Clinical Conference Series 2024-2025 

The Clinical Conferences—held online via zoom—are designed to assist professional people in the pursuit of clinical excellence. Using presentations, videotaped interviews with family members, and ample discussion time, the conferences illustrate the interplay of theory and technique for a variety of human issues. The goals of each conference are to illustrate the application of Bowen theory in practice and to enhance people’s understanding of differentiation of self.

Each month, a different faculty member is responsible for the program and selects a topic of his or her own professional interest. The format of the day includes a lecture on a particular theme followed by videotaped clinical sessions that illustrate the topic. After each presentation there is ample time for discussion and participation by the registrants. The format with its changing topics provides an opportunity to hear different perspectives on Bowen theory applied to a broad range of clinical problems.

Registration for the 2024-2025 Virtual Conference Package is now available via Eventbrite. *The individual conferences will have registration available shortly. All dates with presenter topics and links for registration are listed below. The season starts with a hybrid clinical conference on Thursday, November 7th, 2024. (This conference is the day before the 61st Annual Symposium).

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The conferences offer CE’s. Register with conference registration. Learn more here.

Overview

Schedule for the Day | 2024-2025 Conferences | Fees | Continuing Education | History | Who Will Benefit

* Please note that the schedule may change at the speaker’s discretion. Conference times are Eastern time.

Thursday, November 7, 2024 *In-person OR online.

HOW THE CLINICIAN THINKS
Daniel Papero, PhD and Randall T. Frost, MDiv

Location: Hybrid. Online via Zoom OR in-person at The Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital: 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003.

The clinical process has often been called an art. While there is some truth to that assertion, it might actually be more accurate to call the process a science.  If the term science can be defined as a systematically organized body of knowledge on a particular subject, then the Bowen theory coach operates scientifically. Drawing upon their knowledge about how the family system operates, on information drawn from scientific research across a number of disciplines, and on the inductive and deductive reasoning of the scientific thinker, the coach becomes a scientist who applies knowledge derived from the processes of science to specific problems people encounter. This clinical conference will focus on how the clinician thinks and the science of coaching. 

• Please register for CEs when registering for the conference

• Plan to attend the 61st Annual Symposium on November 8th and 9th! In-person OR online. Learn more and register.

Friday, December 13, 2024

A RESEARCH ATTITUDE IN CLINICAL PRACTICE
Laura Brooks, LCSW-C

What is a research attitude and what difference does it make to the client and the coach? This presentation will examine manifestations of a research attitude in a psychotherapeutic effort towards differentiation. Client interviews will highlight behavioral indicators of family of origin work and progress towards working on differentiation. 

Friday, January 24, 2025

THE IMPACT OF CUTOFF ACROSS GENERATIONS
Anne McKnight, EdD, LCSW 

Cutoff, one of eight concepts in Bowen theory, addresses the management of tension in families through severing contact or maintaining superficial relationships. This day will explore several dimensions of cutoff in a power point presentation, including its impact across generations by limiting an individual’s access to resources, relationships, and information about the extended family.  Two individual’s efforts to work on differentiation through bridging cutoffs in their families will be discussed in videotaped interviews.

Friday, March 7, 2025
DIFFERENTIATION OF SELF AND CLERGY LIFE
Jennifer Long, MDiv

What difference does work on differentiation of self make in the functioning of an individual or organization over time? Does that work impact a faith leader’s work in the faith community? Is differentiation of self the same in the family and faith community? Does the work on self in one area transfer or translate to the other? This conference will explore these questions in the life of one clergy member. It will look at the work of differentiation and the impact in two groups, family and congregation.

Thursday, April 24, 2025 *In-person OR online.

SOLID SELF AND A GAY MAN’S IDENTITY
Kent Webb, LCSW, PCC

Location: Hybrid. Online via Zoom OR in-person at The Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital: 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003.

