Term
| Bowen Family Therapy theory of change |
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Definition
| Change occurs by understanding multigenerational dynamics and differentiation |
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Term
| Therapist's role in Bowen Theory |
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Definition
| Coach/educator, supervisor, investigator, neutral |
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Term
| Treatment goals in Bowen therapy |
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Definition
| Reduce anxiety and emotional turmoil in family system. Self-differentiation within the context of family. Decrease emotional fusion. Reduce emotional reactivity. Improve communication skills. Decrease recurrence of dysfunctional patterns. Facilitate detraingulation. |
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Term
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Definition
| 3 person relationship system. Considered the building block or molecule of larger emotional systems because a triangle is the smallest stable relationship system. |
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Term
| Bowen - differentiation of self |
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Definition
| Families and other social groups tremendously affect how people think, feel and act, but individuals vary in their susceptibility to a "group think" and groups vary in the amount of pressure they exert for conformity. These differences between individuals and between groups reflect differences in people's levels of differentiation of self. |
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Term
| Nuclear Family Emotional System |
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Definition
| Bowen: The concept of the nuclear family emotional system describes four basic relationship patterns that govern where problems develop in a family...marital conflict, impairment (identified patient) in child, dysfunction in spouse, emotional distance. People's attitudes and beliefs about relationships play a role in the patterns but the forces primarily driving them are part of the emotional system. |
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Term
| Family Projection Process |
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Definition
| Bowen - This process describes the primary way parents transmit their emotional problems to a child. The projection process can impair the functioning of one or more children and increase their vulnerability to clinical symptoms. |
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Term
| Multi-generational transmission process |
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Definition
| How small differences in the levels of differentiation between parents and their offspring lead over many generations to marked differences in differentiation among the members of a multigenerational family. |
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Term
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Definition
| Bowen - people manage their unresolved emotional issues with parents, siblings and other family members by reducing or totally cutting off emotional contact with them |
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Term
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Definition
| Bowen - Extensive study of family's history. Acts both as an assessment and treatment tool |
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Term
| Talk to the therapist instead of each other |
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Definition
| Bowen intervention- used to reduce heightened emotions/emotional reactivity |
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Term
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Definition
| Bowen intervention - the presenting problem as a multigenerational problem that is caused by factors beyond the individual |
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Term
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Definition
| bowen intervention - therapist becomes part of a "healthy triangle" where the therapist teaches the couple to manage their own anxiety, distance, and closeness in healthy ways |
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Term
| increasing differentiation |
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Definition
| bowen intervention - by forming supportive relationship with family members to explore the origins and effects of their families beliefs and behaviors |
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Term
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Definition
| bowen intervention - improves communication and increases differentiation. |
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Term
| opening cut-off relationships |
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Definition
| bowen intervention - encouraging and supporting clients to reengage with estranged family members |
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Term
| Interupts arguments and other interactions |
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Definition
| bowen intervention - open conflict is prohibited as it raises anxiety |
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Term
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Definition
| bowen intervention - demonstrating new ways to interact and communicate |
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Term
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Definition
| bowen intervention - assigning reading material |
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Term
| Beginning phase of therapy in Bowen |
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Definition
| Create a family diagram of multigenerational emotional connections. Assess individuals levels of differentiation and triangulation, identify dysfunctional patterns that have been passed along through the generations |
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Term
| Middle phase of Bowen therapy |
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Definition
| Teach and model differentiation through communication skill building. Detriangulation, encourage reunification from cutoff family member, theach the family how to take responsibility for their feelings and thoughts |
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Term
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Definition
| Review new skills and knowledge gained in therapy |
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