The 60th Annual Symposium on Family Theory and Family Psychotherapy

The 60th Annual Symposium was held November 3-4, 2023. View and download the full Symposium brochure for the schedule, presenter abstracts, the reception, and more conference information.

Conference recordings are now available. Conference attendees will be separately notified with the attendee discount code.

Each Symposium features both a Guest Lecturer and a full roster of presentations from members of the Bowen network who present and discuss their latest research. Ample time is allowed for audience questions and discussion. Continuing education credits are available.

Our Distinguished Guest Lecturer was Caitlin O’Connell, PhD, an Instructor at Harvard Medical School, who is studying the elephant’s low frequency ear and hearing. Her work is funded by the NIH.

 

Recordings

Symposium recordings are now available. When you purchase recordings, you’ll receive an email from our media provider, Gumroad, with the link for permanent access to the streamed or audio recording you’ve purchased.

  • Symposium attendees have been sent a discount code to receive up to 50% off the full rate for video recordings. For questions, please contact Emma Voorhes, Conference Coordinator.

Conference Details

Symposium Date: November 3-4, 2023
Location: This was a hybrid conference. Online OR in-person at Crossway Montessori Community in Kensington, MD.

Special Events!
In-person and online attendees were invited to join us for a special reception at the end of the first conference day: The event celebrated the 60th year of the Bowen Center's Annual Symposium, the 30th year of Family Systems Journal, and helped honor former faculty and staff! Remarks at the event are included in the recording.

Wild Rituals Book Signing! On Friday at 12:45, Dr. O’Connell signed copies of her book at a special lunch time event.

The Publications table was open at the Symposium. An assortment of Bowen Center books and Family Systems Journals were available for purchase and subscription. The Bowen Center’s new book, Thinking Systems was available.

Continuing Education Credits: This two-day conference provided a maximum of 10.25 credit hours of Category I continuing education (CE) for counseling and social work. Register for CE’s when registering for the the conference. Learn more here.

Questions & Updates

Questions: Sign up for our newsletter for all conference news. Contact Emma Voorhes, Conference Coordinator for conference questions.

Distinguished Guest Lecturer

Caitlin O’Connell, PhD is an Instructor at Harvard Medical School, studying the elephant’s low frequency ear and hearing, funded by NIH. She has been studying elephant society in the wild in Namibia for thirty years and has written dozens of scientific articles on her research, in addition to eight popular books, several winning numerous awards. She was awarded a National Geographic research grant to study seismic communication in elephants, resulting in numerous scientific publications.

In 2007, she was awarded “Outstanding Young Alumna” by her Ph.D. alma mater, University of California, Davis in recognition of her elephant communication discoveries. The Smithsonian documentary about her research won the CINE Golden Eagle award in 2013. Prior to her position at Harvard, she was a consulting Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine, where she developed a vibrotactile hearing aid inspired by the elephant’s vibrotactile sense. Dr. O’Connell is the co-founder and CEO of the elephant nonprofit, Utopia Scientific, and runs a long-term elephant field site in Namibia where she returns every summer with a team of experts and Namibian students. She is a Fellow of the Explorer’s Club and her books have been translated into French, Dutch, Chinese and Korean. 

DR. O’Connell Will be speaking ON THE FOLLOWING TOPICS AT THE SYMPOSIUM:

  • Wild Rituals: What families can learn from nonhuman animals about the importance of ritual in strengthening bonds and reducing stress 

    Dr. O’Connell will present an overview of major themes in her book, Wild Rituals, and review why all social animals engage in ritual and for what purposes, and why that is relevant to families. 

  • Elephant Family Rituals and Parallels to Humans 

    Elephant families experience the same social and environmental pressures as human families. These parallels will be discussed in light of Dr. O’Connell’s long-term elephant field work, where she will review known elephant family histories and show how visual, tactile and vocal rituals serve to strengthen relationships, facilitate coalitions, coordinate action, as well as mediate stressors imposed by outside influences.

Learn more about Dr. O’Connell: Visit www.caitlinoconnell.com and her nonprofit at: www.utopiascientific.org  | See Dr. O’Connell’s book, Wild Rituals. | Watch Dr. O’Connell’s Ted Talk.  View Dr. O’Connell’s CV

Schedule

Friday, November 3, 2023

Time

Title

Presenter(s)
<
9:00AM Introduction and Welcome to the Symposium Randall T. MDiv, Director of the Bowen Center
9:10 The Emotional System: Studying the Dance of Life Daniel V. Papero, PhD, LCSW
9:40 Genetic Expression of the High and the Low Laurie Lassiter, PhD, MSW
10:00 Discussion
10:25 Break
10:45 Wild Rituals: What Families can Learn from Nonhuman Animals about the Importance of Ritual in Strengthening Bonds and Reducing Stress Caitlin O’Connell, PhD
12:15PM Lunch
1:15 “Lending a Hand”: Rites of Passage and Human Families The Rev. Katie Long, DMin
1:35 Characteristics of Higher and Lower Functioning Families Phillip Klever, LCSW
1:55 Discussion
2:20 Break
2:40 Thinking Systems in Clinical Research Randall T. Frost, MDiv, Director of The Bowen Center
3:10 Attachment Theory and Bowen Theory: The Implications of Understanding and Addressing Family Rifts Anne S. McKnight, EdD, LCSW
3:35 Discussion
4:00 Reception **Celebrate the 60th year of the Bowen Center's Annual Symposium, the 30th year of Family Systems Journal, and help honor former faculty and staff!

Saturday, November 4, 2023

Time

Title

Presenter(s)
<
9:00AM Introduction and Welcome Back to the Symposium
9:10 Cognition and the Emotional System Robert J. Noone, PhD
9:40 Barriers to Science for Bowen Theory Patrick Stinson, PsyD
10:00 Discussion
10:25 Break
10:45 Elephant Family Rituals and Parallels to Humans Caitlin O’Connell, PhD
12:15PM Lunch
1:15 Aging Informed by Differentiation Eileen Gottlieb, MEd
1:35 Relationship Harmony Michael Sullivan, LMSW, ACSW
1:55 Discussion
2:20 Break
2:40 Family Size and Its Impacts Bruce Hiebert, PhD
3:00 It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over: The Long Game of Bowen Theory Anthony Wilgus, MA, MSW
3:20 Discussion
3:45 Adjournment of the Bowen Center's 60th Annual Symposium

Previous Annual Symposiums

Continuing Education Credit Information

This two-day conference provided a maximum of 10.25 credit hours of Category I continuing education (CE) for counseling and social work. 

REQUIREMENTS FOR CEU/CE ELIGIBILITY: 

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

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

  • If livestreamed, 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 

  • Invite experienced Bowen thinkers from around the US and internationally to present their application of Bowen theory to clinical, research, and theory applications. 

  • Invite a scientist to speak as a Distinguished Guest Lecturer to present latest research that has an interplay with Bowen theory. 

  • Generate lively discussion on the presentations with the goal of provoking new learning and connections in the application of Bowen theory. 

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 ceu@thebowencenter.org. 

ACEP No. 6225

Previous Annual Symposiums