18/05/2026
One of the things I appreciate most about Bowen’s work is the reminder to look beyond the roles we assign people in families. Particularly during conflict, stress, burnout or heightened emotion, it can become easy to see one person as “the problem”, one as “the good one”, one as “too emotional”, “too difficult”, “too sensitive” or “the fixer”.
But families are systems.
People respond to each other, shape each other, protect each other, and sometimes hurt each other…often while trying to meet needs, manage anxiety, or stay connected.
