Murray Bowen, M.D. (1913-1990) was a psychiatrist, systems thinker and author of the Bowen Theory. His thinking was shaped by evolution and the view that, “…man is an evolving form of life, that he is more related to lower forms of life than he is different from them, that most psychological theories focus on the uniqueness of man rather than his relatedness to the biological world, and that the instinctual forces that govern all animal and protoplasmic behavior are more basic in human behavior than most theories recognize”. (Bowen, 1994, p. 270) Bowen framed the Bowen Theory using concepts from biology and grounded in evolution and known science. He moved away from Freudian theory after realizing it was not scientific.
Take look at the pages below for further details:
- A Short Introduction to Bowen Theory, in His Own Words
- L. Murray Bowen, MD, (1913-1990) pioneered the concept of the family as a system guided by the same scientific principles that shape all forms of life. While embracing some tenants of Freudian theory, Bowen broke with existing paradigms of human behavior and instead based his thinking and theory in evolution.
- Murray Bowen in His Time and Place
- Murray Bowen’s life journey shaped his theory, and his various experiences played heavily into his work. This timeline shows his life through a series of photos.
- Bowen’s Writings
- Murray Bowen’s published papers and books.
- Tributes and Writings About Bowen Theory
- Published tributes, articles based on the Bowen Theory, and scholarly work including several dissertations.