Strengthening Families Through Our Differences

Description

OLLI at WVU is pleased to announce that Dr. Christy Kunkle will deliver the 17th annual Irving Goodman Aging Lecture, Strengthening Families Through Our Differences, exploring the dynamics of family communications.

We want stronger families, but we have a hard time talking to our family members, especially when we think we are “just too different.” Our differences feel divisive, but research shows our communication is often more important than our similarities when it comes to sustaining relationships. In this session, Dr. Christy Kunkle welcomes bravely curious communicators of all ages to talk about these family dynamics, including the management of tricky subjects like what to say and do when our (grand)children/(grand)parents don’t like the same groups we do (religion, politics, sports teams, etc), have different belief systems, or otherwise think and act in ways different from our own. Drawing from research, Dr. Kunkle offers some “tried and true” tactics for cutting across, moving beyond, and employing our differences to support healthier familial bonds, including simple communicative acts that require no words at all!  

The lecture will be held on Wednesday, September 20, at 1:00 p.m. in person at the Mountaineer Mall in Morgantown and on Zoom. It is free and open to the public.
Register online or call the OLLI office at 304-293-1793.