Category: emotional system

Keeping Secrets and Defining Self

May 28, 2026emotional system
Two kids and a secret

Imagine your sister tells you something at the kitchen table and ends with, “but don’t tell Mom.” You feel the weight of it before you’ve decided anything. Your stomach tightens. Already you’re calculating what to say to your mother on Sunday.

Pessimism is irresponsible

April 23, 2026differentiation, emotional system
We can do this
Is pessimism irresponsible? Some people think it is, but many do not. When asked, "Are we doomed?" Anne Applebaum replied, "Pessimism is irresponsible." That's an interesting reply, and I think it connects to something Bowen Theory explains well: di

The Maturity Point

April 11, 2025Define self, emotional system
the maturity point involves making a choice
The Maturity Point: That Moment You Choose to Step Up We all hit it—that moment. You’re facing something uncomfortable—maybe it's a task you’ve been putting off, a conversation you’ve been dreading, or the decision to stop scrolling and sta

Pessimism is irresponsible

August 14, 2024differentiation, emotional system
We can do this
Is pessimism irresponsible? Some people think it is, but many do not. To the question "Are we doomed" Anne Applebaum replied, "Pessimism is irresponsible". That's an interesting reply and I think it aligns with a higher level of differentiation. What

un-intelligence

July 16, 2023emotional system
un-intelligence is head in the sand thinking
How does intelligence get stupid? How is it that politicians can get involved with affairs, misuse funds, and promote false information? Many politicians have degrees from prestigious universities, so they clearly are NOT unintelligent or uneducated.

Perceptions Matter

April 23, 2023Anxiety, emotional system
perception of social threats activate social genonmic networks
Perceptions matter - just ask your genes! A newer field of study in biology is called social genomics. It is the study of how and when different genes are activated based on social interactions. On one level, it is very obvious that relationships aff

Humans Dogs and Emotional Systems

March 30, 2023emotional system
border-collies-family
What can Parents Learn from Obedience Training? Humans domesticated dogs around 15,000 years ago. More recently, we have trained dogs to recognize the emotional state of individuals with PTSD in order to help those individuals cope with aspects of PT

How emotionally mature are you?

February 14, 2023emotional system
me you head to head graphic
Emotional Maturity - What is it? A challenge with discussing Bowen Theory is that the terms emotion and emotional system mean something different from the usual understanding that equates them to feelings. Dr. Bowen believed emotions to be more like

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