Family Enterprise Consulting Services

Combining family therapy, family systems thinking and expertise in the workings of family enterprises.

 

―

Bill’s work with multigenerational family systems with family enterprises comprises the second component of PFS. This work focuses on families with family enterprises (businesses and/or family offices) that have problems that can damage or destroy family relationships. These problems may derive from a legacy of damaged relations linked to family enterprises in previous generations and/or current problems.

Typical problems include:

  • The “stuck” transfer of generational power and/or wealth
  • Intractable sibling and/or cousin conflict
  • Difficulty letting go of dysfunctional and unrealistic practices and beliefs that limit growth and success
  • Failure to share a common vision and values
  • Rigid thinking that precludes finding the best and most effective problem solution
  • Individual psychopathology—anxiety, depression, addiction, autistic spectrum and personality disorders (e.g. narcissism, borderline, obsessive-compulsive, etc.).

―

Bill brings a unique set of assets to his work with family enterprises.

 

1.

50 years of practicing, developing, teaching and writing about integrative family systems psychotherapy.

The first asset is Bill’s extensive background as a psychotherapist with close to 50 years of experience working with families, couples and individuals. Bill is a Fellow of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) and an Approved Supervisor of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. He has been teaching psychiatrists, psychologists, family therapists and counselors his integrative approach to psychotherapy since 1973. He has also lectured and taught therapists throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, Europe and Asia. In addition to English, Bill speaks Spanish and French

 

2.

30 year experience building the Family Institute of Chicago.

The second asset is Bill’s experience building the Family Institute (of Chicago) at Northwestern University over the course of 30 years from a small component of a large urban hospital (15 employees and a budget of half a million dollars) into a free standing, university affiliated, mid-size organization (110 employees and a budget of $15 million) helping thousands of families a year and training family therapists and family researchers from around the world. Visioning, building and running the Institute means that Bill intimately understands the pressures of recruiting employees, meeting a payroll, being responsible for the social and economic well-being of his employees and their families, as well as raising money and ultimately letting go of the reins of the organization.

 

3.

40+ years of ownership of a 105 year-old family business.

The third asset is Bill’s family’s ownership of a family business in Chicago over four generations and 105 years. Bill worked in the business as an adolescent and witnessed its various challenges and permutations throughout his adulthood. This experience inspired Bill to bring his integrative systemic therapy, his deep knowledge of family systems, his experience leading the Family Institute and his ownership of a family enterprise to enterprising families in distress

 

 Next | CONTACT PSF →