Bowen Family Systems
November 1, 2024
9:00 AM to 1PM Eastern Time
Virtual Format
Cost: Free
Keynote Speaker: Walter Howard Smith, Jr., Ph.D.
9:00 AM to 11:00 AM – presentation and Q&A
Dr. Smith is a licensed psychotherapist with a private practice that specializes in treating children, families and couples. His practice includes executive coaching, business and organizational consultation. He attended the post-graduate training program in Bowen theory at the Georgetown University Family Center. Dr. Smith has a wide range of professional experience including his work as Deputy Director and Clinical Director at the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (now retired) and his work as Clinical Director and subsequently Executive Director of Family Resources, a non-profit organization providing child abuse prevention and treatment services, from 1987 to 2018.
Title: “When is Helping Not Helpful?”
Assisting others in ways that uplifts their functioning is a laudable goal and an important part of social responsibility. Sometimes helping others immediately improves their functioning but over time makes little difference. At other times, problems worsen with help, despite good intentions. At still other times, assistance by others improves lives in remarkable ways. This presentation focuses on understanding when and how helping others is effective. The presentation will focus on individuals helping others but also will examine the role of social services addressing large-scale social problems like in the child protection and mental health fields.
Plenary Session I: Robert Spilman, MDiv, CE
11:15 AM to 12 Noon – presentation and Q&A
Rev. Spilman is a retired CPE Educator and ordained pastor of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. He attended the Edwin Friedman family systems seminar from 1989 to 1996 and participated in the Bowen Center Post-Graduate program from 2018 to 2019. He served on the staff of Samaritan Counseling Center in Western New York directed a program of congregational-based CPE in Western New York from 1988 to 2017.
Title: “A Journey in Clinical Pastoral Education and Systems Thinking – Reflections on Anxiety and Vocation”
The way one thinks about a phenomenon shapes the way one responds to it. How might a Bowen family systems theory view of life impact the way one thinks about life? And how might a Bowen theory perspective inform the education and training of students within the CPE learning process? This presentation will focus on these questions through the experience of the presenter in his pastoral ministry, his training in Clinical Pastoral Education, and his practice as a CPE educator. It will address family of origin issues and a shift away from an individual theory way of thinking toward a systems theory way of thinking. It will discuss several possible differences between an individual model that focuses primarily on challenges within the self and a Bowen approach that challenges the self toward growth within one’s family and work systems.
Plenary Session II: Kenton Destine, DMin, CE
12:15 PM to 1:00 PM – presentation and Q&A
Kenton T. Derstine is Associate Professor Emeritus of Supervised Ministry at Eastern Mennonite Seminary (EMS), Harrisonburg, VA. Prior to his work at EMS, Kenton served as CPE Supervisor and Program Manager at St. Vincent Hospitals, Indianapolis, IN for seven years. He has cultivated his interest in Bowen Family Systems Theory, completing two years of the Bowen Center’s Post-Graduate Program. Since 2016 he has served the Bowen Center as an Associate Faculty Member.
Title: “From Theory to Practice: One Effort Toward the Application of Bowen Theory to CPE”
ACPE emerged as a pioneer in the effort to shape a practice of spiritual care informed by the dual resources of behavioral science and one’s theological/belief/orienting system. Central to Dr. Bowen’s effort was to develop a theory for understanding human functioning and development grounded in the best that science could offer. This presentation will explore how Bowen Theory as a behavioral science might inform the content and process of a CPE curriculum on behalf of the Outcomes of ACPE.
All ACPE members are invited to attend this free workshop.
Advanced registration is required.
A link to the webinar will be provided to all registrants 2 days prior to the program.