2009 Conference, Seminar & Lecture

Attachment Theory and Bowen Theory:
What Difference do the Differences Make?

Kathy Kerr

Mike Kerr

This year we are excited to provide a range of presentations exploring these two substantial relational theories.

Our key note speakers are
Kathleen Kerr MSN MA and
Michael Kerr MD
from the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family Washington DC.

Our aim is to assist participants in understanding important distinctions between these two theories focusing on improving understanding of Bowen Family Systems Theory which tends to be lesser known than attachment frameworks.

Program

Public Lecture
Wednesday June 24th 7:30pm-9:00pm

Society Mirrors Families and Vice Versa:
Some interesting food for thought about notions of attachment in both society and in the family.

Kathleen Kerr MSN MA and Michael Kerr MD

How does conventional thinking about attachment influence how society responds to problems in children?

Presentations will consider the common social assumption that deprivation drives problems in children and how the thinking from this could inadvertently deepen family and societal problems through prescribing more togetherness.

The Kerr’s will share their thinking about how Systems thinking based on Bowen theory can lead to different approaches to helping children develop resilience.

This evening will be open to the general public as well as professionals involved with family & children’s services (eg. health and education).

Seminar
Thursday June 25th

APS endorsed event

Exploring the clinical application of Bowen Family Systems Theory and Attachment Theory to a child and a couple case.

This is a day to think about clinical practice through different lenses, exploring similarities and differences. Four experienced therapists will each present an in depth clinical case evaluation and treatment plan using either Bowen Family Systems or an Attachment Framework.

Jenny Brown (Bowen approach) and Dr Robyn Dolby (Circle of Security) will present their thinking and clinical appproach to working with the same case involving symptoms in a young child. The case material will be provided by the Child and Family Team from Redbank House.

In Case 2 Joanne Wright (Bowen approach) and Dr Michelle Webster (Adult Attachment in Emotionally Focussed Therapy) will present their thinking and clinical approach to a couple case submitted by Centacare City Region Counselling Team.

There will be plenty of opportunity for discussion and questions. Our goal is to respectfully appreciate the theoretical underpinnings and clinical implications of each approach.

Conference
Friday and Saturday June 26th and 27th

APS endorsed event

Two days of presentations from Michael and Kathy Kerr

The words ‘emotional attachment’ figure prominently in Bowen’s theory and ‘attachment’ is, of course, central in the theory developed by John Bowlby. Clinicians often assume Bowen and Bowlby meant the same thing.

While Bowen and Attachment Theory share some common perspectives, there are some important distinctions. Failure to discern the differences can be a major obstacle to progress on differentiation.

This conference will highlight "what differences the differences make" for the practice of Systems therapy based on Bowen theory. The two days of Dr Kerr and K Kerr’s presentations will include an opportunity to observe a range of intensity in emotional attachments. Presenters will intersperse videotaped clinical illustrations with didactic material and provide ample opportunity for questions and discussion.

Day One Friday June 26th
	Attachment Theory and Bowen Theory: Implications for Therapy.	Kathy Kerr.
	Gia, The Supermodel: An Example of an Intense Symbiosis.	Kathy Kerr.
	Bowen Theory and Human Development.	Michael Kerr.
	Videotaped Family Interview that Illustrates Do-It-Yourself Differentiation.	Michael Kerr.

Day Two Saturday June 27th
	How Theory Guides Therapy.	Kathy Kerr.
	Videotaped Illustration of Bowen Psychotherapy Process.	Kathy Kerr.
	Core Factors in Symptom Development as Illustrated by the case Dr John Forbes Nash Jr.	Michael Kerr.
	Videotaped Family Interview Illustrating the Relationship Process in Psychosis.	Michael Kerr.

Presenters

Michael E Kerr MD is the Director of the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family Washington DC. He has devoted his professional life to the understanding, application and extension of Bowen Theory having worked for many years alongside Dr Bowen. Dr Kerr has conducted his own research and published many articles and book chapters. He is the co-author with Dr Bowen of "Family Evaluation: An Approach Based on Bowen Theory". He is also the Editor of Family Systems: A Journal of Natural Systems Thinking in Psychiatry and The Sciences.

Kathleen B Kerr MSN MA is a faculty member of the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family Washington DC where she teaches, supervises and directs the Bowen Center Clinic. She has traveled to the Gombe Stream Research Centre to observe Jane Goodall’s chimpanzees in the wild. Her research interests include the effect of mother-offspring relationships on adult behaviour. She is interested in comparing Bowen’s Family Systems application with other relationally based models.

Jenny Brown MSW is the Director of the FSI. She has worked as a social worker and family therapist for over 25 years. In 1994 she completed an Externship in Couple and Family therapy with Betty Carter at The Family Institute of Westchester (New York) where she was introduced to Murray Bowen’s family systems theory. Jenny’s recent journal articles and presentations have focused on the impact of "child focus" on families and clinical practice.

Joanne Wright is a registered Psychologist and has worked as a therapist, trainer and manager in the field of couple and family therapy since 1989. Joanne has been a faculty member at the FSI since the organisation's foundation in 2004. In this role she provides supervision, workplace consultation and training in the application of Family Systems ideas. Joanne has particular interest in extending thinking in the areas of self soothing and applying adult learning principles to the training of couple and family and couple therapists.

Dr Robyn Dolby is a psychologist who has worked in the field of Infant Mental Health for thirty years. She co-ordinates a relationship-based intervention that supports staff, parents and children at preschool. She runs child observation seminars for child psychiatry trainees at the New South Wales Institute of Psychiatry. She has written "The Circle of Security: Roadmap to Building Supportive Relationships" for the Research into Practice Series published by Early Childhood Australia.

Dr Michelle Webster is the Director and principal trainer at the Institute for Emotionally Focused Therapy in Sydney, Australia. Michelle‘s professional interests and writing have included emotional experience, how to work with emotions in therapy, the therapist‘s role and couple therapy and attachment. Her PhD in Psychology at the University of Western Sydney was on physical holding in psychotherapy.