Elevator Systems - Bowen Family Systems Theory

Living Systems

Introduction to Bowen Family Systems Theory

  1. 5D AGO

    S4 Ep3 Artificial Intelligence with Dr. Patrick Stinson

    In our latest podcast, we explore how Bowen family systems theory is useful in navigating the world of artificial intelligence and how artificial intelligence may inform Bowen theory. In a world increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence, understanding how we relate to technology is more important than ever. How does one go from jumping in the deep end or panicked avoidance to thoughtful engagement?  Dr. Patrick Stinson, Psy.D. combines 25 years as a software architect with clinical training in family systems. He is a Doctor of Psychology who studied at the California Institute of Integral Studies and has done pre and post-doctoral internships at The Bowen Center in Washington, DC. Patrick founded Alaska Family Systems, developed the Family Diagram App, and is currently an AI Engineer/Architect at Micron Technology. His 2020 dissertation on problems in psychological science provides the intellectual foundation for this work Resources: Alaska Family Systems Family Diagram App Dr. Stinson's Open Source Projects Want to speak with a counsellor? Click here Buy us a “coffee” at https://ko-fi.com/elevatorsystems and support the production of the podcast! Terms you don’t understand? We have episodes on all 8 concepts of Bowen theory and other ideas in Elevator Systems Seasons 1, 2 & 3 Season 4 episodes will be released every two weeks starting Tuesday March 3rd. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Like, subscribe, and comment. Living Systems Counselling and Training provides educational material for those interested in learning more about Bowen family systems theory: https://livingsystems.ca Key Topics: #BowenFamilySystems #LivingSystems #MurrayBowen # #SystemsThinking #Polarization #Differences #HotTopics #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Technology #TechEthics #Ethics #Values #CriticalThinking #SocietyChange #IndustrialRevolution #Communication #MentalHealth #Relationships #TherapyPodcast #DifferentiationOfSelf #Differentiation #Therapy #BowenTheory #ElevatorSystems #FamilySystemsTheory #ElevatorSystemsPodcast DISCLAIMER: This podcast is general information about Bowen family systems theory and is not considered the practice of counselling or therapy.  The information presented are the views of the people who say them. Any information used from this podcast is used at your own risk

    49 min
  2. MAR 17

    S4 Ep2 Mental Health with Dr. Samantha Stokesberry

    Today’s episode explores the application of Bowen family systems theory in understanding mental health. Dr. Sam Stokesberry is our guest looking at the role of the counsellor in navigating their own emotional processes while supporting clients and differentiation of self in therapy. The discussion highlights a nuanced understanding of mental health that considers the interplay of individual and systemic factors. Samantha Stokesberry, PhD, LPC, NCC is a licensed professional counsellor, consultant, and speaker. Her professional path was shaped by four years living in South Africa, where playing professional soccer and coaching at a futsal academy led her into nonprofit work and her first real world exposure to the human trafficking industry. Today, she provides counselling to individuals and families in Texas and offers consultation and training services internationally. Sam specializes in working with trafficking survivors and their families, as well as families impacted by incest, sexual abuse, and chronic anxiety. Sam has trained at the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family and her doctoral research, which will be published this upcoming year, examines the relationships between differentiation of self, family unit functioning, and post-traumatic growth in adult female survivors of trafficking in the United States. Resources: Dr Sam Stokesberry’s practice  Dr Michael Kerr - Bowen Theory’s Secrets Dr Jenny Brown - Worry Cycle Podcast Episode Kathleen Kerr - (1999). The Projection Process in Health Care Systems. Family Systems, 5(1). Stephanie Ferrera - (1999) What is help: a theoretical and personal perspective. Family Systems, 5(1). Stephanie Ferrera - The evolution of helping: from altruism to empathy to differentiation of self. In P. Titelman (Ed.) Differentiation of Self: Bowen Family Systems Theory Perspectives.  Want to speak with a counsellor? Click here Buy us a “coffee” at https://ko-fi.com/elevatorsystems and support the production of the podcast! Terms you don’t understand? We have episodes on all 8 concepts of Bowen theory and other ideas in Elevator Systems Seasons 1, 2 & 3 Season 4 episodes will be released every two weeks starting Tuesday March 3rd. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Like, subscribe, and comment. Living Systems Counselling and Training provides educational material for those interested in learning more about Bowen family systems theory: https://livingsystems.ca Key Topics: #BowenFamilySystems #LivingSystems #MurrayBowen # #SystemsThinking #Polarization #Differences #Trauma #HumanTrafficking #Abuse #Recovery #MentalHealth #Relationships #DifferentiationOfSelf #Differentiation DISCLAIMER: This podcast is general information about Bowen family systems theory and is not considered the practice of counselling or therapy.  The information presented are the views of the people who say them. Any information used from this podcast is used at your own risk.

