John Gottman, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of Washington and Co-Founder, The Gottman Institute
Julie Gottman, Ph.D.
Co-Designer, Gottman Couples Therapy and Co-Founder, The Gottman Institute
Eight Dates: An Intimate Conversation with John and Julie Gottman
Couples often connect and fall in love by talking. But what conversations should a new couple have to know if their love will last a lifetime – through challenges, surprises, joy, and pain? And if a couple has been in a relationship for years, what conversations should they have to reinvigorate the connection and passion that first brought them together, but may have become routine?
In their latest book, Eight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love, leading marriage and family researchers John Gottman, Ph.D. and Julie Schwartz Gottman, Ph.D. offer empowering ways to discover the love each partner wants and deserves. The Gottmans have identified eight important topics that can make or break a relationship, and they guide couples through eight conversation-driven dates, describing how to talk (and listen) in a way that will be beneficial for the individual and the couple. Empirically tested on 300 couples (heterosexual and same-sex at various stages of their relationships), the dates nurture bonds in new relationships and renew intimacy in long-term ones.
The Gottmans have been studying relationships for over 25 years, and are experts in couples’ therapy, marriage and divorce. The “Gottman Method” goals are to “disarm conflicting verbal communication, increase intimacy, respect, and affection, remove barriers that create a feeling of stagnancy in conflicting situations, and create a heightened sense of empathy and understanding within the context of the relationship.” Emotional attunement and non-defensive listening – we can all benefit from those skills!
On March 13, the Gottmans will be interviewed by Eli J. Finkel, Ph.D. (FAN ’17), the author of the best-selling book The All-or-Nothing Marriage and Director of the Relationships and Motivation Lab at Northwestern University.

Upcoming Events
Untethered: Creating Connected Families, Schools, and Communities to Raise a Resilient Generation
Doug Bolton, Ph.D.
Clinical psychologist and educational leader and consultant
Lisa Damour, Ph.D.
Psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and "Ask Lisa" podcast co-host
ON ZOOM
Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life
Maggie Smith
Award-winning author and poet
Glory Edim
Author and Founder of Well-Read Black Girl, an online platform and book club celebrating the works of Black women authors
ON ZOOM
What We Value: The Neuroscience of Choice & Change
Emily Falk, Ph.D.
Professor of Communication, Psychology, Marketing, and Operations, Informatics, and Decisions (OID), University of Pennsylvania
Ethan Kross, Ph.D.
Professor, Management & Organizations, Ross School of Business, and Director of the Emotion and Self Control Lab, University of Michigan
ON ZOOM