Dr. Roberta M. Gilbert, Director

Dr. Roberta Gilbert is a psychiatrist whose special interest is Bowen family systems theory and its extensions and applications to individuals, families and organizations. She is founding director of the Center for the Study of Human Systems and is on the faculty of the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family (formerly Georgetown Family Center.)

Dr. Gilbert is the author of four books concerned with applying Bowen theory to life. The first book, Extraordinary Relationships, published in 1992 by John Wiley & Sons, grew out of her work with families and individuals. Her second book, Connecting With Our Children, published in 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, is an application of the principles of Bowen family systems theory for parents. Both books have received wide acclaim. Her newest books, The Eight Concepts of Bowen Theory and Extraordinary Leadership, Thinking Systems, Making a difference were written as texts for the Extraordinary Leadership Seminar.

In addition to writing, Dr. Gilbert teaches seminars and courses in various aspects of human interaction while maintaining a private practice.

Faculty

Kathleen Cotter Cauley, M.Ed. LMFT,  graduated from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana and received her Masters in Counselor Education from the University of Pittsburgh. Her early work was at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pa., in adoption counseling and as Deputy Director of branch office. Kathleen was in private practice in Tampa, Florida from 1985 until 2002. She maintains periodic contact with her practice there.

Kathleen attended postgraduate training in Bowen family systems theory at the Western Pennsylvania Family Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is a founding member of the Florida Family Research Network, a non-profit organization designed to provide education and training in Bowen family systems theory. Kathleen is licensed as a marriage and family therapist in Florida, Virginia and the District of Columbia. She has been involved with guide dogs for the blind since 1990.

A relocation to Northern Virginia in 2002 allowed Kathleen and her husband to move closer to their large extended families. She is currently working with Dr. Roberta Gilbert at the Center for the Study of human Systems in Falls Church, Virginia. In addition to seeing individuals, couples and families, she is also a faculty member for the Extraordinary Leadership Seminars in Winchester and Richmond VA.

Kenton T. Derstine, M. Div., graduated from Eastern Mennonite University and earned his M. Div. from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries in Elkhart, IN. Kenton holds certification as a CPE Supervisor by the ACPE, Inc. and is an ordained Mennonite minister. He has practiced pastoral supervision for over 15 years. He served as chaplain, CPE Supervisor and CPE Program Manager at St. Vincent Hospitals and Health Services. Indianapolis, IN. Kenton has served Eastern Mennonite Seminary since 2000 as the Director of Clinical Pastoral Education, Field Education and Vocational Services.  

Kenton began his study of Bowen Family Systems Theory with Rabbi Edwin H. Friedman as a participant in his Post Graduate Seminar in Family Emotional Process. He is also a Facilitator Trainer for the Healthy Congregations Workshops based on Bowen Theory developed by Dr. Peter Steinke. More recently Kenton has studied at The Bowen Center in the Postgraduate Program in Family Systems Theory. Kenton has incorporated much of his learning of “systems thinking” into his practice as a CPE Supervisor. 

Dr. David Scott Hargrove Scotty Hargrove teaches and practices psychology in Oxford, Mississippi.  He is a faculty member, and former chair, of the Department of Psychology at the University of Mississippi and served one year as interim chair of the Department of Modern Languages. He is an ordained Presbyterian minister, having served as parish minister in Georgia and a campus minister at the University of Georgia and Emory University.  He currently is involved on the Commission on Ministry of St. Andrew’s Presbytery. 

Dr. Hargrove completed his undergraduate education at Mississippi State University, his theological training (B.D.) At Columbia Theological Seminary, and did his master’s and Ph.D at the University of Georgia. He completed clinical pastoral education at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta and Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, GA.  After spending 10 years as a founding director of a rural multi-county community mental health center in south Mississippi, he joined the clinical faculty of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.  He directed that program for five years prior to returning to Mississippi to chair the Department of Psychology at the University of Mississippi.   

Dr. Hargrove is a member of the faculty of the American Academy of Judicial Education, training judges at several levels in behavioral sciences.  He is a member of the American Psychological Association and has served as chairperson of the Board of Educational Affairs and the Committee on Accreditation.  He is a fellow of the divisions on psychotherapy, family psychology, psychologists in public service, and community psychology.  He is former president of the Mississippi Psychological Association and member and chairman of the Mississippi Board of Psychological Examiners. 