    38 min
  3. MAR 3

    S4 Ep1 Polarization with Dr. Barbara Laymon

    To introduce Season 4, Dr. Barbara Laymon joins the podcast to discuss the complex dynamics of polarization and the interplay between individuality and togetherness as described in Bowen family systems theory. This episode explores what individuality and togetherness look like in relationships, the impact of societal pressures, and the importance of maturity in navigating differences. Examples, including the Bonhoeffer family, prairie dogs, COVID-19, and the Olympic Games, illustrate natural tendencies towards both cooperation and competition. The conversation offers practical takeaways for managing polarization in everyday life. Barbara Laymon, Ph.D. is a family systems consultant, a writer and a researcher. Her latest book, “All the Families of the Earth” is a fictional piece imagining family therapists at work behind the scenes of Biblical stories. Her most recent academic article involved a validated scale of congregational functioning, published in the Journal of Pastoral Psychology. Resources: Dr Barbara Laymon - All the Families of the Earth  Dr Barbara Laymon - Measuring Congregational Functioning: A Scale Based Upon Bowen Family Systems Theory, Journal of Pastoral Psychology Dr Ronald Richardson - Polarization and the Healthier Church Denmark “boxes" Commercial - All That We Share Want to speak with a counsellor? Click here Buy us a “coffee” at https://ko-fi.com/elevatorsystems and support the production of the podcast! Terms you don’t understand? We have episodes on all 8 concepts of Bowen theory and other ideas in Elevator Systems Seasons 1, 2 & 3 Season 4 episodes will be released every two weeks starting Tuesday March 3rd. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Like, subscribe, and comment. Living Systems Counselling and Training provides educational material for those interested in learning more about Bowen family systems theory: https://livingsystems.ca Key Topics: #BowenFamilySystems #LivingSystems #MurrayBowen # #SystemsThinking #Polarization #Differences #HotTopics #Communication #Individuality #Togetherness #Maturity #Bonhoeffer #COVID-19 #Evolution #Prairiedogs #Group #Groupdynamics #UsandThem #Competition #Cooperation #MentalHealth #Relationships #TherapyPodcast #DifferentiationOfSelf #Differentiation #Therapy #BowenTheory #ElevatorSystems #FamilySystemsTheory #ElevatorSystemsPodcast DISCLAIMER: This podcast is general information about Bowen family systems theory and is not considered the practice of counselling or therapy.  The information presented are the views of the people who say them. Any information used from this podcast is used at your own risk.

    40 min
  4. FEB 24

    S4 Preseason Episode: Mild/Medium/Hot Topics

    Welcome to the Season 4 kickoff of Elevator Systems! In this episode, Dixie Vandersluys and Katie White share a sneak peek into the themes and topics being explored this season: the tough conversations and topics we often avoid! Join us as we dive into what makes a topic ‘hot’, how to engage more thoughtfully, and how Bowen family systems theory is helpful when tensions rise. Whether you're familiar with Bowen theory or new to these ideas, this season promises lots of ideas and engaging discussion on managing differences in relationships.  Dixie Vandersluys is a Canadian Certified Counsellor based in Manitoba, Canada. She has undergraduate degrees in history and philosophy and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Providence Theological Seminary.  Dixie enjoys seeing clients across Canada in her private practice. Dixie is also a faculty member at Living Systems and the creator and host of the Elevator Systems podcast.   Katie White is a Marriage and Family Therapist registered in the US and Canada.  She has been working with individuals, couples and families in schools, clinics, and non-profit centres for twenty years in the US, Australia and Canada. In 2010, Katie began focusing her practice using Bowen family systems theory and has attended the Post-Graduate Program at the Bowen Center.  Katie is currently the Executive Director of Living Systems in Vancouver Canada. Katie teaches and supervises interns there, as well as managing a private practice. Season 4 episodes will be released every two weeks starting Tuesday March 3rd.  Buy us a “coffee” at https://ko-fi.com/elevatorsystems and support the production of the podcast! Terms you don’t understand? We have episodes on all 8 concepts of Bowen theory and other ideas in Elevator Systems Seasons 1, 2 & 3 Resources: Living Systems Counselling and TrainingElevator Systems at the Bowen Center Professional Lecture Series Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Like, subscribe, and comment. Living Systems Counselling and Training provides educational material for those interested in learning more about Bowen family systems theory: https://livingsystems.ca Key Topics: #BowenFamilySystems #LivingSystems #MurrayBowen # #SystemsThinking #Polarization #Differences #HotTopics #Communication #MentalHealth #Relationships #TherapyPodcast #DifferentiationOfSelf #Differentiation #Therapy #BowenTheory #ElevatorSystems #FamilySystemsTheory #ElevatorSystemsPodcast DISCLAIMER: This podcast is general information about Bowen family systems theory and is not considered the practice of counselling or therapy.  The information presented are the views of the people who say them. Any information used from this podcast is used at your own risk.

