Thinking Systems Blog

What an Emotional Systems Perspective can Reveal

February 19, 2025Uncategorized

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Function for Self in 2025

January 28, 2025Uncategorized

function better like successful hiking in mountains

Bowen wrote that there are two major aspects of differentiation. One is the ability to discern subjective, feeling driven thinking from more objective fact based thinking. In addition, this would include “self” focused versus other focused thinking.

Give the Gift of Differentiation

December 26, 2024Uncategorized

The mall Santa had noticed the child in the line of kids. They were all eager to share what he was supposed to get them for Christmas. This one child looked a bit puzzled, like they were searching for something. Santa wondered what might it be.

Functioning and Managing Disappointment

December 18, 2024Anxiety, Define self, differentiation, forgiveness, health

disappoint needs differentiation to move on.

New research shows how our thinking can impact our gut health and trigger an immune system reaction. Chronic anxiety in relationships can activate this pathway. Define self could be more important to overall health that most people realize.

High Functioning Anxiety – A Systems Perspective

November 25, 2024Anxiety, Define self, health

How Relationships Impact Health

October 27, 2024Anxiety, Define self, health

Radical Acceptance and Bowen Theory

September 13, 2024Anxiety, attachment, cut off

A family system perspective can make all the difference to adopting radical acceptance of a situation. For many people, the shift from an individual model perspective to a family emotional systems perspective is a radical thing to accept. But the core of radical acceptance theory is understanding and acknowledging “what is”. What Dr. Bowen observed, understood and acknowledged was that families operate as an emotional unit.

Can cutting off family be good therapy?

August 25, 2024Anxiety, cut off, emotional system, forgiveness, triangles

Hola

Pessimism is irresponsible

August 14, 2024differentiation, emotional system

Is pessimism irresponsible?

Some people think it is, but many do not.

Can anxiety be bound

July 15, 2024Anxiety, differentiation

YES. And anxiety binding has positive and negative aspects to it.

Dr. Kerr wrote a lot about anxiety binding behaviour. He is the author of Family Evaluation, one of the original “source materials” on Bowen Family Systems. The system’s idea that a behaviour can bind anxiety is important when trying to improve one’s functioning.