A Family Systems Approach to Understanding Serious Mental Health

A FAMILY SYSTEMS APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH: THEORY AND PRACTICE

Presenter: Christopher Burnett, Psy. D
Friday, February 14, 2025 ♦ 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

This workshop will begin by introducing the systems thinking concepts underlying a family systems clinical framework. Then the presenter will present an overview of the family systems theory of Dr. Murray Bowen, who developed his theory of family functioning while working with the families of schizophrenic patients at the Menninger Clinic and NIMH. Applications of this theory to clinical cases will be discussed and contrasted with other major approaches.

Program Location: 
Nova Southeastern University – Alvin Sherman Library
Adolfo and Marisela Cotilla Gallery (2nd Floor)
3100 Ray Ferrero Jr. Blvd.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314

For maps and directions to Nova Southeastern University’s main campus in Ft. Lauderdale, please visit our web site at https://www.nova.edu/locations/main-campus.html. 
For visitor parking information, please visit https://www.nova.edu/publicsafety/parking/visitors.html.

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ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Christopher Burnett, Psy.D. is an Associate Professor of Human Relationship Systems in the Couples and Family Therapy department of the Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He has been at the university since 1993, and has been involved with Bowen Family Systems Theory for over 40 years. He utilizes the human relationship systems principles embedded in Bowen Family Systems theory in both his supervision of clinical practice as well as his organizational consulting business. In his time at NSU, he has served as a dissertation chair on over 100 student research projects, and more than 50 of these have been Bowen Family Systems themed projects. He is associated with both the Western Pennsylvania Family Center and the Florida Family Research Network, which are centers of Bowen Family Systems theory research and dissemination.
 

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PROGRAM AGENDA

09:00 a.m. – 09:15 a.m.    Welcome, introduction, and program overview
09:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.    Introduction to a systems thinking conceptualization of theory and research
10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.    Contrasting Models of Serious Mental Illness: From “micro” to “macro”
10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.    Bowen’s development of his theory as an alternative to conventional psychoanalytic practice 
11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.    Principles of Bowen’s Family Systems Theory
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.    Implications of a Family Systems approach for clinical practice and practitioners 

 

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Participants will be able to:

• Analyze the fundamental ways that “models of the world” shape clinician’s perspectives and the practices that follow from them
• Describe the concept of Chronic Anxiety as understood from a Bowen Family Systems theory perspective
• Assess Bowen’s concept of multigenerational transmission process as it applies to serious mental illness and its treatment

For additional information on continuing education policies, please visit our web site at http://psychology.nova.edu/ce.

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