    15 min
  5. S3 Special Episode: The Family Life Cycle with Dr. Monica McGoldrick

    12/16/2025

    S3 Special Episode: The Family Life Cycle with Dr. Monica McGoldrick

    Welcome to Elevator Systems! To end Season 3, we are interviewing Dr. Monica McGoldrick about her book The Expanded Family Life Cycle, the importance of systems thinking, and some of her memories with Dr. Murray Bowen. Monica McGoldrick, M.A., LCSW, Ph.D. (Honorary), is the Director of the Multicultural Family Institute in Highland Park, New Jersey and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Monica has written and spoken widely on topics such as culture, gender, the family life cycle, loss, and genograms. Three of her most notable books include: The Expanded Family Life Cycle, Ethnicity and Family Therapy, and Genograms: Assessment and Intervention. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Viewing life stages not just as individual but as interconnected with the family life cycle.Family diagrams (genograms) as a tool to understand family patterns and history and the usefulness of contextualizing individual experiences.Practical application of Bowen theory in therapy, how understanding family systems can aid in addressing current issues by exploring family relationships and dynamics.Considering the perspectives of both ancestors and future descendants, growing a broader understanding of one's place within the family lineage and the impact of one's actions on future generations. Recommended Resources: Monica McGoldrick website: https://multiculturalfamily.org/Monica McGoldrick and Betty Carter: The Expanded Family Life CycleLouise Aronson: ElderhoodPatrick Stinson: Family Diagram App Living Systems online workshops and counselling information: https://livingsystems.caLiving Systems Aging ConferenceEmail info@livingsystems.ca to purchase Aging conference recording - mention the podcast and receive a discount!Email dixie@livingsystems.ca for podcast questions or ideas Thanks for listening to Season 3! Look for Season 4 of Elevator Systems in early 2026.  Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Like, subscribe, and comment. Living Systems Counselling and Training provides educational material for those interested in learning more about Bowen family systems theory: https://livingsystems.ca Key Topics:#BowenFamilySystems #LivingSystems #MurrayBowen #MonicaMcGoldrick #Family #SystemsThinking #FamilyLifeCycle #LifeCycle #StagesofLife #Genogram #FamilyDiagram #FamilyHistory #Ancestry #Lineage #History #MentalHealth #Relationships #TherapyPodcast #DifferentiationOfSelf #Differentiation #Therapy #BowenTheory #ElevatorSystems #FamilySystemsTheory #ElevatorSystemsPodcast DISCLAIMER: This podcast is general information about Bowen family systems theory and is not considered the practice of counselling or therapy.  The information presented are the views of the people who say them. Any information used from this podcast is used at your own risk.

