Bowen family systems theory is a theory of human behavior that views the family as an emotional unit and uses systems thinking to describe the complex interactions in the unit. It is the nature of a family that its members are intensely connected emotionally. Often people feel distant or disconnected from their families, but this is more feeling than fact. Family members so profoundly affect each other's thoughts, feelings and actions that it often seems as if people are living under the same "emotional skin." People solicit each other's attention, approval and support and react to each other's needs, expectations and distress. The connectedness and reactivity make the functioning of family members interdependent. A change in one person's functioning is predictably followed by reciprocal changes in the functioning of others. Families differ somewhat in the degree of interdependence, but it is always present to some degree.

The emotional interdependence presumably evolved to promote the cohesiveness and cooperation families require to protect, shelter and feed their members. Heightened tension, however, can intensify these processes that promote unity and teamwork, and this can lead to problems. When family members get anxious, the anxiety can escalate by spreading infectiously among them. As anxiety goes up, the emotional connectedness of family members becomes more stressful than comforting. Eventually, one or more members feel overwhelmed, isolated or out of control. (TheBowenCenter,org)

Eric works with siblings and parents to see how family rolls differ when one member has a disability, which requires all members of the family to play a helping roll. Eric will work with your family to help ensure that appropriate roll expectations exist. Eric also will help identify strategies to prevent problematic behaviors from siblings.