“The study of the family provides a completely new order of theoretical models for thinking about man and his relationship to nature and the universe.”

-Murray Bowen

“Man’s family is a system that follows the laws of natural systems.”  

-Murray Bowen

“Man is an evolutionary assemblage of cells who has arrived at his present state from hundreds of millions of years of evolutionary adaptation and maladaptation and who is evolving on to other things. …In this sense, man is related directly to all living matter.”

-Murray Bowen

“I believe that the laws that govern emotional functioning are as orderly as those that govern other natural systems…” 

-Murray Bowen

“The emotional system governs the dance of life in all living things.  It is deep within the phylogenetic past and is much older than the intellectual system. This theory postulates that far more human activity is governed by man’s emotional system than he has been willing to admit.”

-Murray Bowen

“There is some evidence that the human can actually determine the function of his own emotional system through control of his own emotionality.  It goes in the direction of implying that the human can control his own evolution through the control of the emotional system.” 

-Murray Bowen

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Family Systems Forum

Continues its 26th Year of Publication
with

“Learning to Laugh with My Mother: The Functions of Play and Humor in Defining a Self”
– Helen Reynolds, PhD

“Accompanying Dying Persons and Their Families”
– Katie Long, DMin

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CSNSF CONFERENCES

in Bowen Theory, Science, and Applications

CSNSF has held unique conferences and programs over the years that persist in their learning value. Each program below is available for your personal, individual use upon a donation basis.  If you wish to use the programs for teaching or for discussion with your colleagues or students, please contact Victoria Harrison at vaharrison@csnsf.org for permission.  Ms. Harrison is also available as discussant for these programs.

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Facts of Life

2011

This program includes Michael Kerr, Louise Rauseo, Robert Creech, Victoria Harrison and others who address the applications of Bowen theory in research, clinical work, organizations, and religious institutions.

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Being Human

Lessons from Science, Nature & Bowen Theory

This 2017 program, organized by Louise Rauseo, provides a perspective on the interactions of environmental and societal and family factors over the history of human evolution.  Speakers include Melvin Konner, Joanne Bowen, Stephanie Ferrera, Victoria Harrison, Randy Frost, and others.

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