Training Programs in Family Systems Theory

The Center for Family Systems Theory offers four levels of training:

Basic Course

Our Basic Course is a 30-hour course covering the eight principles of Bowen Family Systems Theory. Scroll down to learn all the details. Everyone is welcome.

The next Special Course, entitled “Training in Family Systems Theory for the Trusted Family Advisor,” is scheduled for the spring of 2022. This program is a series of 10 two-hour sessions. Each session is comprised of a didactic presentation, a business case study and classroom interaction. Scroll down for detailed information.

Thinking Systems Lecture Series

We also offer a Thinking Systems Lecture Series for anyone interested in the theory and its application to a wide variety of topics. Scroll down for details about our “Thinking Systems” lectures: “Thinking Systems” about the Sexual Abuse Crisis in the Catholic Church scheduled for 7:00 PM on Monday, October 25, 2021 at St. Joseph University Church.

Tailor-Made Presentations

Our Tailor-Made Presentations can be applicable to any network of inter-locking relationships, such as a workplace, educational institutions, family-owned businesses and communities of faith.

Basic Course in Family Systems Theory

Although many professionals may be familiar with the family systems movement and the notion of “systems thinking,” few have received an in-depth explanation of the theory. Therefore, the Center for Family Systems Theory has developed a 30-hour basic course that introduces students to the eight interlocking concepts known as Family Systems Theory or Bowen Theory.

Our basic training program is comprised of ten 3-hour classes. Each class is a healthy mix of didactic presentations, case studies and classroom participation.

By participating in this basic training course, students will learn to apply Family Systems Theory to the people who come to them for help as well as their own families of origin and the system in which they work.

Our basic course in Family Systems Theory is designed for:

Faith-leaders (clergy, pastoral associates, chaplains, youth ministers, religious educators, campus ministers, spiritual directors, pastoral counselors, seminarians, etc.)
Human Services Providers (social workers, psychotherapists, human resource professionals, case managers, etc.)
Educators (teachers, school counselors, school psychologists, principals and administrators, etc.)
Medical Personnel (physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, occupational & physical therapists, etc.)
Legal Professionals (Attorneys, Law Guardians, Attorneys for the Child, etc.)
Leaders of family-owned businesses
as well as parents, couples, individuals and anyone who is interested in “thinking systems.”

Download a printable Registration Form for the basic training course:

Basic Course Registration Form

Basic Course Curriculum:

Basic Course 2019 Schedule

We will meet on the following Tuesdays from 6:00-9:00 PM:

September 17, 2019
September 24, 2019
October 1, 2019
October 8, 2019
October 15, 2019
October 22, 2019
October 29, 2019
November 5, 2019
November 12, 2019
November 19, 2019

In the event that we have to cancel one of the 10 classes due to inclement weather, please save Tuesday, November 26, 2019 for a “make-up” class.

Location for the Fall 2019 course:

Catholic Charities Montante Administrative Building
741 Delaware Avenue (at the corner of Summer Street)
Buffalo, New York 14209
Ample parking behind the building.
Entrance off Summer Street.

Class One: An Introduction to Family Systems Theory

Recommended reading for this class: None.

Suggested reading for this class: The Family Crucible

The first class will introduce students to “thinking systems.” The lecture will demonstrate the differences between Bowen Family Systems Theory and traditional psychological theory which is based on the medical model. Students will learn about the history of the family systems movement and the unique contribution of Murray Bowen, MD. Since each student will be encourage to think about the content of every class as it applies to their own personal family system, all participants will be sensitized to issues of confidentiality in the classroom.

Class Two: Genograms

Recommended reading for this class: Click here to view our GenoPro Quickstart Guide. The guide provides directions to download and activate a copy of the software, and steps to begin working on your genogram.

This session will introduce students to the meaning and construction of a “genogram” (or family tree) which functions as an excellent backdrop for the eight interlocking concepts that have come to be known as Family Systems Theory or Bowen Theory. Students will construct their own genogram and be introduced to GenoPro, a software program especially designed to construct computerized genograms.

