Priscilla J. Friesen, LICSW

Priscilla Friesen was introduced to the ideas of Murray Bowen while completing her graduate studies in social work at the University of Kansas. In 1978, she moved to Washington, DC, to further pursue her interest in Bowen Family Systems Theory.

While participating in the Postgraduate Program at the Georgetown Family Center, she served as the clinical and administrative assistant to Dr. Lillian Rosenbaum, developer of the Bowen Center’s Biofeedback Program. This early exposure to biofeedback had a lasting influence on Ms. Friesen’s understanding of Bowen theory and the physiology of relationships.

Ms. Friesen was appointed to the faculty in 1987. From 1990 to 2003, she directed the Postgraduate Program in Bowen Family Systems Theory and Its Applications. In 1994, she expanded her clinical work to include neurofeedback, which led to in-depth study of evolution, brain development, and the ways the brain, mind, and relationships function in synchrony.

In 2005, she co-founded The Learning Space, a conceptual environment in which individuals are invited to experience and challenge themselves in relationships through the integration of Bowen theory and neurofeedback.

Together with Kathleen Wiseman, Ms. Friesen later developed Navigating Systems, a program for experienced family enterprise professionals, advisors, and responsible family members. Operating from 2012 to 2022, the program integrated Bowen theory and neurofeedback to challenge people to be more of a self in both family and work systems.

Ms. Friesen has been active on the board of The Murray Bowen Archives Project since 1990. The organization is responsible for making the Bowen Archives accessible worldwide. She currently serves as a liaison among the Bowen Center, the Archives Project, and the National Library of Medicine.