His present interests include training clinical psychology students in family systems theory, training clergy and judges in family systems theory,  research on the fundamental concepts of systems theory, and the development of an understanding of higher education from the perspective of Bowen theory.

Lee Kelley, LCSW, attended Mary Washington College and Virginia Commonwealth University.  Her postgraduate training in Bowen family systems theory was at the Georgetown University Family Center from 1974 to 1977.

She worked with families and adolescents at Fairfax Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court from 1974 to 1978. She served at Arlington County Mental Health Emergency Services Unit as well as the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Unit from 1980 to 1996. Lee is now on the board of directors of the Empower Program, an organization working with schools to address the problem of bullying.

Currently, she applies Bowen family systems theory to her work with families and individuals in her private practice in Falls Church, Virginia. She presents regularly to the Northern Virginia Bowen Theory Study Group. Her lively lectures to the Extraordinary Leadership Seminar are eagerly attended. She serves on the advisory board of the Center for the Study of Human Systems.

Rev. Nicholas Lubelfeld graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in mathematics. His M.Div. is from the Virginia Theological Seminary. He also holds a Dip.Th. from the University of Durham, England. He has been ordained deacon and priest in the Episcopal Church since 1978.

Rev. Lubelfeld has served as a pastoral associate at the Falls Church in Falls Church, Virginia since 1993.  He was the rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Arlington, Virginia from 1986 to 1992. He has also served as Assistant, Associate and Acting Rector, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Lansing, Michigan. He has instructed in both New Testament and Liturgics in the Whitaker School of Theology.

He has been a student of Bowen theory since 1990, studying with both Edwin Friedman and Roberta Gilbert.

Reen H. Lyddane, LPC, LMFT, a licensed both as a  professional counselor and a marriage and family therapist. She completed her undergraduate studies a North Dakota State University. Her master’s degree is from the University of Northern Colorado. Post Master’s degree is from Virginia Technical Institute.

Her study of Bowen family systems theory began at the Georgetown University Family Center in 1980. She uses this theoretical framework in her work with clients.

 For several years Ms. Lyddane has worked in a clinical program in a court setting. More recently she is in private practice, continuing her work with couples, families and individuals.

Patricia Hanes Meyer, LCSW, is a psychiatric social worker whose training and paradigm for understanding human functioning and human change is Bowen family systems theory.

She was on the faculty of the Georgetown University Family Center for several years.

Patricia is the author of several book chapters, many papers and articles presented at scientific meetings and is the author and lecturer of Living Your Authentic Self seminars.

In addition to writing and lecturing, she maintains a private practice in Reston, Virginia.

Bonnie R. Sobel, RN, LCSW, received a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1973 and a master’s in social work in 1976 from the University of Wisconsin. She began postgraduate training in family systems theory and psychotherapy at the Georgetown University Family Center in 1976, continuing with a clinical and biofeedback internship at the Family Center. She continued on the biofeedback staff at the Family Center through 1988.

Ms. Sobel has worked with children, adolescents and adults in both inpatient and outpatient, public and private settings. She has been in private practice for more than 25 years. Currently her private practice of psychotherapy and biofeedback is located in Falls Church, Virginia. She is on the faculty and the advisory board of the Center for the Study of Human Systems. She holds a position on the board of the Mid-Atlantic Society for Biofeedback and Behavioral Medicine.

Ms. Sobel is particularly interested in utilizing the principles of Bowen theory to understand the interplay of physical, emotional and cognitive systems within the individual, family, work and societal systems.

Advisory Board
Kathleen Cauley, LMFT
Rev. Scott Davis
Joseph Douglass Ph.D.
Rev. Jerry Foust
Rev. Lucy Marsden Hottle
Warren Hottle
Daniel Light MBA
Bonnie Sobel RN, MSW

Volunteers

The Center is especially grateful to the following volunteers who have contributed a great amount of time and energy to the success of its programs.
 

Rev. Lucy Marsden Hottle
Rev. Carl Dickerson
Rev. Jerry Foust
Rev. Robert Creech

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