Class Three: Differentiation

Recommended reading for this class: The Eight Concepts, Chapter 2

“Differentiation” is the core concept of Bowen Family Systems Theory. Dr. Bowen describes differentiation as the ability to be in emotional contact with others yet still autonomous in one’s emotional function. Students will learn about the two different aspects of this concept namely the “differentiation of self” (i.e. the ability to distinguish between the “thinking” system and the “feeling” system) as well as “differentiation from the family of origin” (i.e. the ability of a family member to define his/her own life’s goal and values apart from the surrounding “togetherness pressures” that exist in all families). Using clinical case studies as well as their own genograms, students will begin to understand the importance of what is called “differentiating a self” as well as what Dr. Bowen called the “scale of differentiation.”

Class Four: The Emotional Triangle

Recommended reading for this class: The Eight Concepts, Chapter 3

According to Family Systems Theory, if you add tension or anxiety into a two-person relationship, a third person will automatically be pulled in or, more simply put, an “emotional triangle” will be automatically formed. Although emotional triangles are part of our daily interactions, they become troublesome when the interaction that should take place between two points of an emotional triangle (e.g. a mother and a father) is avoided, and the emotional content of that interaction is transferred to the third point of the emotional triangle (e.g. one of their children). The classic example of this concept is the case where two parents come for help because of a child who is acting out. When all three are in the room at the same time, it often becomes quite clear that the real issue exists between the mother and the father, and the child was the “identified patient,” that is, the one chosen to carry the symptom (i.e. acting out) on behalf of the family. Through lecture, clinical case studies and their own genograms, students will see how emotional triangles happen and, more importantly, how to “de-triangulate.”

Class Five: Nuclear Family Emotional Process

Recommended reading for this class: The Eight Concepts, Chapter 1

Each of us enters into a relation (e.g. marriage) with a specific level of emotional maturity or what Family Systems Theory calls “differentiation.” Depending on their level of differentiation (Family Systems Theory suggest that marital partners have similar levels of differentiation) and the amount of anxiety in their nuclear family (parents and children), couples will use mechanisms similar to those they learned in relationship to their parents. These mechanisms include: 1) emotional distance, 2) marital conflict, 3) transmission of the problem to a child, and 4) dysfunction in a spouse [also called “overfunctioning/underfunctioning reciprocity”]. By using the genogram students will see how these four mechanisms play out in four different nuclear families.

Class Six: Family Projection Process and the Multi-generational Transmission Process

Recommended reading for this class: The Eight Concepts, Chapter 5 & 6

According to Family Systems Theory, the dysfunction found in the relationship between two parents can trickle down onto one or more of the children. When parents don’t solve their relationship problems one of their children will get pulled up into the world of adult relationships. Because mothers often have more responsibility for nurturing their children, the emotional attachment appears to be only between the mother and the child. But, when we think systemically, we see that the father’s support of his wife’s emotional attachment to the child or his withdrawal from the nuclear family means he is equally involved in the “family projection process.” Students will have the opportunity to see this concept as it plays itself out in a clinical case and to discuss how it may play itself out in their own nuclear families.

Once the students understand how issues are projected within the nuclear family (father, mother and children), they will be able to take a step back and see how those same issues can move from generation (grandparents) to generation (parents) to generation (children).

The genogram and the triangle will illustrate the wisdom of the old saying, “The apple never falls far from the tree.” Family Systems Theory recommends that we study at least three generations of a family in order to understand how that family works.

Class Seven: Sibling Position

Recommended reading for this class: The Eight Concepts, Chapter 7

The concept of Sibling position in Family Systems Theory is based on the research of Dr. Walter Toman. In 1961 Toman published Family Constellations: A Psychological Game based on the data he collected from several hundred families. While his conclusions are not etched in stone, they do indicate trends and patterns of behavior that generally characterize person occupying one of ten different sibling positions: 1) the oldest brother of brothers, 2) the youngest brother of brothers, 3) the oldest brother of sisters, 4) the youngest brother of sisters, 5) the male only child, 6) the oldest sister of sisters, 7) the youngest sister of sisters, 8) the oldest sister of brothers, 9) the youngest sister of brothers, 10) the female only child plus the middle child and twins. Understanding a person’s sibling position is an important part of the inheritance that we all receive from our multi-generational families. Brief genograms of these sibling positions, as well as a survey of each student’s sibling position, will bring this concept to life.

