Philosophical Foundations and Bowenian Therapy – Flashcards
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Which two philosophical traditions inform family therapy approaches?
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systems theory and social constructivism
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The Macy Conferences
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Group of scholars discussed how groups of things operate to form a system. Formed several systems theories
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Cybernetic Systems Theory
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Focused on social systems. Large influence on family therapy. Systems are self-correcting and move towards a dynamic homeostasis
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Homeostasis
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The unique set of behavioral, emotional, and interactional norms that create stability for a family or other social group. Groups self-correct to homeostasis
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Negative Feedback
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No new information comes in so the system remains the same - at homeostasis
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Positive Feedback
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New information enters the system so the system begins to change. Most systems return to homeostasis
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Second-order change
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Change after positive feedback that leads to a change in rules governing the system
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First-order change
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System returns to previous homeostasis after positive feedback
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Communication - Report
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Content, the literal meaning of the statement
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Communication - Command
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The metacommunication. Shows how to interpret the communication
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Double Bind Communication
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Message given is structured with a primary request or order and a simultaneous secondary request or order that contradicts the first.
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Symmetrical Relationships
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Each party has symmetrical or evenly distributed abilities in the system
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Complementary relationships
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each party has a distinct role that complements the other, often resulting in a form of hierarchy
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The Family as a System
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No single person orchestrates the interaction patterns, all behavior makes sense in context, no single person can be blamed for stress
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Postmodern Assumptions
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"Truths" and "realities" are constructed. Language and consciousness develop meanings and the value of objects. Reality is constructed through language and negotiated through relationships, and some values come from culture. There is no single truth.
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Social Constructivist Foundations
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People "story" their lives to create meaning. Maintains an emphasis on relationships and relational construction of reality
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How is reality structured for Post-structuralism?
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Linguistic Level
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How is reality constructed for Constructivism?
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Personal level. Experiences interact to form reality
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How is reality constructed for Social Constructivism?
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Relational level.
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Reflexivity and Humanity
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A culture remains humane to the extent that it is reflexive, AKA able to examine the effects of itself on others and able to question values and meanings
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Modernism
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There is an "external truth". Therapist is an expert mentor. Psychodynamic and cognitive-Behavioral therapies
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Humanism
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Prioritizes the individual's subjective truth. Supportive and nurturing environments promote therapeutic change. Client-centered, Gestalt, Emotion-Focused
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Systemic
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Grounded in systems theory and emphasizes contextual truth. All behavior is a form of communication. Bowen, structural, strategic.
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Postmodern
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Objective truth can not be fully known because objectivity is not humanly possible. Constructivism, social constructionism, structuralism. Feminist, narrative, solution-focused.
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Goals for Initial Phone Call in Family Therapy
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Overview of problem, arrange consultation
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Objectives of First Interview with a Family
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Build alliances, gather info, formulate a flexible hypothesis about what is maintaining the problem
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Early Phase of Family Treatment
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Refine therapist's hypothesis, begin working with the family to resolve
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Middle Phase of Family Treatment
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Take a directive role and encourage the family to rely on their own resources and talk amongst themselves
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Termination in Family Therapy
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When family has resolved presenting problems, when the family feels they can manage their lives without professional help. Review what was learned
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In Bowenian therapy, what is the primary tool for client change?
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the therapist's personal level of differentiation. Clients can only differentiate to the extent that the therapist has differentiated
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Differentiation
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A person's ability to separate intrapersonal and interpersonal distress. Separating thoughts from emotions and self from other. Balancing the two needs of togetherness and autonomy
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Genogram
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Family tree that maps key multigenerational processes that illuminate emotional dynamics that contribute to the reported symptoms
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Does Bowenian therapy emphasize techniques and interventions?
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No
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Non-Anxious Presence
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A therapist's emotionally engaged stance that is not reactive. Responding with careful reflection. Therapist does not rush to rescue client whenever they are overwhelmed by strong emotion
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What is a family that lacks differentiation?
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An undifferentiated family ego mass
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Chronic Anxiety
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Automatic physical and emotional reactions not mediated through conscious, logical processes. Passed down through generations. Higher anxiety = lower level of differentiation
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The Multigenerational Transmission Process
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Emotional processes from prior generations are present and "alive" in current family's emotional system. Children may emerge with higher, lower, or equal levels of differentiation. Severe emotional problems emerge from the continued lowering of the level of differentiation with each generation
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Measuring Differentiation
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Continuum 1-100. Bowen maintained that people rarely made it past 70
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Emotional Triangles
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A dyad draws in a third person or thing to stabilize their relationship and alleviate tension/anxiety. Therapist must avoid being pulled into a triangle by refusing to take sides
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Family Projection Process
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Parents "project" immaturity onto one or more children, causing decreased differentiation in following generations.
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Emotional Cut-off
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A person no longer emotionally engages with another in order to manage anxiety and they believe it is a sign of maturity but it is actually typical of lower differentiation.
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Fusion
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A blurring of psychological boundaries between self and other. Contaminates emotional and intellectual functioning
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Sibling Position
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The more family members exhibit expected characteristics of sibling position, the higher the level of differentiation
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Societal Regression
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Societies experiencing sustained chronic anxiety respond with emotionally-based reactive decisions and regress to lower levels of functioning. Cycle of rising and falling levels of differentiation
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Two Goals of Bowenian Therapy
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Increasing differentiation and decreasing emotional reactivity to chronic anxiety
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Process Questions
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Help clients see the systemic process or dynamics they are enacting in hope of gaining insight
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Bowenian Interventions
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Process questions, encouraging differentiation of self ("I" positions), genograms, detriangulation, relational experiments, going home again
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Detriangulation
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Maintaining neutrality to interrupt clients attempts to involve therapist or someone else in a triangle. Refuse to take sides and invite client to validate themselves and examine their own parts in the dynamic
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Relational Experiments
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Behavioral homework assignments designed to reveal/change unproductive relational processes. Increase direct communication between the dyad
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Going Home Again
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As level of differentitaion increases, client can maintain a clearer sense of self while interacting with family