    48 min
  6. S3 Ep18 Death with Priscilla Friesen

    11/04/2025

    S3 Ep18 Death with Priscilla Friesen

    Welcome to Elevator Systems! For the last episode of our season on relationships across the lifespan, we will be looking at Bowen family systems theory and death. Priscilla Friesen joins hosts Dixie Vandersluys and Katie White to talk about her personal and professional perspective. Priscilla Friesen is a family consultant who trained as a licensed clinical social worker. She was introduced to Bowen theory in 1976 and has spent years at the Bowen Center where her responsibilities have included: administrator of Biofeedback Programs, Director of the Postgraduate Training Programs, developing meetings, presenting and teaching. Priscilla has a special interest in biofeedback and neurofeedback and how physiological reactivity is regulated in relationships. Priscilla has also worked to make Dr. Bowen’s archival legacy available to the world, working with the Bowen family since his death in 1990 and serving on the board of directors of The Murray Bowen Archives Project today. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The many relationships impacted by the death of a family member.Ways death is regulated within the family system.The variation in how families handle death provides valuable information about the family system.What an open system is and how it’s useful to a family around death.The adjustment of roles in the family after a death and the emergence of family leaders.Examples include: personal stories, estate planning and family discussions, the grief of Queen Victoria and her family life. This episode is for anyone interested in thinking about death from a systems perspective and anyone who works professionally with families that are facing death, grief and loss.  Terms you don’t understand? We have episodes on all 8 concepts of Bowen theory and other ideas in Elevator Systems Seasons 1 & 2. Recommended Resources: The Murray Bowen Archives Project Dr. Murray Bowen: Family Therapy in Clinical PracticeDr. Jenny Brown: Growing Yourself UpDeath and Chronic Illness in the Family, Ed. Peter Titelman & Sydney K. ReedLiving Beyond Loss: Death in the Family, Ed. Froma Walsh & Monica McGoldrickFamily Matters The Relationships We Live In podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/episode-1-the-relationships-we-live-in/ Thanks for listening to Season 3! A special episode to wrap up Season 3 will be released in the coming weeks!  Look for Season 4 of Elevator Systems in early 2026.  Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts so you don’t miss a weekly release. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment. Living Systems Counselling and Training provides educational material for those interested in learning more about Bowen family systems theory: https://livingsystems.ca Key Topics: #BowenFamilySystems #LivingSystems #MurrayBowen #Therapy #SystemsThinking #Death #Dying #Grief #Loss #Mourning #Funeral #Goodbye #Communication #Estates #Plans #Aging #MentalHealth #Relationships #TherapyPodcast #DifferentiationOfSelf #Differentiation #Family #BowenTheory #ElevatorSystems #FamilySystemsTheory #ElevatorSystemsPodcast #MurrayBowenArchives #TMBAP #TheMurrayBowenArchivesProject DISCLAIMER: This podcast is general information about Bowen family systems theory and is not considered the practice of counselling or therapy.  The information presented are the views of the people who say them. Any information used from this podcast is used at your own risk

    36 min
  7. S3 Ep17 Aging with Selden Dunbar Illick

    10/28/2025

    S3 Ep17 Aging with Selden Dunbar Illick

    Welcome to Elevator Systems! Selden Dunbar Illick joins Dixie Vandersluys and Katie White as they think through aging from a Bowen family systems perspective on today’s episode. Selden Dunbar Illick has been studying Bowen family systems theory for over 40 years. Selden founded the Princeton Family Center for Education in 1987 and currently serves on the Board. She is particularly interested in the application of Bowen theory to family functioning in the present as it connects to the multigenerational past and to future generations, especially the concept of emotional cutoff between the generations and degrees of unresolved emotional attachment. Today, at the age of 85, Selden continues to be a consultant to those interested in applying a Bowen family systems theory perspective to their lives. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Aging is a lifelong process that begins at birth.The usefulness of maintaining emotional connections across generations. The idea of over and under-functioning and thoughtfully providing and receiving support.Emotional cutoff and differentiation as key concepts in intergenerational relationships.The importance of lifelong learning and curiosity.Examples include: personal and clinical examples of families and aging, historical and cultural examples, and the show “Call the Midwife”  This episode is for anyone who is aging, has aging family members, or works with individual and families facing the challenges and opportunities of aging.  Terms you don’t understand? We have episodes on all 8 concepts of Bowen theory and other ideas in Elevator Systems Seasons 1 & 2. Recommended Resources: The Murray Bowen Archives Project Dr. Murray Bowen: Family Therapy in Clinical PracticeDr. Murray Bowen: A Systems View of the Aging Process (Family Systems Journal 13.1)Dr. Jenny Brown: Growing Yourself UpMonica McGoldrick & Betty Carter: The Family Life CycleDeath and Chronic Illness in the Family, Ed. Peter Titelman & Sydney K. ReedDr. Bowen & Kathleen Yanks: The Basic Series #7 - Emotional CutoffLiving Systems Oct/25 conference Aging: Individual Challenge or Family Opportunity? New podcast episodes released every Tuesday this season—stay tuned as we explore relationships across the lifespan!  Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts so you don’t miss a weekly release. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment. Living Systems Counselling and Training provides educational material for those interested in learning more about Bowen family systems theory: https://livingsystems.ca Key Topics: #BowenFamilySystems #LivingSystems #MurrayBowen #Therapy #SystemsThinking #Family #Aging #Seniors #Elder #Elderly #BabyBoomers #EndofLife #NextGeneration #PasstheBaton #MentalHealth #Relationships #TherapyPodcast #DifferentiationOfSelf #Differentiation #BowenTheory #ElevatorSystems #FamilySystemsTheory #ElevatorSystemsPodcast #MurrayBowenArchives #TMBAP #TheMurrayBowenArchivesProject DISCLAIMER: This podcast is general information about Bowen family systems theory and is not considered the practice of counselling or therapy.  The information presented are the views of the people who say them. Any information used from this podcast is used at your own risk.

