Family Therapy in Clinical Practice [Hardcover]

Murray Bowen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1978

When Bowen was a student and practitioner of classical psychoanalysis at the Menninger Clinic, he became engrossed in understanding the process of schizophrenia and its relationship to mother-child symbiosis. Between the years 1950 and 1959, at Menninger and later at the National Institute of Mental Health (as first chief of family studies), he worked clinically with over 500 schizophrenic families. This extensive experience was a time of fruition for his thinking as he began to conceptualize human behavior as emerging from within the context of a family system. Later, at Georgetown University Medical School, Bowen worked to extend the application of his ideas to the neurotic family system. Initially he saw his work as an amplification and modification of Freudian theory, but later viewed it as an evolutionary step toward understanding human beings as functioning within their primary network–their family. One of the most renowned theorist and therapist in the field of family work, this book encompasses the breadth and depth of Bowen's contributions. It presents the evolution of Bowen's Family Theory from his earliest essays on schizophrenic families and their treatment, through the development of his concepts of triangulation, intergenerational conflict and societal regression, and culminating in his brilliant exploration of the differentiation of one's self in one's family of origin.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I highly recommend this rich, insightful, warm, and reflective book, not only to those interested in family therapy but to all who must consider the family nexus in their work with their patients or clients. (Maurice R. Green Journal Of The American Academy Of Psychoanalysis )

A stimulating theoretical exploration of the process of individual development within the family and the subsequent influence of this on society. [I] would recommend it as being of interest to professionals engaged in enabling individuation in various circumstances, from families [and] organizations to the elderly. (James Atkinson British Journal Of Psychiatry )

One of the fathers of family therapy, Murray Bowen is both a pioneer and a chronicler. In publishing his collected papers, he traces the development of his theory from his 1950s research on families of schizophrenics, to his experiment in differentiating himself from his own [professional] family, to his method of working with the family of origin rather than the nuclear family. His book is a historical treasure. (Marianne Riché )

A stimulating theoretical exploration of the process of individual development within the family and the subsequent influence of this on society. [I] would recommend it as being of interest to professionals engaged in enabling individuation in various circumstances, from families [and] organizations to the elderly.... (James Atkinson British Journal Of Psychiatry ) --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 575 pages
• Publisher: Jason Aronson Inc; 1St Edition edition (June 1978)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876683340
• ISBN-13: 978-0876683347
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #580,096 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth a look--Bowen's definitely got something., December 4, 2004

By 

Paul Konasewich "see my blog on Social Enterp... (San Mateo, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Family Therapy in Clinical Practice (Hardcover)

This is a well organized, thoughtful book telling the origins and details of Bowen theory. I particularly like the many cases covered in this book. It appears that they got promising results in helping families with schizophrenic children. There is also a chapter where Dr. Bowen talks about his own efforts at differentiating within his family of origin. It's one thing to talk theory--another to apply it to yourself and then write about it. Fantastic.

There is something very compelling about Bowen's approach, and his insistence on being able to link it with scientific techniques. If you've given up on the more accepted "30 years and a couch" approaches, take a look at Bowen theory.

If you can't find the book here, try the website of the new publisher, "Roman & Littlefield".

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this book if you know any people, June 3, 2003

By 

Eclectic reader "softarch" (california) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Family Therapy in Clinical Practice (Hardcover)

It's rare to find books that are both academically credible and accessible to the layperson. This book is the exception, and the content is truly life changing. It is unfortunate that most of the people who read this book are psychologists or psychiatrists who see it as "just another method" and go back to their simplistic "find the problem and fix it" techniques.

Reading this book has helped me understand myself, my family, my work environment, my social environment, and human culture.

47 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The family is seen as a unit vs. a collection of individuals, March 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Family Therapy in Clinical Practice (Paperback)

Dr. Bowen begins by exploring the mother/child bond to understand human functioning. Soon fathers are seen as vital to this understanding, then the nuclear and extended family. Multi-generational patterns, cutoffs, sibling positions, and triangles are some of the family issues explored. Bowen shows how this broad family perspective inpacts family therapy, as well as understanding societal emotional process.