Welcome to Elevator Systems! In Season 3 Episode 2 hosts Dixie Vandersluys and Katie White are joined by special guest Dr. Guillermo Cancio-Bello to talk about the many aspects and facets of friendship from a Bowen family systems perspective.
Dr. Guillermo Cancio-Bello is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Barry University and integrates Bowen theory into his clinical, academic, research, and organizational work. His teaching and scholarship focus on systems thinking, leadership development, and the personal and professional growth of counsellors-in-training. Guillermo currently serves as President of the Florida Association of Marriage and Family Counseling (FAMFC) and is also a board member of the Florida Family Research Network, which works to advance the science of human behavior based on the natural systems theory of the family developed by Murray Bowen.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Differentiation (staying connected and separate) in friendship
- The role of sibling position in friend selection
- Fusion, triangles, and anxiety
- How family of origin impacts adult relationships
- Bowen theory insights on digital vs. in-person connections
- Examples from the biblical friendship of David & Jonathan to sending memes!
For counsellors or anyone interested in understanding relationships better, this discussion will get you curious about how you show up in your friendships.
Terms you don’t understand? We have episodes on all 8 concepts of Bowen theory and other ideas in Elevator Systems Seasons 1 & 2.
Recommended Resources:
New podcast episodes released every Tuesday this season—stay tuned as we explore relationships across the lifespan!
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Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment about how systems thinking is useful in your own friendships.
Living Systems Counselling and Training provides educational material for those interested in learning more about Bowen family systems theory: https://livingsystems.ca
Living Systems Hybrid Conference: October 17–18, 2025
Conference theme: Aging—Individual Challenge or Family Opportunity?
Learn more: https://livingsystems.ca/education/conferences/fall-2025-conference-on-aging/
Key Topics:
#BowenFamilySystems #LivingSystems #MurrayBowen #Therapy #SystemsThinking #Family #Friendship #TherapyPodcast #MentalHealth #EmotionalMaturity #Differentiation #Relationships #BowenTheory #FamilySystemsTheory #ElevatorSystemsPodcast #TherapyPodcast #LifeSpan #MurrayBowenArchives #TMBAP #TheMurrayBowenArchivesProject
DISCLAIMER: This podcast is general information about Bowen family systems theory and is not considered the practice of counselling or therapy. The information presented are the views of the people who say them. Any information used from this podcast is used at your own risk.
