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The Health of Our Relationships

The Health of Our Relationships

The health of our relationships affects both our psychological and physical well-being. Satisfying relationships are related to increased happiness and fulfillment. Meaningful connections with loved ones make us feel safe and understood and even help us recover faster from illness. This special one-week forum presented by Assistant Professor of Psychology Ellen Lee explains the personal and relational behaviors that facilitate connection as well as the theory, research, and practice behind building healthy relationships.  The session will begin with the theory of personality, specifically “the Big Five” (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability), and how certain traits are more desirable and adaptive in relationships. We will also introduce concepts like personality misalignment, the role of disclosure and vulnerability in building connection, the ways novel activities foster self-expansion and connection, the broaden-and-build theory, and the theory of mindfulness as enabling greater communication with loved ones. The presentation will incorporate some interactive elements, such as brief assessments of one’s own personality traits and activities that model connection and validation, to explore and apply the broader theories. 

Thursday Forum is held in Kesler Auditorium on the first floor of Hickok Hall. Each weekly session begins with registration and refreshments from 8:45-9:15 AM, followed by the lecture until 11:30 AM. The presentations blend lecture, media such as film and music, and discussion.

Admission to each four-week forum series is $40. Admission to individual lectures and one-, two-, and three-week forums is $12 per week. Admission includes the lecture and morning refreshments of coffee, tea and pastries. Payment can be made in person on Thursday mornings by cash or personal check. Credit card payments can be processed by registering online in advance at www.coe.edu/thursday-forum. For more information, visit the Thursday Forum website or call 319.399.8523.

In the event of inclement weather, consult local media outlets to find out if the day’s forum will take place.