Murray Bowen's Family Theory

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Introduction Dr. Murray Bowen is known as the father of family therapy (H. Goldenberg & L. Goldenberg, 2013). Dr. Bowen began his career within the medical community before making the switch to psychiatry (Winek, 2010). Five years of military services influenced Dr. Bowen’s decision to change from work in surgery to psychiatry (Baege, 2006; Winek, 2010). Psychoanalytical theory was the guiding force for Dr. Bowen’s approach to therapy (Winek, 2010). Developed from observing family relationship patterns of those with schizophrenia (Baege, 2006; Winek, 2010). While Bowen was a researcher for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), he began to develop the family systems approach to therapy (Baege, 2006; Winek, 2010). Bowen’s groundbreaking …show more content…

Differentiation of self is a delicate balance between emotions and intellect. On one side of the spectrum, individuals respond more emotionally and respond automatically to situations (Baege, 2006). On the other side of the spectrum, individuals respond automatically with intellectual control over emotions. Individuals’ differential of self is lower when they operate out of either extreme of the spectrum (Baege, 2006). Higher differentiation of self occurs when an individuals can respond to a situation intellectually while still being able to accept the emotions they are experiencing (Wineck, 2010). Undifferentiated individuals may be able to disguise their inability to deal with stress and anxiety. Individuals who are undifferentiated operate under s certain set of rules, expectations, and customs (Baege, 2006). Furthermore, Dr. Bowen believed that people who are individualistic operate out of the emotional side of the spectrum. Thusly, individualistic people are undifferentiated. Dr. Bowen (1976) stated that differentiated individuals are conscious of others, enjoy the company of others, laugh, have fun, and

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