2017-2018  Leaders Manage Anxiety Seminar Summaries

This section is a monthly summary of each seminar with links and downloads.  It is available for the exclusive use of those registered for the seminar.

  • May 18, 2018

    The Dynamics of Death in A System

    Homework:

    1. Prepare for a Monthly Check-In. What issues have you been struggling with this month? How might the theory help you to reflect on these issues?   
    2. Read Family Reaction to Death by Murray Bowen. 
    3. Read and consider this article:  Bowen Family Systems and Grief by Jenny Brown . 
    4. Read this fascinating study:  Death, Distance and Dynamics in the Bush family
    5. Consider preparing a Case presentation (see notes below).   
    6. Work on one issue in your family of origin and come prepared to present it (see notes below).  

    Morning:

    Afternoon:

    • We'll wrap up our discussion of the Dynamics of Death in a System . 
    • Case Presentations, Family of Origin work.
    • Case presentation format & rules (pdf & doc). While listening to the presentations we focused on our own responses and learned from the opportunity to observe how others think through their issues. 
    • Develop your Family Genogram, (I like this Genogram program). Pay attention to the Importance of Nodal Events. 
    • Original Case Presentation or Family of Origin work. If you’ve got an issue you’d like to present using the format above and send it to Tim before the seminar.

  • Homework:

    1. Prepare for a Monthly Check-In. What issues have you been struggling with this month? How might the theory help you to reflect on these issues?  
    2. Read and consider this article:  Applying Bowen Theory to Work Systems.
    3. Read Work Systems as Family Systems talk by Ed Friedman.
    4. Consider preparing a Case presentation (see notes below).  
    5. Work on one issue in your family of origin and come prepared to present it (see notes below). 
    Morning:
    Afternoon:

    • We'll wrap up our discussion of Work Systems as Family Systems talk by Ed Friedman.
    • Case Presentations, Family of Origin
    • Case presentation format & rules (pdf & doc). While listening to the presentations we focused on our own responses and learned from the opportunity to observe how others think through their issues.
    • Develop your Family Genogram, (I like this Genogram program). Pay attention to the Importance of Nodal Events.
    • Original Case Presentation or Family of Origin work. If you’ve got an issue you’d like to present using the format above and send it to Tim before the seminar.

  • Homework: 

    1. Prepare for a Monthly Check-In.  What issues have you been struggling with this month?  How might the theory help you to reflect on these issues? 
    2. Review Family Projection Process. 
    3. Consider preparing a Case presentation (see notes below). 
    4. Work on one issue in your family of origin and come prepared to present it (see notes below). 

    Morning: 

    1. First we'll take time to check in, highlighting the past month and the ways in which we've been thinking systems in our nuclear family, our family of origin, at work and play. 
    2. We'll discuss "Bullies, Worries - Mindsets and the Family Projection Process." Read this article ahead of time and bring your questions. It's an interesting take on Family Projection Process. 

    Afternoon: 

    • We'll wrap up our discussion of Family Projection Process
    • Case Presentations, Family of Origin
    • Case presentation format & rules (pdf & doc). While listening to the presentations we focused on our own responses and learned from the opportunity to observe how others think through their issues. 
    • Develop your Family Genogram, (I like this Genogram program). Pay attention to the Importance of Nodal Events. 
    • Original Case Presentation or Family of Origin work. If you’ve got an issue you’d like to present using the format above and send it to Tim before the seminar.

  • Homework:

    1. Prepare for a Monthly Check-In. What issues have you been struggling with this month? How might the theory help you to reflect on these issues?
    2. Review the book Teaching Fish To Walk : Church Systems and Adaptive Challenges
    3. Consider preparing a Case presentation (see notes below).
    4. Work on one issue in your family of origin and come prepared to present it (see notes below).

    Morning:

    1. First we'll take time to check in, highlighting the past month and the ways in which we've been thinking systems in our nuclear family, our family of origin, at work and play.
    2. We'll discuss Peter Steinke's book: Teaching Fish To Walk : Church Systems and Adaptive Challenges. 
    3. A decent blog post about the book can be found here.

    • Bring your questions about the book
    • We'll discuss how it could be used in your congregations
    • We'll talk about the theory behind the book

    Afternoon:

    • We'll wrap up our discussion of Teaching Fish to Walk
    • Case Presentations, Family of Origin
    • Case presentation format & rules (pdf & doc). While listening to the presentations we focused on our own responses and learned from the opportunity to observe how others think through their issues.
    • Develop your Family Genogram, (I like this Genogram program).
    • Pay attention to the Importance of Nodal Events.
    • Original Case Presentation or Family of Origin work. If you’ve got an issue you’d like to present using the format above and send it to Tim before the seminar.

  • Homework:

    1. Prepare for a Monthly Check-In. What issues have you been struggling with this month? How might the theory help you to reflect on these issues? 
    2. Review the concept of Multigenerational Transmission Process. 
    3. Review: Multigenerational Transmission Process by Ken Crowford.
    4. Read: The Multigenerational Transmission of Family Unit Functioning.
    5. Consider preparing a Case presentation (see notes below). 
    6. Work on one issue in your family of origin and come prepared to present it (see notes below). 

