2021: The 58th Annual Symposium on Family Theory and Family Psychotherapy

The Annual Symposium on Family Theory and Family Psychotherapy is the most important meeting on Bowen theory and its applications. It brings together the liveliest minds in the Bowen network to present, question, and discuss their latest research and ideas. The Symposium also features a Distinguished Guest Lecturer from another scientific discipline whose research is relevant to Bowen theory.

The 58th Annual Symposium was held November 5-6, 2021.
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Purchase Recordings | Guest Lecturer | Schedule | Resources

Purchase Recordings

SYMPOSIUM recordings

Symposium attendees receive up to 50% off by using the discount code provided in the 58th Symposium brochure.

Morning and afternoon sections

Distinguished Guest Lecturer

Corrie Moreau, PhD
Dr. Moreau is the Martha N. and John C. Moser Professor of Arthropod Biosystematics and Biodiversity at Cornell University in the Departments of Entomology and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in Ithaca, New York, USA. She is also the Director and Curator of the Cornell University Insect Collection with over 7 million specimens. Dr. Moreau earned her PhD in Evolutionary Biology from Harvard University and was a Miller Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. Before this, she completed her undergraduate and Master's degrees at San Francisco State University. Dr. Moreau was elected a Fellow of the Entomological Society of America in 2020, an AAAS Fellow in 2018, a Kavli Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences USA in 2016, a National Geographic Explorer in 2014, and highlighted as a Woman of Impact by the National Geographic Society in 2018. In addition, she has two species named after her!

Dr. Moreau's research focus is on the evolution and diversification of ants and their symbiotic bacteria couples field-based research with molecular and genomic tools to address the origin of species and how co-evolved systems benefit both partners. Also, she pursues questions on the role of biogeography, trait evolution, and symbiosis in shaping macroevolutionary processes to better understand broad-scale evolutionary patterns of life. In addition to her passion for scientific research, Dr. Moreau is engaged with efforts to promote science communication and increase diversity in the sciences.

 

DR. MOREAU spoke ON THE FOLLOWING TOPICS AT THE SYMPOSIUM:

Ants as Diverse Social Animals and the Role of Anatomy, Ecology, and Behavior in Their Evolutionary Success
Traits from anatomy to behavior can influence the evolutionary and ecological success of an organism. With a robust phylogenetic hypothesis for a group one can use this evolutionary family tree to ask how many times these traits have evolved, when they arose, and if they are linked to the diversification of groups of organisms. In this talk, Dr. Moreau will explore how aspects of their anatomy, niche use for nesting, diet preference, and complex behavioral characters have evolved across the ants and what this tells us about their evolutionary and ecological success.

You are More Than What You Eat: The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Ant Nutrition
Each organism is a walking rainforest supporting an entire ecosystem within and on it. We know that for many organisms their microbial partners may even outnumber the host’s own cells. Not all of these partners are pathogenic and in many cases are, in fact, necessary for the host to thrive and survive. Within the ants there is variation in the diversity and reliance on gut-associated bacteria, but for some groups they are absolutely essential. For herbivorous ants, gut bacteria synthesize important nutrients. Microbial contributions to ants are not limited to diet enrichment and we are now finding evidence for their role in cuticle formation. These multiple lines of evidence are illuminating a more complete picture of ant evolution and providing novel insights into the role that symbiosis plays to promote biological diversity.

Schedule

Friday, November 5th

Time

Title

Presenter(s)
9:20 Introduction and Welcome to the Symposium Carrie Collier, PhD, LPC, CRC
Moderator: Laura R. Brooks, LCSW-C
9:30 Harvester Ant Interactions and Human Emotional Process in Rapidly Changing Natural Environments
Leann Howard, LSCSW, LSMFT
9:50 Putting Others Together and Self Out

Toward the end of his life, Dr. Bowen emphasized putting two or more others together and self out as a way toward differentiation of self. This presentation is a transcript of such an effort, revealing its challenges.		 Laurie Lassiter, PhD, MSW
10:10 Discussion
10:35 Break
10:50 Ants as Diverse Social Animals and the Role of Anatomy, Ecology, and Behavior in Their Evolutionary Success

Distinguished Guest Lecturer: Corrie Moreau, PhD
12:20 Lunch Break
1:20 The Family as a Complex Natural System

Daniel V. Papero, PhD, LCSW-C
1:50 Learnings and Implications From Study of the Holobiont Concept Amie Post, MA, LCMFT
2:10 Discussion
2:40 Break
2:55 A Systematic Scoping Review (1978-2020) of the Scientific Empirical Studies about Differentiation of Self: Main Findings and Future Studies
Martiño Rodríguez Gonzalez, PhD
Carla Duch-Ceballos, MS
Maria Schweer-Collins, PhD
3:15 Predictability in Bowen Family Systems Theory and in Family Psychotherapy Based on Bowen Theory

Dr. Bowen wrote that the more therapeutic method has come into closer proximity with theory, the more predictable the outcome of therapy. How does the accurate use of Bowen theory improve the predictability and outcome of family psychotherapy?		 Randall T. Frost, MDiv
3:35 Discussion
4:00 Adjournment

Saturday, November 6th

Time

Title

Presenter(s)
9:20 Introduction and Welcome to the Symposium
Moderator: Anne McKnight, EdD, LCSW
9:30 Differentiation of Self in a Polarized World
Carrie Collier, PhD, LPC, CRC
9:50 Teenagers Who Abuse Other Children: A Perspective From Bowen Family Systems Theory

The issue of sexual aggression that some young teenagers develop towards other children will be approached from Murray Bowen's family systems theory as a conceptual basis. Murray Bowen's family systems theory allows us to develop an understanding of such behavior as a symptom or manifestation of a broader emotional process.		 Alejandro Astorga A.
10:10 Discussion
10:35 Break
10:50 You are More Than What You Eat: The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Ant Nutrition
Distinguished Guest Lecturer: Corrie Moreau, PhD
12:20 Lunch Break
1:20 Family, the Brain, and Homo Sapiens

A question to be addressed is to what extent did the integration observable in the human family, along with an elaborate brain result in a new biological whole, a higher-level unit? And did the family/brain co-evolution provide the basis for the emergence of larger social systems and their expansion found in Homo sapiens?		 Robert J. Noone, PhD
1:40 The Honeybee: A Marvel of Group Adaptation

The honeybee, Apis Mellifera has demonstrated an efficiency of group adaptation to environmental challenges across its evolutionary history. The worldwide population of honeybees is under stress. Drawing upon systems thinking this presentation will explore the adaptive capacities of the honeybee for considering the promise and perils of its survival.		 Kenton Derstine, MDiv, DMin
2:00 Discussion
2:30 Break
2:45 Going Tribal

Evolutionary biologists describe how humans and their larger societies predictably organize themselves into ‘us’ and ‘them’ with all of the identifying markers that distinguish potential ally from foe. Consistent with the Bowen theory assumption that human life is guided by automatic forces rooted in evolution, biology does not necessarily determine destiny. Differentiation of self allows for a degree of flexibility in regulating these powerful processes.		 Anthony J. Wilgus, MSW
3:05 The Nature of Anti-Semitism: Adaptation or Aberration

The understanding of family and society as natural systems and units of selection in nature is an important contribution to the study of anti-Semitism. Examining the part biology, evolution and societal emotional process play in this problem may provide options for managing that are less costly and more useful to both the Jewish community and society at large.		 Eileen Gottlieb, M.Ed
3:25 Discussion
4:00 Adjournment

Resources

Drs. E.O. Wilson and Corrie Moreau (Courtesy Moreau Lab)