Class Eight: Emotional Cutoff

Recommended reading for this class: The Eight Concepts, Chapter 4

One person can live on the opposite coast as their parents and still be emotionally “enmeshed” with them, while another person can live next door to their folks and be emotionally “cutoff.” Enmeshed and cutoff are really not opposites because it takes about the same amount of emotional energy to be enmeshed as it takes to be cutoff. Enmeshed and cutoff are more like the same sock turned inside out. How people manage their emotional attachment to their parents and other important individuals in their lives can be an indicator of how they build other relationships in their lives. A better differentiated person stays connected to his/her family without getting enmeshed or cutoff. Through lecture, a clinical case presentation and studying their own families of origin, students will learn about emotional cutoff and the antidotes to it: a person-to-person relationship.

Class Nine: Emotional Process in Society

Recommended reading for this class: The Eight Concepts, Chapter 8

The eighth concept in Family Systems Theory takes the notion of the emotional process that is seen in multi-generational families (c.f. Lesson Five) and applies it to society in general. As in the family, the critical factor for the emotional process to have a negative impact on society is the degree of anxiety in society at a give point in history. And a higher level of anxiety in the general population results in societal regression marked by: 1) an erosion of individuation in large groups of people, 2) the increase in togetherness forces in society, and 3) scapegoating. Examples of societal regression might be: extreme political movements, fundamentalism, riots and cults.

Class Ten: Researching One’s Own Family of Origin

Recommended reading for this class: None

This session will bring us full circle as students consider the importance of “researching” their family of origin for the purpose of differentiating a self. In this light, the end of the course means that each student now has knowledge of a theory that will help them begin the journey to become a more emotionally mature person! During this time will students will also have the opportunity to evaluate the course and to celebrate their “graduation.”

Special Courses in Family Systems Theory

Training in Family Systems Theory for Trusted Business Advisors

Trusted business advisors offer a wide variety of professional services on legal issues, financial planning, succession, risk management and growth strategies, to name a few. But sometimes their expert counsel never gets executed because their clients have an unresolved interpersonal conflict at the workplace.

The best advice can fall on deaf ears and the most effective plan may never be implemented if there is an unsolved emotional problem between team members.

These unresolved issues can be even more serious if the conflictual parties are related to each other and work together in a family venture.

When this happens all the good intentions in the world will not help. What is needed is an effective modality that will address those interpersonal problems – Family Systems Theory.

As of January, 2020 The Center for Family Systems Theory has focused its attention on providing consulting services for the business community. In that short time Dr. Perelli has assisted a significant number of business ventures by tapping into the wisdom and science of “systems thinking.”

To date business leaders have sought out The Center for Family Systems Theory for assistance with issues like:

the successful transition of leadership to a next generation;
transitioning leadership to a non-family member while preserving the Mission, Vision and Values of the family business;
developing emotional maturity within the next generation of family business owners;
maintaining “emotional equity” in a family business by avoiding favoritism, discrimination and preferential treatment that can sour the business environment;
establishing compensation for relatives employed in a family venture that is commensurate with their education, expertise and employment history with the company;
helping successive generations attain an appropriate work-life balance;
unraveling unresolved issues in a business that have already been passed from the first generation to the second generation before the same unsettled issue gets passed from the second generation to the third generation; and
training leaders to identify and work with “over-functioners” and “under-functioners” in order to improve equity, teamwork and collaboration.

Family Systems Theory:

Unlike traditional psychological theory that views problems as flaws in the individual (i.e. scapegoat), Family Systems Theory sees unresolved interpersonal issues in terms of a network of interlocking relationships: a multigeneration family, an educational institution, a community of faith or a business especially if the business is a family enterprise. A dysfunctional system is a network of interlocking relationships in which one or more interpersonal bonds are out of balance. The eight principles of Family Systems Theory are effective at both identifying the imbalance and coaching the leaders to rebalance and stabilize the system.

This “new way of thinking” encourages people to move away from blaming others and instead focus on their emotional maturity; or, better yet, their own leadership.

Instructor:

Dr. Robert J. Perelli, CJM
Founder, The Center for Family Systems Theory of WNY, Inc.

Bob Perelli is an expert in Family Systems Theory and an advocate for “thinking systems” since 1986. A practicing psychotherapist since 1986, he founded The Center for Family Systems Theory of WNY in 2005 to offer the following services in the Family Systems model: individual, couple, family and group counseling; training and consulting. Presently, Bob dedicates all of his time to providing business consulting and developing training programs in Family Systems Theory.

