Homework:

Think: What do you wish to share with the group during Check-In. You'll have about 15 minutes. What have you been thinking about for the past month? How has family systems thinking influenced your relationships? 

Learn: About how Bowen Family Systems theory understands Family Projection Process.  

Read/Watch:  

• Watch - Dr. Bowen's explanation of Family Projection Process ( ~5 min) 
• Watch - Dealing with the Problem Child (~28 min)
• Read - We Don't Need Your Help, But Will You Please Fix Our Children

Consider: 

• Look for an example of Family Projection Process in your own family.
• Look for an example of Family Projection Process in your work.

Present: Family of Origin & consider preparing a Case Presentation (pdf & doc) ahead of time and letting Tim know.

Review: Family of origin work ahead of time. Read this Primer on Individual Family of Origin Work. Consider exploring how the Family Projection Process has functioned in your family? 

Schedule for the Day: 

• Check-In
• Review: Family Projection Process
• Questions?
• Discuss: We Don't Need Your Help, But Will You Please Fix Our Children

  Case Presentation?
  

• Late Lunch ~1 p.m.
• Family of Origin Presentations will be done one on one via zoom.  Please schedule yours ahead of time.

Homework:

Think: What do you wish to share with the group during Check-In. You'll have about 15 minutes. What have you been thinking about for the past month? How has family systems thinking influenced your relationships?

Learn: About how Bowen Family Systems theory understands Societal Emotional Process. 

Read:  Societal Regression and Leadership & Coping With Anxiety in a Pandemic

Watch: Political Reactivity and Self Regulation (~28 min) & Bowen Theory: Addressing Anxiety around the Elections (~4 min)

Consider:

• In the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic where do you see evidence of Societal Emotional Process? 
• What is your role in the Pandemic Societal Emotional Process?
• What contributes to greater societal anxiety?  Consider local and national leaders
• What reduces greater societal anxiety?  Consider local and national leaders

Present: Family of Origin & consider preparing a Case Presentation (pdf & doc) ahead of time and letting Tim know. 

Review: Family of origin work ahead of time. Read this Primer on Individual Family of Origin Work. Consider exploring how your Nuclear Family Emotional Process has functioned in your family?

Schedule for the Day:

• Check-In   
• Review: Societal Emotional Process
• Questions?
• Discuss: Pandemic & the Societal Emotional Process
• Case Presentation?
• Lunch
• Family of Origin Presentations

Homework:

Think: What do you wish to share with the group during Check-In. You'll have about 15 minutes. What have you been thinking about for the past month? How has family systems thinking influenced your relationships?

Learn: About how Bowen Family Systems theory understands Nuclear Family Emotional Process.

Read: Questions One Might Ask Related to: Nuclear Family Emotional Process. 

Watch:  Adaptive Relationship Patterns in the Nuclear Family (by Bowen)  &  The Power of Family  Process

Consider: 

• 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? 

Present: Family of Origin & consider preparing a Case Presentation (pdf & doc) ahead of time and letting Tim know. Bring 10 copies to distribute for your presentation and collect following the presentation.

Review: Family of origin work ahead of time. Read this Primer on Individual Family of Origin Work. Consider exploring how your Nuclear Family Emotional Process has functioned in your family?

Schedule for the Day:

• Check-In  
• Review: Nuclear Family Emotional Process
• Questions?
• Discuss:
• Case Presentation?
• Lunch
• Family of Origin Presentations

Homework:

Think: What do you wish to share with the group during Check-In. You'll have about 15 minutes. What have you been thinking about for the past month? How has family systems thinking influenced your relationships? 

Learn: About how Bowen Family Systems theory understands Chronic Anxiety (this is the Atlantic Monthly 1988 article by Kerr about Chronic Anxiety and defining a Self).  It's worth a second look.

Read: These articles: 

• Depression's Evolutionary Roots
• Depression's Upside

Watch:   Consider watching this YouTube video on Chronic Anxiety.  In it Michael Kerr discusses Self & Chronic Anxiety.

Consider: preparing a Case Presentation (pdf & doc) ahead of time and letting Tim know. Bring 10 copies to distribute for your presentation and collect following the presentation. 

Present: Family of Origin, especially if you were assigned to do so at the last seminar. 

Review: Family of origin work ahead of time. Read this Primer on Individual Family of Origin Work. Consider exploring how Depression has functioned in your family?

