Verified Document

Dr. Murray Bowen Family Systems Therapy Contribution Essay

¶ … Dr. Murray Bowen family systems therapy contribution family therapy. Explain the Bowenian Dr. Murray Bowen's place in family systems therapy is secure and is one of the most prominent of theorists within this field. He has helped to pioneer a number of important concepts within this discipline, which have actually served to revolutionize the field itself and its very conception of not only human nature, but of human interactivity at the family level. In fact, Bowen's work in family systems therapy has transcended this field alone, and has been applied to others aspects of erudition such as crisis situations and how people respond to them -- as denoted by his work with the Environmental Protection Agency (Baege, 2005). In contemporary times, Bowen's theory (alternately referred to as the Bowenian model) serves as the basis for family systems therapy.

Throughout the course of his Bowen's professional career he uncovered numerous theoretical innovations that have helped to shed light on what is actually the science of human nature. The author chose to direct most of his efforts towards the family as one of the most viable forms and units of human nature. Of his many contributions to family systems therapy, the notion that the family is largely interdependent upon one another from an emotional and social viewpoint remains one of the most notable. Moreover, the implications of such a viewpoint created ripple effects throughout this field, as Bowen was one of the first people to acknowledge the fact that when there is a degree of dysfunctional behavior within a family, it naturally extends itself to affect (in a variety of ways) other individuals within that family. Bowen innovated this theoretical advancement while working on schizophrenic individuals and their effects on their families (Baege, 2005). This was an extremely important discovery because it shifted the symptoms of whatever form of dysfunctional affliction that was affecting a family member outside of just that member and into the lives, emotions...

However, there was a degree of ambitiousness in Bowen's theoretical work which is also one of his primary contributions to family therapy systems. Bowen's model consists of eight interlocking concepts, and the final of these pertains to societal emotional process. Although there are elements of this tenet that apply Bowen's theory outside of the family and to society at large, this particular concept actually examines society from an evolutionary perspective. The facet of evolution is a concept that was not well studied prior to Bowen's work on the subject. However, it is noteworthy that again, this eighth interlocking concept stems directly from the principle idea that the family is one of the basic units of which to examine and codify human behavior and interaction. Yet Bowen should be credited for introducing an evolutionary aspect to family systems therapy.
In deconstructing the Bowenian model of family therapy, it is pivotal to realize the importance that Bowen ascribed to systems thinking and to emotional processes. Systems thinking, of course, views the world and its processes as an interaction between a variety of systems. One of the core principles of Bowenian theory is that the ties that bind family members are largely emotional in nature, and there is a degree of interdependence among family members intrinsically related to their emotional involvement. This connection is still existent in situations in which there is literal or even emotional distance among family members, which invariably affects them in one way or another. The subsequent quotation readily illustrates this notion.

Family members…profoundly affect each other's thoughts, feelings, and actions… People solicit each other's attention,…

Sources used in this document:
References

Baege, M. (2005). Dr. Murray Brown. Vermont Center for Family Studies. Retrieved from http://www.vermontcenterforfamilystudies.org/about_vcfs/dr_murray_bowen/

Brown, J. (1999). Bowen family systems theory and practice: illustration and critique. A.N.Z.J. Family Therapy. 20(2), 94-103.

The Bowen Theory. (No date). Bowen theory. www.thebowencenter.org. Retrieved from http://www.thebowencenter.org/pages/theory.html
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Family Therapy
Words: 903 Length: 3 Document Type: Research Paper

Family Therapy Thoughts and Feelings Prior to my working on this particular assignment, I actually knew very little about family therapy. Although the name of this branch of psychotherapy certainly describes itself, I have always adhered to a belief in individuality and that the interrelationships between people do not matter so much as the individuals themselves do. However, after learning about family therapy, I believe that my former belief was incorrect.

Family Therapy
Words: 2030 Length: 7 Document Type: Term Paper

Family Therapy The objective of this case study was to conceptualize the couple's difficulties from two theoretical perspectives and then describe what the best approach to treating them would be based on the perspective for each theory as it pertains to the causes of the family's difficulties, the type of intervention to be used, how to assess the efficacy of intervention and outcomes (effectiveness and projection testing). The case should also

Family Therapy Family Establishment and
Words: 4841 Length: 16 Document Type: Term Paper

The roles of various members of the society are a dictate of the culture between the people involved. For instance, culture has always been behind the dictates that have led to the creation of separation among family members. Culture states that it is the responsibility of the family man to provide for the family. Failure to do that will result in conflicts within the family. In essence, many families

Family Therapy Family Therapist Dr.
Words: 580 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Hence, Barker claims the trainees need some basic understanding of what causes dysfunction within families, and how to distinguish those families that are undergoing a temporarily destabilizing but time-limited crisis, from which they will reorganize and recover independently, from those families who are seriously dysfunctional and require therapeutic intervention. More so, the training of therapists' trainees adopt some scientific model which help shape the boundaries of a discipline and set

Family Therapy an Early Designation of Psychotherapies
Words: 706 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Family Therapy An early designation of psychotherapies divided all types of psychotherapy into two major categories: insight-oriented therapy and action-oriented therapy (Woolley, Wampler, & Davis, 2012). This designation was made on the basis of the therapist's main focus in achieving positive change. An insight-oriented therapy focuses on assisting the client develop knowledge or awareness about themselves as a major focus of change. The insight itself leads to positive change in the

Family Communications Family Therapy and
Words: 1037 Length: 3 Document Type: Thesis

Then, the therapist challenges these structures and begins restructuring the family by offering alternative, more functional ways of behaving and communicating ("Find out more about family therapy," 2008, DMRTK). Regardless of the efficacy of this therapy in some contexts, this approach may be too intimate for anything other than a therapist's office, with a therapist who is familiar about how to assume a critical role in the family structure

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now