Who Should Attend:

Business consultants especially family business advisors

Attorneys who specialize in business law and family business law

Financial Planners and Advisors

Certified Public Accountants

Insurance Brokers

Business mentors

Financial advisors

Experienced business professions who aspire to consult

Leadership coaches

Organizational experts

Executive guides

Human Resources professionals

Insurance Brokers

Private Banking agents

And anyone interested in the application of Family Systems Theory to business systems especially family enterprises.

Download a printable Application Form for the Special Training course:

Special Course Application Form

The Program

“Training in Family Systems Theory for Trusted Business Advisors” has been specially designed to provide the trusted business advisor with an in-depth knowledge of Family System Theory and its many applications to business systems. The theory will give you the lens you need to see the unresolved interpersonal issues at play so that you don’t blow the deal.

Over a series of ten two-hour sessions, participants will learn about the eight principles of Bowen Family Systems Theory and how to apply the theory to the business leaders who come to them for advice.

In order to guarantee a highly interactive workshop experience, registration will be limited. Applicants are encouraged to register early to reserve a seat.

Each session is a healthy balance of a didactic presentation, case studies, and class discussions. In additions to 20 hours of in-class instruction, each participant will receive a 1:1 session with the instructor for the purpose of constructing his/her own genogram (family tree).

Training In Family Systems Theory for the Trusted Business Advisor

Dates:

We will meet on the following Tuesdays from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM:

March 15, 2022
March 22, 2022
March 29, 2022
April 5, 2022
April 12, 2022
April 19, 2022
April 26, 2022
May 3, 2022
May 10, 2022
May 17, 2022

Accommodations will be made for missed classes.

Location:

To Be Determined

Tuition:

$1,250.00 (postmarked on or before March 1, 2022)
$1,500.00 (postmarked after March 1, 2022)

Tuition discounts available for two or more applicants from the same employer.

Partial scholarships for applicants without a corporate sponsor.

To apply, scroll down and click on the Blue Box labeled “Special Course Application Form.”

Class One: An Introduction to Family Systems Theory for the Trusted Business Advisor

Class Two:

Class Three:

Class Four:

Class Five:

Recommended reading for this class: The Eight Concepts, Chapter 1

Class Six:

Class Seven:

Class Eight:

Class Nine:

Class Ten:

Thinking Systems Lecture Series

In addition to our 30-hour basic training course The Center for Family Systems Theory offers a “Thinking Systems” Lecture Series for anyone who is interested in the theory an its applications to a wide variety of topics. It is not necessary to have completed the Basic Training Course before participating in the “Thinking Systems” lecture series. No matter what your level of understanding of the theory, everyone is welcome to attend.

Below, please find a description of the next presentation as well as a list of the most recent presentations by Dr. Perelli:

“Thinking Systems” About The Sex Abuse Crisis in the Catholic Church

Monday, October 25, 2021 – 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

What’s going on in the Catholic Church?

How did this scandal happen?

Is there any hope for healing?

Now that the anxiety around this issue has subsided a little, this may be a good time to utilize Family Systems Theory to help us move beyond our anger and shame towards healing the Catholic Church.

Family Systems Theory is a new way of thinking about any network of interlocking relationships: a family, an educational institution, a business or a global church.

The theory suggests that symptoms – like sexual abuse and secrecy – are indications of an imbalance in the system. In this case, the system that has lost its balance is the Roman Catholic Church.

“Thinking Systems About The Sexual Abuse Crisis in the Catholic Church” will give us another way to think about the root causes of the sex abuse crisis and the changes needed to re-balance and heal the church.

Presenter:
Rev. Dr. Robert J. Perelli, CJM
Founder, The Center for Family Systems Theory of WNY, Inc.

St. Joseph University Church
3269 Main Street
Buffalo, New York 14214
(Next to UB / Main Street Campus) Free Parking

The Sanctuary at St.Joseph Church seats 600+ and offers ample seating for social distancing. Please wear a mask until you are seated.

