Making Relationships Work
The State of the Art in Couple & Relationships Work

On Saturday, June 30, 2012 almost 400 practitioners working with couples and families from all over Ireland joined us at our 50th anniversary conference on Making Relationships Work. The conference was opened by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald and an expert faculty from Ireland and abroad presented the latest research-based strategies and tools on resolving relationship difficulties.

World renowned expert on marriage and relationships, Dr John Gottman, provided the keynote address in which he was joined by his wife and colleague Dr Julie Gottman. Speaking in Ireland for the first time ever, he outlined a research-based roadmap for practitioners to help couples to compassionately manage their conflicts, and deepen their friendship and intimacy. His presentation included strategies for working with couples to help them:

  • Deal with their relationship issues and manage conflict
  • Nurture the friendship between them
  • Create shared meaning – building a shared sense of purpose
  • Find ways to make each other’s goals and life dreams come true

He was followed by Charles Handy, one of the world’s most highly-regarded business and management thinkers and a bestselling author. Handy reflected on how the rapidly changing world of work and technology is impacting on relationships and families. The conference also featured presentations from two of Ireland’s leading speakers on family and relationships issues, Dr. John Sharry and Marie Murray who offered expert analysis on the importance of supportive couple relationships in family life and present practical strategies to help couples and families respond effectively to the challenges they face in developing healthy and satisfying relationships. The conference also included additional contributions from Eugene Davy Senior Partner and Head of the Family Law section at Hayes Solicitors and Relationships Ireland CEO Brendan Madden.

Presenters

Minister Frances Fitzgerald

Frances was elected T.D. for Dublin Mid West, receiving over 9,000 final votes. She was previously Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and previously served as T.D. for Dublin South East for ten years. She gained a B.Soc. Science in U.C.D. and an M.SC. in Social Administration and Social Work in the London School of Economics. Prior to her election to the Dáil, Frances was a high profile Chair of the National Women’s Council of Ireland (1988-1992) and Vice President of the European Women’s Lobby. Frances trained as a social worker and family therapist. She worked in the Mater Hospital, St James’ Hospital and Ballymun Child and Family Centre for ten years. She recently co-founded the first ever Cross Party Group on Mental Health and worked closely with Amnesty International to help break down the stigmas associated with mental health issues. Frances has campaigned strongly on mental health, special needs, social policy and equality issues and worked professionally in these areas.

Dr John Gottmann
Dr John Gottmann is world-renowned for his work on marital stability and divorce prediction, including the study of emotions, physiology, and communication. Dr Gottman has spent over 35 years researching over 3,000 couples to identify what makes a relationship work? Now after watching couples interactions during a conflict conversation, Dr. John Gottman can predict with over 90% accuracy whether they will happily stay together. He was recently voted as one of the Top 10 Most Influential Therapists in the past quarter-century by Psychotherapy Networker magazine. He is the author of 190 published academic articles and author and co-author of 40 books, including his New York Times best seller, Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work.


Charles Handy
Charles Handy is a writer broadcaster and lecturer. Best known as one of the world’s most influential management and organisational thinkers he was for many years a professor at London Business School. His books on the changing shape of work and its effects on our lives have sold over 2 million copies. worldwide.


Marie Murray
Marie Murray is one of Ireland’s best know and experienced psychologists and family therapists. She has had a distinguished career as a clinician, lecturer and writer in the field. Author of several best-selling books she is a well-know broadcaster and author.


Dr. John Sharry
Dr. John Sharry is a child and family psychotherapist. Author of 10 books John is a popular writer and speaker with over 20 years experience in the field. He is a co-founder of the Parents Plus parenting programmes which are used extensively in services and schools through Ireland and the UK.


Eugene Davy
Eugene Davy - Head of the family law department at Hayes Solicitors he is one of Ireland’s most respected and experienced family law solicitors.