Family Systems Therapy

Murray Bowen

evolved from psychoanalysis

unresolved emotional reactivity to one’s family

Problematic behaviors

Serve a purpose for the family

Are unintentionally maintained by family processes

Function of the family’s inability to operate productively

Symptom of dysfunctional patterns handed down across generations

Techniques

differentiation of the self

triangulation

emotional cutoff

Differentiation of the self

If you realize you’re living in a toxic household, your therapist teaches you how you will differentiate yourself from your parents’ judgements, for example

• I am not the label they put on me

• Develop personal understanding

Emotional cutoff

Similar to differentiation

Cutting off from people completely isn’t really possible if you have bad relationship with, for example, your mother

• Physically in the same environment, but emotionally you don’t have any relationship

Techniques

Reframing

Boundary work

Role analysis

Narrative techniques