(2018) 55th Annual Symposium
This year’s Distinguished Guest Lecturer, Thomas D. Seeley, PhD, is the Horace White Professor in Biology at Cornell University. His research focuses on collective intelligence in animal groups, especially honey bee colonies. In recognition of his scientific work, he has received the Alexander von Humboldt Distinguished U.S. Scientist Award and has been elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
DAY ONE
Welcome and Introduction - Anne S. McKnight, EdD, LCSW
The Intelligence of the Family System - Daniel V. Papero, PhD, LCSW-C, LICSW
Bowen’s description of the intellectual system remains limited to the individual, although he highlights the benefits of person-to-person direct communication broadly within the family system. This presentation will outline intelligence in a system and its relevance to family functioning.
Individuality and Togetherness: A Bowen Family Systems Theory View - Barbara Laymon, MPH, PhD, LGPC
A quantitative analysis of individuality and togetherness and the influence of spirituality on these constructs from a Bowen theory perspective.
Human Choice in 3-D: Destiny, Determinism, and Differentiation - Anthony J. Wilgus, MA, MSW
This presentation will consider the realm of human autonomy in the context of both biological and environmental constraints via the lens of differentiation.
Panel Discussion 1 (Parts 1 & 2)
House Hunting by Honey Bees: How an Insect Family’s Members Cooperate to Choose a Home - Thomas D. Seeley, PhD/Questions and Discussion
With the right organization, a group can overcome the cognitive limitations of its members and achieve a high collective IQ. To understand how to endow groups with collective intelligence, it is useful to examine natural systems that have evolved this ability. An excellent example is a swarm (= family) of honey bees solving the life-or-death problem of choosing a new home. A honey bee swarm accomplishes this through a process that was discovered in Germany in the 1940s, and that has been analyzed more deeply in recent years. It includes collective fact-finding, open sharing of information, vigorous debating, and fair voting by the 300-500 bees in a swarm that function as its nest-site scouts.
The Bee in Bowen Theory - Anne S. McKnight, EdD, LCSW
Dr. Seeley’s description of his research with honeybee colonies outlines remarkable parallels to human emotional functioning as described by Bowen theory. These parallels speak to the evolutionary underpinnings of all life on earth including the emotional system regulating interdependence in the unit, the interplay of individuality and togetherness related to adaptive survival, and the variability of functioning within a specific species.
The Family as a System: The Thinking and the Practice - Margaret Donley, LSCSW
Studying Bowen family systems theory involves the ability to use theory as a guide to manage oneself more thoughtfully as challenges arise in one’s family.
Family Emotional Process and Chronic Illness: Up Close and Personal – A Case History - Eileen Gottlieb, MEd, LMFT
Bowen observed variation in individual ability to self-regulate. He suggested that loss of self-regulation may be associated with the increasing influence of interdependent relationships, resulting in the development of chronic illness.
Two Critical Journeys in Facing Immaturity - Patricia H. Meyer, MSW
The triangle that appeared to have the most beneficial impact on increasing my maturity was the triangle with my mother, her sister, and myself. A decade later, the focus became my immaturity in the relationship with my brother, my only sibling. This presentation will describe each of these efforts, the principles upon which they were built, and the impacts that followed.
Panel Discussion 2
DAY TWO
The Survival and Adaptation of the African American Family - Mignonette N. Keller, PhD
This study applies Bowen family systems theory to investigate the factors influencing the functioning of the African American family from a systems perspective. The findings in this investigation reveal the extent to which there is a direct correlation between the quality of a person’s family relationships and how that person functions.
The Hikikomori and Family Emotional Process: Applying Bowen Theory to Japan’s Social Recluse Phenomenon - Kathleen Smith, PhD, LPC
One million young people living in Japan are refusing to leave their rooms. How can Bowen theory help us understand this social phenomenon?
The Interplay of the Force towards Togetherness and the Force towards Individuality in Chinese Families – A Cultural Backdrop - Peggy Chan, MEd, RSW
The presenter will explore the interplay of the force toward togetherness and the force toward individuality in Chinese families and examine significant elements in the three religions/ philosophies (Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism) that facilitate the process of defining self in members of Chinese families.
Panel Discussion 3
Design Principles for Groups to Succeed in Collective Action - Dr. Seeley/Discussion with Robert J. Noone, PhD (Parts 1, 2, 3 & 4)
What are the hallmarks of groups whose members work together effectively to achieve shared goals? In this talk, I will draw upon my studies of the bees, and upon the work of Elinor Ostrom (political scientist and 2009 recipient of the Nobel Prize in economics) on the design features necessary for group members to cooperate to achieve a shared objective. A colony of honey bees provides a non-human example of a living system that has evolved to achieve collective intelligence. Ostrom’s work has focused on what conditions within a human group need to be met for the group to sustainably manage common-pool resources such as irrigation systems, forests, and fisheries.
The Dance of Life: Emotional Systems and Differentiation of Self in Human Evolution - Victoria Harrison, MA, LMFT
This presentation will report observations from a survey of “emotional systems” in species along the human phylogenetic lineage. This presentation will focus on understanding how “togetherness” and “individuality” each function as resources and as constraints in survival, adaptation, and reproduction.
Community, Family, and Differentiation of Self - John Bell, MDiv
This presentation will explore the intersection of community, the family, and differentiation of self. The presenter will give examples of the connection between working on differentiation of self in one’s family of origin and being a responsible leader of a community.
Anxious Leaders in Anxious Organizations - Marie Simonsson, MS
An organization’s success or failure appears to be more closely connected to its ability to handle variations in the level of chronic anxiety than to the leader’s skills of management.
The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study and Bowen Family Systems Theory - James E. Jones, PhD
Results from the San Diego Kaiser Adverse Childhood Experiences study show some surprising consistencies with Bowen family systems theory. There are however big differences of opinion in how to interpret their results.