At CCAF, we are committed to bring research about relationships and family life to the public. In this spirit, I share the article, “Masters of Love” from this month’s Atlantic Magazine. The article traces the 30 year history of research on marriage; the work of John and Julie Gottman of The Gottman Institute is featured. Their work is noteworthy for their capacity to predict, with up to 94% certainty, which couples will be broken up, together and unhappy, or together and …
Category: Family
In this informative and engaging interview, Dr. Berman offers clear, specific advice about how to avoid pitfalls and seize opportunities when dealing with the thorny issue of money and the family. …
The Center for Couples and Adult Families extends a warm welcome to Michelle Jackson, a seasoned Couple and Family therapist who joined our Clinical Faculty last month. There are many reasons I’m thrilled to have Ms. Jackson aboard, not the least of which is our ability to serve more couples and families at CCAF. Her arrival is evidence of our growth; clearly the word is out that there is couple and family therapy available at Penn. Ms. Jackson’s sensitivity to …
A landmark, government funded study finds that schizophrenic patients who received a combination of drugs, talk therapy and family support made greater strides in the first 2 years of treatment than patients who just received drug therapy. Featured on the front page of yesterday’s NY Times, the report made clear that family involvement and “talk therapy” are vital in the treatment of schizophrenia, and this combined approach provided more symptom relief to patients (and thus families) and capacity for higher functioning …
This is but one of a number of studies that confirms what Couple and Family Therapists know so well: that the quality of relationship impacts health over time in a variety of ways. …
Research findings from a team at Emory University Medical School provide evidence of “transgenerational epigenetic inheritance” – that environment can affect an individual’s genetics and then be passed on. As a family therapist I have intuited this often in my consulting room. There are times when a young adult with severe sadness sits with me, and I can sense that the sorrow is somehow lager that she is; it is too big a sorrow for someone that age. When together …
What is emotional intimacy? Listen to Dr Rob Garfield talk about the importance of mens’ friendships and discuss his book, “Breaking the Male Code” with one of my favorite radio personalities, Brian Lehrer: https://www.wnyc.org/radio/#/ondemand/510645 …
Last month, CCAF faculty, residents and fellows were treated to a wonderful lecture by family psychiatrist Dr. Geri Fox. “Gear Shifts and Spirals” was an interactive discussion of video taken by Dr. Fox of her own family filmed over 25 years. Dr. Fox began her filming long before the now ubiquitous culture of self documentation. She is a pioneer ethnographer, recording the turning points and challenges of everyday family life through the lens of her video camera. She …
"I wrote this for us, for our health, our longevity, and our children," said Dr. Rob Garfield, family psychiatrist, author, and CCAF faculty member of his new book, Breaking the Male Code: Unlocking the Power of Friendship. …
The National Association for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) has awarded Dr. Ellen Berman, CCAF Founder and Director of Training, with a 2015 Exemplary Psychiatrist Award. The clinical and training faculty at CCAF extend our warmest congratulations for this well deserved recognition. The recipients of this award have demonstrated their commitment to work along with NAMI members for access to care, research, funding, and other NAMI priorities. As a Board Member of NAMI Pa., Main Line, Dr. Berman has worked to …