Monday, October 25, 2021 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

+ Optional 30 Minutes Q&A – Donation: $10

The Center for Family Systems Theory 1088 Delaware Ave. Suite 9G Buffalo, New York 14209

716.886.4594
www.familysystemstheory.org
bobperelli@gmail.com

No reservations needed.

Everyone is welcome!

Thinking Systems About:
When Bad Things Happen In Good Families

Monday, June 3, 2019

Attendance: 143

Description:

Why is one of your kids so easy to raise and another so difficult?

How does one young adult in the family turn out just fine and the other troubled?

How can one sibling be emotionally mature while the another has a symptom like addiction, depression or chronic unemployment?

By taking the focus off the “symptom bearer” (i.e. the difficult kids, the troubled young adult or the family member with a symptom), Family Systems Theory offers us a new way of thinking about how the same family can produce very different people.

When we “think systems,” the question becomes “How do I contribute to the problem?” rather than “What is wrong with you?” The former question is the first step in healing a family!

This presentation is designed for anyone who is interested in the science of human relationships especially: parents, grandparents, siblings, spouses, social service providers,mental health professionals, educators, clergy, faith-leaders, attorneys, and everyone who want to learn more about Family Systems Theory.

Presenter: Dr. Robert J. Perelli, CJM

Date and Time: Monday, June 3, 2019 from 7:00 to 8:00 PM plus and optional 30 minute Q&A

Offering: $10 (No pre-registration needed.)

Place: St. Joseph University RC Church (Sanctuary)
3269 Main Street
Buffalo, New York 14214
(Next to UB Main Street Campus)

Ample free parking.

Everyone is welcome. Bring a friend or two.

No prerequisites.

This event was made possible through the generous sponsorship of Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation.

Thinking Systems About:
Women Who Do Too Much

Monday, April 1, 2019

6:00 to 9:00 PM

Attendance: 65/65

Description: Do you do things for other people – your husband, kids, in-laws, co-workers – that they could and should be doing for themselves?

Are you a “people pleaser”?

Do others take advantage of you?

Would you like to attend but can’t find the time?

Family Systems Theory suggests that, when anxiety in the system reaches a critical level, some folks default to over-functioning / under-functioning reciprocity: one person in a relationship does too much while the other doesn’t do his/her fair share.

If you would like to learn how to identify, understand and reverse this dysfunctional behavior; treat yourself to this evening of good food, fine wine, practical theory, live case studies and confidential conversation — all provided in a safe and respectful environment.

This presentation is open to women who would like to deepen their knowledge of Family Systems Theory and/or improve the quality of their relationships. No previous knowledge of Family Systems Theory is necessary. All women are welcome.

Presenter: Dr. Robert J. Perelli, CJM and Friends

Date and Time: Monday, April 1, 2019 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM

Cost: $50.00 (Wine and dinner included. Catered by Giacobbe’s Citta Restaurant)
Checks should be made payable to C.F.S.T.

Place: St. Joseph University RC Church
Community Room
3269 Main Street
Buffalo, New York 14214
(Next to UB Main Street Campus)
Ample free parking.

Space is limited. Please reserve you place by mailing your check to:

Dr. Robert J. Perelli, CJM
The Center for Family Systems Theory
1088 Delaware Avenue, Suite 9G
Buffalo, NY 14209

This event was made possible through the generous sponsorship of Mrs. Kathleen Seibel in memory of Dr. Roger W. Seibel.

What Happened?
Thinking Systems About The Results of the 2016 Presidential Election

Monday, May 14, 2018

Attendance: 174

Description: Now that we are well into the second year of the Trump presidency we have enough data to take a deeper look at what may have happened in this country that resulted in the election of Donald Trump as 45th President of the United States.

And that data suggests that we are well into a period of “societal regression.”

Family Systems Theory proposes that, just as a multigenerational family can become more or less functional from generation to generation (from rags to riches or from riches to rags); so, when a critical mass of the population cycles downward, society enters a phase called “societal regression.” This is a time when the bulk of the population reaches such a high level of anxiety [the fear of a real or perceived threat] that folks begin to look for leadership that will provide easy answers to difficult questions. Systems thinkers suggest that the reign of Senator Joseph McCarthy and the “Second Red Scare” (1947-1956) were earlier examples of “societal regression” in American history.

Join us for a bipartisan analysis of the 2016 presidential election as seen through the lens of Family Systems Theory!