Bowenian Family Therapy in Prescott, AZ

Balance Togetherness and Individuality at Decision Point Center

Family expectations can put a lot of pressure on you, and if you are not able to both lean on your family for support and become your own person, you may face difficulties in your life. Substance use disorder is one such difficulty, which is why we use Bowenian family therapy as part of treatment at Decision Point Center.

Bowenian family therapy aims to balance forces of togetherness and individuality to create health and success within the family unit and for each family member. You can undergo this kind of therapy alone or with your family members. In any case, we are committed to finding what works for you.

Call us at (844) 292-5010 to get started.

Understanding Differentiation of Self

In Bowenian family therapy, differentiation of self is the ability to separate feelings from logical thoughts and separate your feelings from the feelings of those around you. Someone who is differentiated will be able to define themselves and navigate life without leaning on their family’s perspective. They will also be able to have different opinions and values than their family members while staying emotionally connected to them.

Triangles, Processes, and Projection

Triangles are the basic unit of family systems in Bowenian family therapy and refer to the act of two people triangulating their relationship by involving a third person. Parents naturally triangulate their relationship by having children, and any time a dyad (unit of 2 people) forms within the family, triangulating can help stabilize it.

For example, if a son rejects his mother’s view, but his sister accepts it, the mother and sister may become closer, forming a dyad. The family member who “has the problem” is triangulated and serves to stabilize or strengthen the family’s dyad.

Unfortunately, the member of the family who is triangulated may feel excluded and act in accordance with the dyad’s expectations. This can lead to problems that are more serious than rejecting a view. Someone struggling to meet their family’s expectations, for instance, may turn to drugs and alcohol.

Our compassionate team can help you achieve differentiation and understand triangulation, which can, in turn, help you overcome drug and alcohol addiction.

How Bowenian Family Therapy Works

Bowenian family therapy achieves its goal of balance and health within the family by highlighting family structures. Treatment usually entails:

• Reframing “the problem” as a multigenerational problem that transcends the individual
• Lowering anxiety and emotional turmoil and promoting understanding and calm reflection
• Using the therapist as part of a “healthy triangle,” and teaching members of dyads to manage anxiety, distance, and closeness in healthy ways
• Helping the family member with “the problem” resist unhealthy triangulation
• Promoting family ties and reopening ties that have been cut off
• Focusing on the overall health and happiness of the family
• Helping the family adapt to future changes

While practicing these techniques, therapists remain neutral and detriangulated as much as possible. They promote differentiation of family members and encourage each member of the family to speak using “I” statements. Therapists can also manage arguments and help family members see dynamics within the family unit. Sometimes, therapists use films and stories to make these dynamics clearer.

When only one person is involved, therapists help the individual stop seeing family members as roles within the family and as people with strengths, weaknesses, and needs. The more insight your therapist has into your family, the more successful the therapy will be.

Therapy at Decision Point Center

No treatment works for everyone, so we use our vast collection of therapies to find a solution that works for you. If Bowenian family therapy is something that appeals to you, we can incorporate it into your “you-based” treatment plan.

If not, we can find something that will work better for your unique needs.

At Decision Point Center, we believe in holistic health, so we not only offer therapy but also various programs and enrichment activities to help you make the most out of your recovery journey.

We have been changing lives since 2004, and we are ready to help you change yours, as well.

If you are interested in using Bowenian family therapy to overcome addiction at our comfortable treatment facility, we encourage you to learn more about our admissions process.