Fall 2006

Forum

Walter Howard Smith, Jr. Ph.D. comes to EMU on October 12 &13 to present on the theme of family violence, specifically child abuse. Dr. Smith’s career focuses on the use of Bowen family systems theory to understand the functioning of families, organizations, and social groups. This theory views the family as an interlocking set of relationships, rather than a set of interacting individuals. In the past twenty years, Dr. Smith has focused on understanding how relationship shifts and responses to stress lead to child abuse, domestic violence, and conflict.

Dr. Smith is the executive director of family resources, a private non-profit corporation that focuses on child abuse prevention and treatment, and serves more than 20,000 children, teens, and adults in the counties that surround Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Dr. Smith is a licensed psychologist with a private practice, and the founding member of the Western Pennsylvania Family Center, an education resource center for lay and professional persons interested in family therapy and family studies.

Book Studies

The Eight Concepts of Bowen Theory: A New Way of Thinking about the Individual and the Group by Roberta M. Gilbert, M.D.

Moderated by Kenton Derstine. Books will be free to all attending the book study. This book study will provide a preparation for the forum on family violence presented by Walter Howard Smith, Jr. PhD on Thursday, October 12.

Date: September 14, 21, 28, October 5: Thursday lunch
Time: 12-1 p.m.
Place: EMU Cafeteria

• Session 1: Chapter 1 "Nuclear Family Emotional System" & Chapter 2 "The Differentiation of Self Scale"
• Session 2: Chapter 3 "Emotional Triangles" & Chapter 4 "Cutoff"
• Session 3 : Chapter 5 "Family Projection Process" & Chapter 6 "Multigenerational Transmission Process"
• Session 4: Chapter 7 "Sibling Position" & Chapter 8 "Emotional Process in Society"

Bioethics book study in four sessions moderated by Roman Miller: Bioethics: A Primer for Christians by Gilbert Meilaender

Date: October 26, November 2, 9, & 16: Thursday mornings
Time: 7 – 7:55 a.m.
Place: The Daily Grind (434-1800), 625 Mt. Clinton Pike, Harrisonburg. *Coffee will be provided for SASS member participants.

• Session 1: Oct 26: Christian Vision, Procreation, and Abortion, pp. 1-38
• Session 2: Nov 2: Issues in Genetics, pp. 39-56
• Session 3: Nov 9: Death & Dying Issues, pp. 57-87
• Session 4: Nov 16: Gifts of the Body: Donations and Experimentation, pp. 88-118

On Friday, November 17, book study participants will have the opportunity to meet author and speaker, Dr. Gilbert Meilaender who will make two presentations: a bioethics talk at 4:30 p.m. and a Writer’s Read presentation at 7 p.m.

Following the bioethics talk two respondents will dialogue with Dr. Meilaender: Dr. Brenda Martin-Hurst (unconfirmed), associate professor of practical theology at EMS and Dr. Roman J. Miller, D.B. Suter Endowed Professor of Biology at EMU.

Free Public Lecture

“Surprises in Researching Family Violence” by Walter Smith

Date: Thursday, October 12
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Seminary Bldg. 124

*A related workshop entitled "Understanding Family Violence" by Water Smith will be held Oct. 13 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Martin Chapel of the seminary building. Cost to students is $25 and professionals $55. Contact Kenton Derstine for more information.

Conference

"Family Solutions : Understanding Child Abuse"

Date: Friday, October 13
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Registration, 8 a.m.)
Location: Martin Chapel, Seminary
Cost: Students: $25.00 Professionals: $55.00

SASS will pay the registration fee of five (5) undergraduate student members and eight (8) graduate student members of SASS. Student membership in SASS is $5.00. To become a member of SASS go to www.emu.edu/sass/membership/ or email us at: sass@emu.edu

SASS is happy to serve as a supporting sponsor to the Shenandoah Family Systems Network to bring you this innovative Conference. For more information or to register for the Friday Conference visit www.shenfamilysystems.org.