eanght up in the teasion between the par- centsoraffeted mostly the external tension ina particular parent. The rmaligenceatonal process matic chil, and working with the dysfunctional emotional proces in the According to Bowen, auld or severe. result rom emotion fasion rans- ‘mited from one generation to the next. Emo- tons flood the intellect, impairing rational functioning and competence, The greater the degrooof fasion, the more eis programmed by ‘one are equally caught they merely manifest tin ‘impression Isl por tinted person is likely compliant. ‘Symptoms area product of emotionalreac- or by disruption of a fused relationship thet has sustained someone's functioning Kerr manners, energetcindewandin high per- formance in school, and highly critical of anything they sought home. Shediscouraged contac wit schoaldances. Inlate adolescence Mr. Klein began to resent the powerful control his mother ex- ‘rte, His sister was never able to break roe and remained single, living wih her mota- lomoved toa distant city, started working, an eventually married ‘The woman he marred, Liza, came ‘fom a large, closely knit, and efectionateDevelopmencof Behav Diories $135, In childhood we relate to our parents as cle ‘ren. Wedepend on them to take caro of us, we they married, The honeymooa. David and his mother yen as thoy argued and fought, though, they remained centared long, Never having realy aif al he din’t even have the warm relations wi xtonomous. fe to adjust to the distance began when he went off to school. Used to156 BovenfaalySysiens Therapy dap i sc ti bos Ve jected onto asymap- tomatic spouse or child Thus the problems of the past ae visited onthe ture Goals of Therapy Most people caa sccep that anreslved family problems, passed down through the genera- ‘ousto-one relationships and ewiding rangle. ‘of inequality and actively work to redress It Goalsor Therapy > 157 iroducing the subject of gender active part of acou- ing: dealing with money, anger, and efi tive partiipation in the world paié work ‘nd sucess. (McGoldrick, 1990) MeGoldric belews that economic inequs iy men and women ia power and If she doesnot have the power to negotiate he relationship oe position of equal, hae resumé, aDale Carnegie course, ora158° Bowen analy Systems Theroy afinanctal planner, and from family responstili- 990) ty toseeand regulate one'sown roleininterper- sonal processes the primary mechanism of change. ppareat to anyone who thinks primarily about tectaniques, Te atmosphere of sesions and the and to nudge more responsibilty asproceeding from inside out. Difeentition of self, which begins as a personal and indvid- 008 erp tie eras doa lays taka tense pecs ‘ation in the individual, ‘Therapy may ‘cathewes") for channeling psychic ‘energy, and hence little lexitlity or capacity sis on the extended family is one ofthe unique and defining festures of Bowen systems theory angles (Andres, 1971). Confit betwee people is detonred toa thir person who i ti- ‘angled in, With aditional tension. a fourth per~ ‘onthe premise that if one person in the amily160 Bowen emi Systems Therapy chioves a higher level of diferentiation of self sce anyone relying on formulae interven gol how arly sy how focased on theory they must do something, Bowe Important ati bone ecidwith 7 "hat makes that step so hard?” couple's relationship. asking both partners to tasks, Most ofthe task she assigns are caletlat- ‘ed toxmove people outof triangles. She might for couple wil thea be forced to deal with each Teehoiues 162 ther he emetionsl tone of sessions should be ners talk othe therapist. ‘hear when you aren't busy planning your own Contrary to popular belief, couples don't solve problems jut by talking about them Left tw their own devices they tend to argue unpro- ductive. project esponsibility ontoeach other, problems, special techniques are re- help family members see the process, ‘not ust the content, f interactions: oe their partintheproees instead of just amin others theyre ohne any capac ies what the other nasseying”‘| 162 ¢ Bowen taniy Systems Therapy “a be use to frame pro her relatfoaship wither fatber are ito her current relationships of Ue best. way to sue overbeat- ‘demotion and make oom for reason. ough strict neutrality was considered Naver Seng fer By Bathe, Scenes from a Marre, as displacement mate- dynamics to trainees therapts Is expressed and en ‘well articulated self they can come together ln When asked what her own mother would have ed en mutual caring and cespoc, rather than contia- done, without hesitating she replied that her164 @ Bowen Fay Systems Therapy peadeney onthe therapist. Rawenian Therapy with ‘One Person quently he made family therapy son amajor arto hispracice. le iethod with one spouse when the ed to participate, or with single far om their parents or whose parents wouldn't come for treatment. Aside ‘oo ay handle wi ety with pre's by remaining silent cctnthenocer fly Gowen 9748 Tecbniguss + 165 &i iar, V4 Wied O cal of Divorce can ring ales together or ‘vide them. In some cases news ofthe divorce FIGURES.1 ‘erinds the family thet the dvorcing partners are seperate ndviduals with emotional need, rather than a selfsufclent unit. Sometimes166 + owen faniy Systems Therapy er Wiashington, OC NM. Tet oO LG) (58 Fidgofeld, OT “Walaneburg, VA M1984 : 1968 ae FIGURES.3 Pieces, PA M. 1988 Dy. 1978 FIGURE S.A simund rovenls the nature of persona relationships and ‘hooxsing triangles in thesystem, Other kinds of information that help ex- "Do ou havea god relationship yor orcas?” but, Whoredo sour gan tendo you sew them wrt. eal? ‘also an excellent vehi {or the second step168 Bowen FamilySystms Therapy hers as possible, This sand speaking personally wit nally with cerala fazlly ‘mombers without geting 2 bit anxious. When. smpted to withdaw, physt 9 that you ean become a better obser ichebitual emotional responses pede our ability to understand ting beyond laming and eng” and seid that, once learned inte amily this abit is ise for hanulingemtional snarls troughoat Me Aferentstng a self requires erpersnal angles you and dtrangle from them. The to people without gossiping or ing your parents—or atleast your Infact, th tiangling is destructive to all three relationships: you and Dad, Dad and Mooney yeu aN triangles, oe close and nwo willbe distant Figure continues, personal and open one-to-one rela- tHonships cannot develop. 1 example just given you can suggest that your mother discuss her conceens with your father and you can refuse to listen to more beckthe ami wll tochangtsczn ‘modate to your change, Somedegree of rejections expectable when ‘one embaris ona direstion for oneself that isn't ‘ductive but familiar patterns of the past have ‘been enumerated by Carter and Orfaniis(1976), ‘by Guerin and Fogarty (1972), and by Herz Techniques 169 Saesoarown beara: Polen kaon an ofa family process, and you have slesbystirring upemotonsinthesyscem, Ifyou can't move iectly toward your father without bewtarwing reenter with you, spend some time alone with your moter ‘Thisis ely vo make him want to have equal time.170. Bowen Famiy Systems Therapy Prsaaing Trapy Theoryand Rese 4171 ‘the status of extended family systems ther. on empical research, symptoms indicate emo- on is demonstrate bythe ymptonrs (owen, 1966). “Those who continue working on thet fam- ly relationships beyond the resolution ofa cr- fash of enthusiasm fr {ons welt his stand sen oper questo yourconsidecation. iis ares hose and defensive that jaues mst be interaptedto help indi ing with each other. But an approach, Bowen's taencotrge ar and tezchlngBowenian theory bat also ea- sng techniques of therapy Both aromastr ther pists. Betty Carter and Monica MeGoldrck fx contribution in studying say. Bowenian theory explains its origin inen and their own convictions about “ll hese therapists are fine clinicians; and they and thetestadeats have the advantage of working with theories that are sufiienty spe- igepodge of unrelated concepts ‘and techniques; they're not apt to have a clear haphazard and ineffectual. ‘Second-generation family therapists, lke surpassed their teachers. These observations ‘underscore the light of graduate students who ‘are exposed toa varlety of approaches, often. presented with more criticism than sympathetic ‘understanding. Consequently they're left with sat approach Pobably the best ‘asa disciple of one particu tice yourself to an axpert—the best find~and tmmorse yourself in one fomodify it withoutlosing focus and direction. Summary Bowen's conceptual lens was wider than that of Bowenian therapists are unique In sending patients home to repair thelr relxionships with peronts, the Wea of int tons has boea very influent cording to Bowen. the fealies is emotional fusion: the malor goals Emotional fasion grows out of ed for others, but is an un ‘manifest fusion direct asa need for copether- ness; others mask with « pseado-independent facade. The person with a differentiated self reed not be isolated, fm theory the langle isthe uni- ‘analysis-in principle and in ‘importance of early femily relations. Sommary 173 tionship between the self and parents is de- sccbod as trangle and considered ths most important in fe. Bowen's understanding of t= othe genogram sto valuation pase und ‘uncles, and to learn to get alon Bowen's theory espouses balance benreen togetherness and independence, but the practice sequently bis approach to ieatment oen seems Alopssionate Bowen moved avay rom the heat therapist can remain fee of reac- tive emotional entanglementsin other words, tohavean immediate impact. Bowen's model delocuses on symptor favor of systems dynamics The treat courages therapists from trying to tionships end instead encourages clients to begin a Mfelong effort tt however, merely amat bbutof actualy making con Cents are equipped forth In the treatment of couples, each spouset na series of process questions ing daven emotion and fostering bjective observation and thought. Some efor Jsmade to slow down che overfunctoner inthe dyad, while engaging and making it safe for ist underfunctioners to open up and me technique can be nse seltdacovey. This ‘own patterns of emoconal attach mentand ds- ‘engagement. Seven techniques are most prominentia the practice of Bowenian family systems therapy: 1, Genogram. From his earliest NIM days, Bowen used what he termed a “Fall die- ram” to collect ‘concerning the mi tem, Ina 1972 put amily diagram the “genogram.” a name that17% @ Bowen Family Systems Therapy wuraged to move -omununicate pet- to counsel patents ‘alternative to a more personal and emotionally involved role common to most other farins of ‘hk wesbeld beste her ference. Bowenlan therapists not only encourage ‘lenis to take positions they also do so then: ‘asi for bwo related techni thecapy and displacement ‘one couple may leara more about emotional proces by observing others—olhers ‘in whom they arent so invested asto have their vision clouded by feelings. James Pramo uses similar approach, ‘etl they promiseto be Bonen ise cos cred his mostmportant contribution tobe show lng the way to make human behavior asience. Yr more important than methods and tech niques of frily therapy, Marray Bowen made ‘profound contribution to our understanding of ‘bow wefunction as individuals, how wegetalong, ‘wit our fails, and how these are related. (cane Pras (Guia P and Pendegst EG. 1976, Brlaston of Say syste end gengram. tn Fel herp ‘Theor and practic BJ. Guerin, ed New York Mecoldsck. M. 1980. Gender presentation. Article Inpro