Elevator Systems - Bowen Family Systems Theory

Welcome to Elevator Systems! Therapist Joe Berger joins Dixie Vandersluys and Katie White to think about how Bowen family systems theory is useful in the dating world.  Joe Berger is a therapist who works with individuals, couples, and families and previously worked for several years in community mental health. He received a Masters in Social Work from the University of Vermont in 2012, and has co...

Welcome to Elevator Systems! In this episode we delve into the complexities of adolescence through the lens of Bowen family systems theory. Join hosts Dixie Vandersluys and Katie White with guest Avrum Nadigel as they explore how understanding family dynamics can illuminate the challenges and opportunities of the teenage years.  Avrum Nadigel has been a marriage and family therapist for 25 years a...

Welcome to Elevator Systems! In Season 3 Episode 3 Kathleen Cotter Cauley joins Dixie Vandersluys and Katie White on the elevator to look at the role of pets in relationships — from cats and dogs to triangles and anxiety! Kathleen Cotter Cauley is a licensed marriage and family therapist and has a private practice in both Virginia and Florida. She’s a faculty member of the Bowen Center and was inv...

Welcome to Elevator Systems! In Season 3 Episode 2 hosts Dixie Vandersluys and Katie White are joined by special guest Dr. Guillermo Cancio-Bello to talk about the many aspects and facets of friendship from a Bowen family systems perspective. Dr. Guillermo Cancio-Bello is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Barry University and integrates Bowen theory into his clinical, academic, research, and...

Welcome to Season 3 of Elevator Systems! In our first episode of the season, we're diving into our earliest relationship with parents/caregivers — a formative relationship that shapes us across the lifespan.  Joining hosts Dixie Vandersluys & Katie White is licensed therapist and author Dr. Kathleen Smith. Kathleen’s books include Everything Isn't Terrible and True to You: A Therapist's Guide...

Welcome to Season 3 of Elevator Systems! In this pre-season episode , hosts Dixie Vandersluys and Katie White introduce the theme for the new season: Bowen Family Systems Theory in Relationships Across the Lifespan .  This season, we’re taking Bowen Theory out and about —applying it to real-life relationships including: Childhood Friendships Pets Partnered relationships Coworkers Parenting Later-l...

This special podcast episode was recorded live at the Living Systems Annual General Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia in May 2025. It addresses the question of what is a relationship system — especially what Bowen family systems theory describes as an “emotional system”. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of a relationship system, examples, how it is useful to Bowen theory, and takea...

Season 2 Episode 10 This podcast episode looks at the concept of differentiation of self and what is unique about coaching or therapy using Bowen family systems theory. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of the concept, along with examples, what they find useful, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Kathleen Cotter Cauley is a licensed marriage and family therapist and h...

Season 2 Episode 9 This podcast episode looks at the concept of differentiation of self in Bowen family systems theory and what differentiation looks like in one’s own family. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of the concept, along with examples, what they find useful, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Dr. Mariana Martinez is a clinical psychologist who has applied B...

Season 2 Episode 8 This podcast episode looks at the concept of differentiation of self and the ideas of solid self and pseudo self in Bowen family systems theory. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of the concept, along with examples, what they find useful, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Dr. Carrie Collier is a researcher, lecturer and family therapist specializin...

Season 2 Episode 7 This podcast episode looks at the concept of societal emotional process in Bowen family systems theory. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of the concept, along with examples, what they find useful, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Lois Walker completed a diploma in nursing and then obtained a Bachelor of Nursing. As a young graduate nurse, Lois be...

Season 2: Episode 6 This podcast episode looks at emotional cutoff in relationships, a concept in Bowen family systems theory. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of the concept, along with examples, what they find useful, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Dr. Mariana Martinez is a clinical psychologist who has applied Bowen theory in her teaching, clinical practice, a...

This podcast episode looks at sibling position as a concept in Bowen family systems theory and originating in the research of Dr. Walter Toman. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of the concept, along with examples, what they find useful, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Alejandro Astorga is a psychologist and family therapist who lives in Santiago de Chile. He has a...

This podcast episode looks at the concept of the multigenerational transmission process in Bowen family systems theory. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of the concept, along with examples, what they find useful, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Dr. Carrie Collier is a researcher, lecturer and family therapist specializing in Bowen Family Systems Theory. She earned...

This podcast episode looks at the family projection process in Bowen family systems theory. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of the concept, along with examples, what they find useful, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Dr. Walter Smith Jr. is a licensed psychologist, a retired Deputy Director and Clinical Director at the Allegheny County Dept of Human Services, was...

This episode discusses the Bowen family systems theory concept of the nuclear family emotional system, and what it means to look at the family and its processes and patterns from a systems perspective. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of the concept, along with examples, what they find useful, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Amie Post lives in Baltimore MD and is...

This episode revisits the concept of triangles in Bowen family systems theory, focusing on what it means to be in inside or outside positions in relationship triangles. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of the concept, along with examples, what they find useful, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Kathleen Cotter Cauley is a licensed marriage and family therapist and h...

Welcome to season two of Elevator Systems!  This pre-season episode gives an introduction to the eight concepts of Bowen family systems theory which will be the focus of season two. Each episode will involve an elevator pitch, examples, useful resources, and questions for further thinking on each of the eight concepts which Dr. Bowen developed from his observations of human functioning.  Dixie Van...

This podcast is the first of two episodes on the Bowen family system theory concept of differentiation of self. Part 1 looks specifically at the functioning of the emotional and intellectual systems within and between humans. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of this idea, along with examples, what they find important about the idea, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking....

This podcast is the first of two episodes on the Bowen family system theory concept of differentiation of self. Part 1 looks specifically at the functioning of the emotional and intellectual systems within and between humans. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of this idea, along with examples, what they find important about the idea, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking....

This podcast episode discusses the family diagram which looks at the family across generations highlighting dates, facts, events, and the relationship patterns of Bowen family systems theory. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of this idea, along with examples, what they find important about the idea, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Avrum Nadigel has been a marriage...

This podcast episode looks at the over and under-functioning relationship pattern in Bowen family systems theory. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of this idea, along with examples, what they find important about the idea, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Avrum Nadigel has been a marriage and family therapist for 25 years, and has completed postgraduate training in...

This podcast episode looks at the concept of triangles, a relationship pattern in Bowen family systems theory that describes the interaction of more than two people in relationship. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of this idea, along with examples, what they find important about the idea, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Dr. Jenny Brown has worked in child and fam...

This podcast episode looks at the relationship pattern of distance in Bowen family systems theory from avoiding eye contact to cutting people out of one’s life. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of this idea, along with examples, what they find important about the idea, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Dr. Jenny Brown has worked in child and family mental health and...

This podcast episode examines the four relationship patterns described in Bowen family systems theory, focusing especially on the pattern of conflict. Each guest will give a brief elevator pitch of this idea, along with examples, what they find important about the idea, and takeaway resources and ideas for further thinking. Dr. Kathleen Smith is a licensed therapist and writer who lives in Washing...