Category Archives: bowen family systems theory

Shameless self-promotion

Posted on April 18, 2007 by Israel Galindo

An article by Israel Galindo appears in the current issue of Congregations magazine from Alban Institute. The article is titled “What’s Systems Theory Got to Do with It?: Addressing Congregations’ Emotional Processs in Our Preaching.” In it, Galindo says, “The … Continue reading →

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Teaching the unteachable

Posted on April 14, 2007 by Israel Galindo

Sometimes I get the nagging suspicion that there may be some things that are “unteachable.” Ironically, those things may be the most important things we want to teach, things like maturity, emotional intelligence, faith, and the usable part of systems … Continue reading →

Posted in bowen family systems theory, children, Christian Education | 1 Comment

First and second order change in systems

Posted on April 12, 2007 by Israel Galindo

In the field of community psychology (yes, there is a field of community psychology), the theory of “logical types” and the concepts of first and second order change can help us understanding some aspects of addressing homeostasis in relationship systems. … Continue reading →

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Know thyself . . . or not

Posted on April 11, 2007 by Israel Galindo

The idea of self-differentiation has within it the hint of the idea of the necessity to “know thyself.” Evidence of this is the emphases on achieving insight into how we got to be who we are (family of origin work) … Continue reading →

Posted in bowen family systems theory, philosophy, world view | 1 Comment

Hacks and professionals

Posted on April 10, 2007 by Israel Galindo

In his book, A Failure of Nerve, Ed Friedman writes about the tendency of ineffective leaders who exhibit the tendency to seek the “quick fix” and the obsession with methods, techniques, and programs rather than engage in the hard work … Continue reading →

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Selective hearing

Posted on April 3, 2007 by Israel Galindo

I recently was asked to respond to an alumnus (a pastor of a church) about his displeasure over the choice of the seminary’s new president-elect. I was asked to respond as someone who had been a member of the now-defunct … Continue reading →

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How education can change the brain

Posted on March 22, 2007 by Israel Galindo

I’m just back from three days at the Lost River spring session of Leadership in Ministry Workshop (LIM). One presentation re-visited the topic of the brain and systems theory, and one other made reference to the brain’s functioning as a … Continue reading →

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Rick asks about multigenerational patterns

Posted on March 17, 2007 by Israel Galindo

Rick, yes, I think that much of the value of working on our family-of-origin and on our personal growth (working toward individuation, our maturity, working at being more self-differentiated, etc.) is that we are better able to change our ways … Continue reading →

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Observations at the end of a crisis week

Posted on March 16, 2007 by Israel Galindo

I recently observed a system go through about a week of acute anxiety which spawned reactivity in the system. All systems experience episodes of acute anxiety, of course, but systems manifest it differently. Relatively stable and non-anxious, high-functioning systems seem … Continue reading →

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People’s motives

Posted on February 28, 2007 by Israel Galindo

Yesterday someone asked me what I meant when I said I �don�t question people�s motives.� I find that engaging in questioning (or second-guessing) the motives people have for doing things is a fruitless exercise. First of all, the cause of … Continue reading →

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