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Essay / Family Therapy Models - 1310
Multigenerational Transmission Process Bowen's theory is that of human behavior. The theory views the family as an emotional unit and uses systems theory to describe interactions within the family. Bowen believed that humans are dependent and reactive towards others. Family members may feel distant or disconnected from each other; it is not a fact, but simply a feeling. Family members profoundly affect each other's feelings, actions, and thoughts, no matter how distant they feel ("Bowen Center," n.d.). Bowen describes the family as a multigenerational network of relationships (“Bowen Center,” n.d.). The multigenerational process describes how differences in levels of differentiation between parents and their children lead to marked differences in differentiation in a multigenerational family (“Bowen Center,” n.d.). People desire attention, support, and approval from others and respond to others' expectations. and stressors. Each family has its own level of interdependence. If one member exhibits a change in its functioning, another member will follow with reciprocal changes. The interdependence of a family evolves to foster cohesion to care for and protect family members. Tensions can affect this process and lead to problems within the family. When one member is anxious, the anxiety can spread to other family members and intensify, leaving family members overwhelmed or isolated. Self-Differentiation Bowen's theory also describes a person's ability to think and reflect, rather than react emotionally, as self-differentiation (Nichols, 2010). Differentiation is the process by which a person frees himself from the family process to define himself. This means being able to be emotionally connected with family members ... middle of paper ...... to repair the relationship, but instead remaining neutral and asking questions to help the family discover his own role in the problem. In Minuchin's structural model, the therapist modifies behaviors by opening up alternative patterns of interaction within the family structure (Nichols, 2010). The therapist produces change by joining the family, looking for areas of flexibility, and then activating dormant structural alternatives. The structural therapist helps family members broaden their perspectives enough to explore unknown possible solutions. Works Cited Bowen Theory. (nd). Retrieved from http://www.thebowencenter.org/pages/theory/htmlFishman, C. (nd). Intensive structural family therapy. Retrieved from http://intensivestructuraltherapy.com/family-therapy/Nichols, MP (2010). Concepts and methods of family therapy (9 ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon.