Bowenian Approach

           The overall therapeutic goal for a Bowenian therapist is to increase the levels of differentiation for all family members, develop person-to-person relationships, to recognize triangles, and to see family members as people rather than emotionally charged images. The process of change begins when the therapist learns more about the larger family; including who is in the family, what the family members are like, and what they do. When gathering information, the therapist asks for descriptions rather than conclusion to acquire more accurate information.

            The second step towards differentiation is establishing person-to-person relationships with as many family members as possible. This means, the client must get in touch and speak directly with family members, not about other people or impersonal topics. Over time, gradually increasing the time of personal conversation will improve the relationship and help differentiate a self.

            Eventually, the ability to differentiate oneself requires ceasing to participate in interpersonal triangles. The objective is to relate to individuals without having to gossip, take sides and without counterattacking or becoming defensive. Once the client is able to identify triangles, the client can stop participating in them. In addition, the goal is to have the other two people work out their relationship (Nichols, 2014).

 

    Bowen's method can be divided into the following three steps:

1. Family origin---therapists use the genograms to explore the emotional process in the family and assess how anxiety is absorbed in the family unit. 

2. "I" position statements---which is to make nonreactive observations and statements of opinion to decrease reactivity and to detriangulate.

3.Reconnection of emotional cutoffs---while reducing reactivity maintain emotional contact with significant others (Gibson and Donigian, 1993).