    Morning: Multigenerational Transmission Process

    • Can you identify small differences in the levels of differentiation between parents and their offspring? 
    • Can you identify conscious teaching and learning of things that made family members anxious? 
    • Can you identify automatic and unconscious programming of emotional reactions and behaviors? 
    • How has this anxiety been passed through the generations both consciously and unconsciously? 

    Afternoon: Case Presentations, Family of Origin

    • Case presentation format & rules (pdf & doc). While listening to the presentations we focused on our own responses and learned from the opportunity to observe how others think through their issues. 
    • Develop your Family Genogram, (I like this Genogram program). 
    • Pay attention to the Importance of Nodal Events. 
    • Original Case Presentation or Family of Origin work. If you’ve got an issue you’d like to present using the format above and send it to Tim before the seminar.

  • Homework:

    1. Prepare for a Monthly Check-In. What issues have you been struggling with this month? How might the theory help you to reflect on these issues? 
    2. Review the concept of Nuclear Family Emotional Process. 
    3. Review: Questions One Might Ask Related to: Nuclear Family Emotional Process. 
    4. Read: The Multigenerational Transmission of Family Unit Functioning.
    5. Consider preparing a Case presentation (see notes below). 
    6. Work on one issue in your family of origin and come prepared to present it (see notes below). 

    Morning: Nuclear Family Emotional Process

    • Can you identify the four basic relationship patterns in your family of origin? 
    • Where do you see these patterns at work in your family tree as you go back a generation or two? 
    • Which pattern was most common in your nuclear family? 
    • Which pattern is most common in your family of origin? 

    Afternoon: Case Presentations, Family of Origin

    • Case presentation format & rules (pdf & doc). While listening to the presentations we focused on our own responses and learned from the opportunity to observe how others think through their issues. 
    • Develop your Family Genogram, (I like this Genogram program). 
    • Pay attention to the Importance of Nodal Events. 
    • Original Case Presentation or Family of Origin work. If you’ve got an issue you’d like to present using the format above and send it to Tim before the seminar.

  • NOVEMBER 17, 2017

    Triangles

    Homework:

    1. Prepare for a Monthly Check-In. What issues have you been struggling with this month? How might the theory help you to reflect on these issues? 
    2. Read Israel Galindo's blog posts entitled Back to the Basics: Triangles. (The link will take you to the first post but read all seven).
    3. This is also a "not bad" discussion of Triangles. Watch it here. 
    4. Consider preparing a Case presentation (see notes below). 
    5. Work on one issue in your family of origin and come prepared to present it (see notes below). 

    Morning: Triangles

    • What are the triangles are in your family of origin? 
    • What are the triangles in your nuclear family? 
    • What are the triangles at work? 

    Afternoon: Case Presentations, Family of Origin

    • Case presentation format & rules (pdf & doc). While listening to the presentations we focused on our own responses and learned from the opportunity to observe how others think through their issues. 
    • Introduction to Family Genograms, (I like this Genogram program). 
    • The Importance of Nodal Events. 
    • Original Case Presentation or Family of Origin work. If you’ve got an issue you’d like to present using the format above and send it to Tim before the seminar.

  • Homework:

    1. Prepare for a Monthly Check-In:  What issues have you been struggling with this month? How might the theory help you to reflect on these issues? 
    2. Read about Differentiation of Self from The Bowen Center. 
    3. Read Chronic Anxiety and Defining a Self from the Atlantic Monthly September 1988 Issue. This is a summary of the article. 
    4. Watch this video about Differentiated Leadership. 
    5. Consider Peter Steinke’s chart about Differentiated Leadership. 
    6. Consider preparing a Case presentation (see notes below). 
    7. Work on one issue in your family of origin and come prepared to present it (see notes below). 

    Morning: Differentiated Leadership in Theory & Practice

    • What does it mean to be differentiated? 
    • How do we become differentiated? 
    • What does differentiation look like? 

    Afternoon: Case Presentations, Family of Origin

  • SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

    "Playfulness” as a way to foster “non-anxious environments.”

    Homework:

    1. Complete the 2017-18 Seminar Participant Form (pdf & doc), and email it to Tim. 
    2. Think about how you want to tell your story to the group. 
    3. Read blog entry entitled: PlayBook: Generation to Generation. 
    4. Read blog entry entitled: The wisdom of play A little playfulness can go a long way. 
    5. Come ready to play! 

    Morning Topic: Review of Seminar and Introductions

    • Review goals, expectations, and ground rules of the seminar. 
    • Each person will have an opportunity to tell their story. Tell us about: 
    • yourself, your job, your job challenges, 
    • your family, your family challenges
    • your experience with Family Systems Theory if any
    • What brought you to this seminar? 
    • What are your hopes and expectations? 

    Early Afternoon Topic: “Playfulness” as a way to foster “non-anxious environments”

    • Rabbi Ed Friedman said, “Playfulness can get you out of a rut more successfully than seriousness.” This afternoon we’ll discuss “playfulness” as a way to foster “non-anxious environments.” 

    Late Afternoon Topic: Case Presentations, Family of Origin & Genograms