Family Systems Theory was introduced by Dr. Murray Bowen in 1952 (Bryannan, 1999). It was believed at the time to be a radical theory, but is now regarded as one of the best ways to help with family and personal troubles. Bowen was the first to recognize that a family, like any other group, was greater than the sum of its parts. He found that patterns of abuse in families have often persisted for many generations, and it is this family energy field that contributes to the problem. The energy within a family is stable, and each member of the family plays a role in keeping this energy stable. As an example of this, the first child usually acquires the values and goals of the parents, the second child acquires the griefs of the parents, the third child acquires the unresolved conflicts between the parents, and the fourth child acquires the unresolved conflicts of the entire family system. The fifth child behaves as the first, the sixth as the second, etc., completing the cycle.
The Bowen Family Systems Theory has eight basic concepts: 1) the nuclear family emotional system; 2) differentiation of self; 3) relationship triangles; 4) family projection process; 5) multi-generational transmission process; 6) sibling position; 7) emotional cut-off; and 8) societal emotional process (MPFC, 2004). Under the Bowen Family Systems Theory, the best way to understand family dynamics is to explore the family tree (Bryannan, 1999). The goal is to look for patterns of behavior, and then to look for cut-offs, such as emigration resulting in disconnection with the family, a member of the family splitting off and no longer having contact with other family members over some disagreement - these are opportunities to break free of the family energy system and start something new for oneself and one's family. It disrupts the assigned roles for the family. Re-connecting with family members from whom there has been a cut off opens up new insights a...