Elevator Systems - Bowen Family Systems Theory

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 SecretsDr Jenny Brown - Worry Cycle Podcast EpisodeKathleen 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 hereBuy 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 & 3Season 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.caKey Topics:#BowenFamilySystems #LivingSystems #MurrayBowen # #SystemsThinking #Polarization #Differences #Trauma #HumanTrafficking #Abuse #Recovery #MentalHealth #Relationships #DifferentiationOfSelf #DifferentiationDISCLAIMER: 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.

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 FamilySystems Theory, Journal of Pastoral PsychologyDr Ronald Richardson - Polarization and the Healthier ChurchDenmark “boxes" Commercial - All That We ShareWant to speak with a counsellor? Click hereBuy 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 & 3Season 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.caKey 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 #ElevatorSystemsPodcastDISCLAIMER: 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.

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 & 3Resources:Living Systems Counselling and TrainingElevator Systems at the Bowen Center Professional Lecture SeriesSubscribe 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.caKey Topics:#BowenFamilySystems #LivingSystems #MurrayBowen # #SystemsThinking #Polarization #Differences #HotTopics #Communication #MentalHealth #Relationships #TherapyPodcast #DifferentiationOfSelf #Differentiation #Therapy #BowenTheory #ElevatorSystems #FamilySystemsTheory #ElevatorSystemsPodcastDISCLAIMER: 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.

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 [email protected] to purchase Aging conference recording - mention the podcast and receive a discount!Email [email protected] for podcast questions or ideasThanks 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.caKey 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 #ElevatorSystemsPodcastDISCLAIMER: 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.

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.caKey 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 #TheMurrayBowenArchivesProjectDISCLAIMER: 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