    41 min
  8. S3 Ep16 Family Rifts with Lisa Moss

    10/21/2025

    S3 Ep16 Family Rifts with Lisa Moss

    Welcome to Elevator Systems! Today’s episode is about something that can happen at any stage of life: family rifts. Lisa Moss joins Dixie Vandersluys and Katie White to discuss family rifts and Bowen family systems theory. Lisa Moss is a licensed clinical social worker with 15 years in private practice. Lisa completed the post graduate training program at the Center for Family Consultation in Evanston, Illinois, and joined the faculty in 2013. Lisa has studied family dynamics, marriage, sibling relationships, and human behavior from a Bowen theory perspective for nearly two decades. Before private practice, Lisa worked in hospitals and community agencies, gaining a wide view of how people and families function in different settings. She earned her MSW from Loyola University Chicago after completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Kansas, and has been a licensed clinical social worker since 1995. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Bowen theory’s concept of “cutoff” as well as the use of family rifts, estrangement, and distance in relationships.Cutoff may relieve immediate tension and it has short and long-term consequences for the individual and family.Estrangement can lead to difficulties in other relationships, including the transfer of emotional intensity from one relationship to another.Understanding family dynamics through systems thinking can help individuals to manage themselves in challenging relationships.Examples include: TV shows “The Bear”, “Everybody Loves Raymond” “Gilmore Girls” and what drove the story line in every 1990s sitcom, as well as clinical examples.  This episode is for professionals and non-professionals alike, especially those thinking through the cost and benefits of breaking away from challenging relationships.  Terms you don’t understand? We have episodes on all 8 concepts of Bowen theory and other ideas in Elevator Systems Seasons 1 & 2. Recommended Resources: The Murray Bowen Archives Project Dr. Murray Bowen: Family Therapy in Clinical PracticeDr. Jenny Brown: Growing Yourself UpDr. Michael E. Kerr: Bowen Theory’s SecretsCatherine M. Rakow: Making Sense of Human LifeAnne McKnight (Ed): Thinking Systems: Applying Bowen Theory in Clinical Practice Anne McKnight, Family Matters: Cutoff in Family RelationshipsAnne McKnight: “Two Perspectives on Family Rifts: The Concepts of Estrangement and Cut-off”, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 45(2)Kathleen Smith: When You’re Too Close to the ProblemKathleen Smith: Living Outside of ConflictHasan Minhaj podcast with Gabor MatéElevator Systems, S1 Ep5 DistanceElevator Systems, S2 Ep6 Emotional Cutoff New podcast episodes released every Tuesday this season—stay tuned as we explore relationships across the lifespan!  Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts so you don’t miss a weekly release. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment. Living Systems Counselling and Training provides educational material for those interested in learning more about Bowen family systems theory: https://livingsystems.ca Key Topics: #BowenFamilySystems #LivingSystems #MurrayBowen #Therapy #SystemsThinking #Anxiety #FamilyRifts #Cutoff #NoContact #Distance #Avoidance #Conflict #Separation #ToxicPeople #MentalHealth #Relationships #TherapyPodcast #DifferentiationOfSelf #Differentiation #Family #BowenTheory #ElevatorSystems #FamilySystemsTheory #ElevatorSystemsPodcast #MurrayBowenArchives #TMBAP #TheMurrayBowenArchivesProject DISCLAIMER: This podcast is general information about Bowen family systems theory and is not considered the practice of counselling or therapy.  The information presented are the views of the people who say them. Any information used from this podcast is used at your own risk.

    38 min

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4.5
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6 Ratings

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Introduction to Bowen Family Systems Theory

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