Schedule for the Day:

• Check-In
  
• Review: Depression & Chronic Anxiety
• Questions?
• Discuss: Interplay between Depression and Bowen Theory
• Case Presentation?
• Lunch
• Family of Origin Presentations

Homework:

Topic:  Imaging the church of tomorrow:  Friedman's discovery of Bowen Theory and how it put together what he was experiencing in his synagogue.

Read: The following articles were recommended by Dr Larry Foster:

• A Sketch of the Bowen-Friedman Axis
• Introduction to the book Generation to Generation by Ed Friedman
• Natural Family Systems Thinking and the Human Family by Dan Papero

Read: Also, consider the following, The Edwin Friedman Model of Family Systems Thinking - This 13 page essay takes the lifework of Friedman and highlights key elements. It's organized into three sections. 

1. Basic concepts and terminology from family systems thinking that provide a unique perspective on leadership at home and at work. 
2. An interpretation of Friedman’s work on family systems thinking and its application to leadership. 
3. Ways leaders can implement the theory.

Consider:  Questions for Dr. Foster regarding the Bowen/Friedman axis.

Schedule for the Morning:

• Gather with Brief Check-In
• Introduction of Dr Larry Foster
• Dr Larry Foster presentation
• Questions?
  
• Discussion

Homework:

Think: What do you wish to share with the group during Check-In. You'll have about 15 minutes. What have you been thinking about for the past month? How has family systems thinking influenced your relationships?

Learn: About Triangles from the Bowen Center or other book. 

Read: This article about Triangles: The “Glue” of Bowen Family Systems Theory. 

Review:  Triangles in the Bush Family.

Consider: preparing a Case Presentation (pdf & doc) ahead of time and letting Tim know. Bring 11 copies to distribute for your presentation and collect following the presentation.

Present: Family of Origin, especially if you were assigned to do so at the last seminar.

Review: Family of origin work ahead of time. Read this Primer on Individual Family of Origin Work. Consider exploring how triangles have functioned in your family?

Schedule for the Day:

• Check-In
• Review: Triangles, the Glue of BFST
• Questions?
• Discuss: Triangles in the Bush Family
• Case Presentation?
• Lunch
• Family of Origin Presentations

Homework:

Think: What do you wish to share with the group during Check-In. You'll have about 15 minutes. What have you been thinking about for the past month? How has family systems thinking influenced your relationships?

Learn:  About Differentiation of Self from the Bowen Center or other book.  Read Chronic Anxiety and Defining a Self from the Atlantic Monthly September 1988 Issue.  (here is shorter summary of the article).  

Read: This article about Differentiation of Self: Enhancing Therapist  Resilience When Working with Relational Trauma.  Focus on the Bowen Family Systems Theory section and the Case presentation, especially the section on Questions for the Therapist.           

Consider: preparing a Case Presentation (pdf & doc) ahead of time and letting Tim know. Bring 12 copies to distribute for your presentation and collect following the presentation. 

Present: Family of Origin, especially if you were assigned to do so from the last seminar. 

Review: Family of origin work ahead of time. Consider exploring how   has influenced your family?

Schedule for the Day:

• Check-In
• Review Differentiation of Self
• Questions?
• Discuss: Article on Differentiation of Self: Enhancing Therapist....
• Case Presentation?
• Lunch
• Family of Origin Presentations

Homework:

Think: What do you wish to share with the group during Check-In. You'll have about 15 minutes. What have you been thinking about for the past month? How has family systems thinking influenced your relationships?

Learn: About Emotional Cutoff from Andrea Schara in her blog post: #5 Emotional Cutoff

Read:  Two blog entries from Programs In Bowen Theory: Emotional Cutoff and Bridging It: A Conversation - Part 1  & Part 2

Consider: preparing a Case Presentation (pdf  & doc) ahead of time and letting Tim know. Bring 12 copies to distribute for your presentation and collect following the presentation.

Present:  Family of Origin, especially if you were assigned to do so from the last seminar.

Review:  Family of origin work ahead of time. Consider exploring how Emotional Cutoff has influenced your family? 

Schedule for the Day:

• Check-In
• Review Emotional Cutoff
  
• Questions?
• Discuss Bridging Emotional Cutoff
• Case Presentation?
• Lunch
• Family of Origin Presentations