Socioculturally Attuned Bowenian Family Therapy

This chapter explores key aspects of family therapy based on Bowen Family Systems theory, including the view that family members need to differentiate within a shared emotional system. From a socioculturally attuned perspective differentiation includes the ability to attune to the confluence of social location and family dynamics. Socioculturally attuned Bowenian therapists name inequities and the impact of societal norms and taken-for-granted assumptions. They recognize and assign value to that which has been minimized or devalued by the dominant culture. Therapists help clients intervene in oppressive power dynamics, envision their lives and relationships without reactivity to dominant societal discourses and judgments, and make choices that transform relationships and society based on awareness of options and intentional application of one&s;s values. The chapter concludes with a case example that illustrates guidelines for socioculturally attuned Bowenian family therapy.