This presentation and the clinical cases shown will identify and illustrate the process of a gay man’s identity formation. Specifically, the process will be viewed from evolutionary, ecological, and Bowen theory perspectives. A description of how one lives life with a gay identity that automatically is impacted by the concept of differentiation and the corresponding construct of solid self—pseudo-self formation is provided.

Friday, May 23, 2025
RESEARCH IN THE BOWEN CENTER CLINIC
John Millikin, PhD, LMFT

The Bowen Center Clinic has begun to use a structured framework as a guide to both the clinical process and training of coaches for research purposes. This conference will highlight beginning findings of the research process of clinical cases and explore questions such as the relationship between beginning evaluations and steps towards better functioning, the importance of tracking the coach’s functioning, and the function of if/then predictions. Other topics such as differences between non-research-oriented coaching and research coaching, and methodologies relevant to Bowen theory will be discussed.

Register for individual conferences at their Eventbrite links below each conference description. For conference series and first-time attendees purchases, please contact Emma Voorhes, Conference Coordinator.
Return policy: With advance notice, it is possible to apply payment to a subsequent conference in the same academic year.

This one-day conference provides a maximum of 4.5 credit hours of Category I continuing education for counseling and social work. You must register for CEs prior to the event. We are unable to offer them after the event. Due to clinical confidentiality, recordings for the Clinical Conferences are not available for later viewing.

REQUIREMENTS FOR CE ELIGIBILITY: 

• Pay the CE fee of $15 at time of registration. Be sure to choose “Add On” when purchasing your ticket on Eventbrite.  

• Attend each live streamed or in-person class in its entirety. The conference coordinator will note your attendance. 

• Enable video and show your name on screen so that you are visible throughout the entirety of the class, except during designated breaks or lunch.  

• Submit a completed evaluation no more than 60 days after the event. Shortly after the submission of your completed evaluation, you will be emailed a certificate.  

Policies: The Bowen Center does not offer refunds for CE. We do not offer continuing education credit for viewing any recordings. It is the sole responsibility of the participant to verify their state’s professional licensure criteria for CE qualifications.  

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 

• Demonstrate an understanding of the core concepts in Bowen theory. 

• Demonstrate a knowledge of the application of the concepts in clinical practice. 

• Demonstrate an understanding of Bowen family systems theory and the individually oriented theories used in clinical practice. 

• Demonstrate a knowledge of the similarities and differences in the application of conventional theories and Bowen theory in clinical practice. 

• Demonstrate the use of strategies employed in Bowen theory. 

• Demonstrate the capacity to maintain a family focus in all phases of the treatment process. 

• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of one’s own self-awareness in being an effective therapist. 

• Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the coach/therapist in the clinical process. 

• Demonstrate the ability to address a wide range of social, emotional and physical problems when using Bowen theory. 

• Demonstrate the capacity to intervene appropriately enable the clients to address their issues and concerns. 

• Demonstrate the ability to employ Bowen theory in all phases of the treatment process including assessment, diagnosis and treatment. 

• Demonstrate a solid grounding in the values and theory required for competency in clinical practice. 

The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family/Georgetown Family Center is authorized by the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners to provide continuing education credit. This program is a Category I offering.  

The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family/Georgetown Family Center has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6225. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family/Georgetown Family Center is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

If you have any questions about Continuing Education, please email ContinuingEducation@thebowencenter.org

ACEP No. 6225

The Conference Series began in January 1967 as a monthly videotaped interview project with families seen by Murray Bowen at the Medical College of Virginia. He pioneered the use of videotape in family therapy and saw its potential for teaching and enhancing the therapeutic process. In 1978 the project moved to Washington under the auspices of the Georgetown University Family Center. Gradually, responsibility for the conference was transferred to the faculty of the Family Center. The long, continuous history and the unusual format of videotaping families who are invited to the clinical day make this conference unique in the world of family theory and family psychotherapy.

The Clinical Conference is designed for mental health professionals and other professionals with postgraduate training. This includes but is not limited to: psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, psychologists, counselors, clergy, and other mental health clinicians. Graduate students are especially welcome.