Klaus Grawe Think Tank Meeting 2007

The purpose of the first meeting was to consider the latest findings in intervention and prevention with couples, to bring them to the public and to develop an agenda for future research and dissemination. The participants at the meeting emphasized new methodological approaches that are available to address complex relationship issues of importance to the public. Furthermore, recommendations for training and supervision (with possible certification) of professionals from multiple disciplines to assist couples and families were discussed. The participants made efforts to integrate various specific findings into a comprehensive, cohesive organization to develop a set of actions that serve the public on various levels.  This included using the new medias to assist in disseminating findings as well as gathering data. Research findings will be put into an understandable and attractive language for the public and institutions and new means of reaching the population with a variety of delivery options will be discussed. For example, this might involve the development of curricula in the schools for relationship and parenting education.  A goal of these efforts is to educate and equip individuals to become self-reliant so that they can care for themselves as individuals and as part of a couple and family.

There were presentations to the public of new findings in the area of relationship interventions and new research projects were developed and funded.

Publication of the results of the Conference: Hahlweg, K., Grawe-Gerber, M. & Baucom, D. H. (Eds.). (2010). Enhancing couples. The shape of couple therapy to come. Göttingen: Hogrefe.

Invited Participants

  • Brian Baucom, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of Southern California USC, Los Angeles, USA
  • Prof. Don Baucom, Ph.D., Psychology Dept., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
  • Prof. Dr. Guy Bodenmann, Psychologisches Institut der Universität Zürich, Klinische Psychologie mit Schwerpunkt Kinder/Jugendliche und Paare/Familien, Zürich, Switzerland
  • Leanne Casey, Ph.D., School of Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
  • Prof. Andrew Christensen, PhD., Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
  • Prof. Brian Doss. Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
  • Steffany J. Fredman, Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
  • Dr. Mariann Grawe-Gerber, Klaus Grawe Institut für Psychologische Therapie, Zürich, Switzerland
  • Prof, Dr. Kurt Hahlweg, TU Braunschweig, Institut für Psychologie, Abteilung für Klinische Psychologie, Psychotherapie und Diagnostik, Braunschweig, Germany
  • Prof. W. Kim Halford, PhD, Director, Psychological Health Research Centre, School of Psychology, Griffith University, Australia
  • Junior-Professor Dr. Nina Heinrichs, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Psychologie, Braunschweig, Germany
  • Prof. Howard J. Markman, Ph.D., Center for Marital and Family Studies, Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, USA
  • Prof. Douglas K. Snyder, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA