The Case Assignment on Ana: Bowen Family Systems Theory

Case Study on Ana
Insert Name:
Institutional Affiliation:
Due Date:
Question 1
Bowen Family Systems theory emphasizes the eight key concepts upon which family issues can be effectively treated and understood. The core principle of the theory is that the client is linked with her family unit, and that change in one aspect of the unit causes changes to other parts of the family (Murdock, 2013). Therefore, the approach of this therapy is to treat all family members. Based on the key concepts of the theory, people are encouraged to think of their issues in connection with multigenerational family influence.
The triangles and differentiation of self are two core concepts of this theory that make it appropriate to the client. This theory believes that dysfunction occurs as a consequence of undifferentiation from individuals in the family unit. An undifferentiated individual is a person who is too emotionally involved with her own family. The theory sees an undifferentiated person as is in a state of chronic anxiety. Titelman (2014) explains that differentiation aims to help the client to separate herself from emotions and stresses of family demands and to enable the client to focus on making self-change instead of trying to change others. Triangulation is another vital concept of the theory in which a third person involves herself into a relationship of two individuals. A good example is the relationship of the client with her husband. The third person can be the therapist who inserts herself to be part of the triangle to help the couples to address dysfunctions affecting the family.
Question 2
I choose this theory over others because of the eight concepts of the theory, which are important for the clients’ cases. First, differentiation of self is a concept that aims to help family members to reduce or eradicate anxiety and to increase differentiation of self within the family system (Murdock, 2013). Secondly, the triangle is a concept that examines the patterns of transmission of anxiety and the anxiety binding between the family members and to develop control to the individuals to restore balance (Jacob, 2015). Thirdly, family projection process examines the manner in which the multigenerational problems are transferred from parents to children and to address such problems to enable the clients to achieve balance. Fourthly, the nuclear family is a concept that defines basic relationship patterns which help to manage marital conflict, anxiety, dysfunction, impairments, and emotional distance which dictate where problems grow within the family (Jeffry, 2001). Fifthly, the multigenerational transmission process is a concept that examines how small differences in the differentiation levels between parents and their children occur over several generations to create differentiation impacts among family members of a multigenerational unit (family). Examining these differences help to shape the individual’s self. Sixthly, sibling position is a concept that examines how characteristics of personality are influenced by the position of a person in the sibling order. Seventhly, emotional cutoff examines the patterns of managing unresolved preoccupation with the past by cutting off and the long-term impacts of cutting them (Titelman, 2014). Lastly, the societal emotional process is the concept that examines how in the society (just like in the family), there are regressive and progressive periods featured by lower and higher functional differentiation. The society typically experiences high chronic anxiety during regressive periods, and in the long run is counterproductive.
Question 3
The goal of the Bowen Family system theory is to reduce or address chronic anxiety. The theory aims to ensure that the client including individuals of the family understands how emotional systems function (Jeffry, 2001). The theory also focuses on creating differentiation to enable individuals to concentrate on making self-change rather than attempting to change others.
The intervention strategies used to achieve these goals include genograms, process questions, and relationship experiments. For example, genograms is a process that examines the family. Here, assessment gathers information, which is organized in a genogram that is a pictorial layout which covers not less than three generations (Titelman, 2014). The genogram not only assesses the family history, but also examines issues like family tri...