Making Family Systems Practical: Two Tools for Helping Clients Explore Family Dynamics
- Kenneth Pecoraro
- Jun 23
- 1 min read
Understanding family dynamics is essential for effective clinical work, especially when addressing underlying patterns that contribute to mental health and substance use challenges. Two new worksheets are now available to help therapists and counselors explore these important themes with clients in an accessible, engaging way.
These resources are ideal for group therapy, individual sessions, or supervision discussions. Each encourages meaningful insights into how clients relate to their family systems—and how those dynamics continue to influence their recovery, relationships, and personal growth. See worksheets below:
Family Phrases (Free Worksheet) - This light yet thought-provoking activity uses familiar “family sayings” and concepts (like “the elephant in the room” or “shared pain”) to spark reflection and discussion. It’s designed to help clients consider the spoken and unspoken messages that have shaped their beliefs, relationships, and roles within their families of origin. It is also a great icebreaker for the second, more in depth worksheet.
CLICK BELOW FOR FREE FAMILY PHRASES WORKSHEET:
Family Systems in Real Life – Making Bowen Theory Practical:
This in-depth worksheet provides a user-friendly approach to exploring key ideas from Bowen Family Systems Theory—such as triangulation, emotional fusion, and multigenerational expectations. Built around realistic examples and reflection prompts, it also links to a companion video discussion with Ayla Fleming from the Taking the Escalator Podcast, making theory come alive in real-world contexts.
CLICK BELOW TO ACCESS THE FAMILY SYSTEMS IN REAL LIFE WORKSHEET (With Video) – Available to Taking the Escalator Members
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