“Couples find over time the romance can fade and even the best relationships can struggle a bit,” said Kristina Gordon, professor of psychology and director of RelationshipRx, a project seeking to make it easier for couples to take good care of their relationship health.

According to those at RelationshipRx, there are some easy steps people can take to build more intimacy and strengthen their relationships on a daily basis.

1. Take a Trip Down Memory Lane: Reminisce on how you first got together.

“With all the different stressors and issues couples face, it is easy to forget what brought you together in the first place,” said Gordon. “What attracted you to your partner? What were your first impressions of each other?”

Gordon says remembering these times can easily rekindle those initial loving feelings.

2. Learn to Listen: According Gordon, it is important to listen to your partner completely and non-judgmentally.

“Many people get caught up in trying to think of their response rather than listening,” she said. “Make sure to avoid that trap. Couples who are skilled at providing each other with social support have been shown to be healthier and happier than less skilled couples.”

3. Draw Love Maps: Couples research shows partners can feel closer and more intimate by taking as little as five extra minutes a day to create something called “love maps,” said Gordon.

“At the beginning of the day, share what your day will be like,” said Gordon. “This way, during the day, you can think about your partner and appreciate what his or her day must be like.”

At the end of the day, partners should share and listen closely to how each other’s day went.

4. Show Support: Identify two small things that each of you can do to provide support when the other is having a difficult day, such as doing the dishes or allowing your partner to vent.

“Research has shown that partners who can support each other around shared challenges can actually experience increased intimacy in their relationship,” said Audrey Kasting, Relationship Rx facilitator and counseling graduate student.

5. Play to Your Strengths. The experts say every couple is good at something.

“Find your strengths and use them to your advantage to help you deal with stress and other issues easier,” said Gordon.

Common strengths include:

• Friendships: Couples research has found that the quality of a couple’s friendship is one of the strongest predictors of relationship well-being.
• Acceptance: The healthiest couples have found ways to cope well with each other’s quirks and to accept each other for the “natural flaws in the fabric.”
• Commitment: Couples research has consistently found a strong association between shared commitment and relationship health and stability.

For more information on RelationshipRx, visit the website.

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C O N T A C T :

Kristina Gordon (865-974-3347, kgordon1@utk.edu)

Whitney Heins (865-974-5460, wheins@utk.edu)

Culpepper teaches Psychology 110, a class of mostly freshmen, and noticed that many of her students did not know anyone else in the class. This semester, she’s putting her students into groups and designing discussion areas on Blackboard so they can talk and get to know each other. She’s also posting videos of her lectures and putting materials online that coincide with topics she covers in class.

She won a GTA@OIT grant that has allowed her to implement her new ideas.

GTA@OIT grants are awarded twice annually to graduate teaching assistants or associates who have sole responsibility for teaching a class and want to enhance their teaching using Online@UT tools. To apply, interested individuals must submit a proposal about how they would redesign their class. Winners receive $1,000 for travel or other purposes and work with an IT graduate student assistant mentor to implement their redesign ideas.

Research conducted by Matthew Shaffer, a doctoral psychology student at UT, and C. Veronica Smith, an assistant psychology professor at the University of Mississippi, reveals that the first sexual experience can set the tone for the rest of one’s sexual life.

The study is published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy and is the first to look at whether the circumstances of losing one’s virginity have lasting consequences.

“The loss of virginity is often viewed as an important milestone in human development, signifying a transition to adulthood,” said Shaffer. “However, it has not been studied in this capacity. We wanted to see the influence it may have related to emotional and physical development.”

The researchers examined how first-time sexual satisfaction impacts long-term sexual function as well as how first-time physical and emotional responses affect long-term sexual experiences. They found that positive first-time experiences were predictive of physical and emotional satisfaction. Specifically, those who felt loved and respected by their partner found later encounters more emotionally satisfying.

The researchers asked 331 young men and women about how they lost their virginity. The anonymous participants ranked the experience according to emotions related to anxiety, contentment, and regret. They also answered questions about their sex life using scales measuring sense of control, satisfaction, and well-being. Finally, the participants filled out a diary for two weeks describing each sexual experience.

A series of analyses revealed those who were most emotionally and physically satisfied the first time found their sex lives the most fulfilling. Those who reported higher levels of anxiety and negativity with the first time reported lower overall sexual functioning.

“While this study doesn’t prove that a better first time makes for a better sex life in general, a person’s experience of losing their virginity may set the pattern for years to come,” said Shaffer.

Shaffer suggests that a first-time sexual experience may create a general pattern of thought and behavior that guides sexual experiences and understanding of information concerning sexuality.

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C O N T A C T :

Matthew Shaffer (mshaffe4@utk.edu)

Whitney Heins (865-974-5460, wheins@utk.edu)

She served as associate head for the past year and has been the director of the graduate program in clinical psychology.

She is a graduate of the 2010-11 UT’s Women’s Leadership Program.

Welsh earned a doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and joined the UT faculty in 1993.

She succeeds James Lawler, who resigned the headship this year after fifteen years of distinguished service.

At the ceremony, which included remarks from Governor Bill Haslam and other state dignitaries, Johnson read his paper—and his words moved some of the survivors to tears. Johnson’s paper, entitled “A Simple Thanks Inspired by ‘Living On,’” also was printed in the booklet of prayers, readings, and reflections given out at the ceremony. Johnson said being allowed to share his thoughts with the Holocaust survivors was his way of saying thanks. “Even sixty to seventy years later, I can still find meaning in their struggles and they are still making a difference and an impact on me,” he said. Johnson, of Knoxville, is a junior in psychology.

The award recognizes innovative practices in graduate departments of psychology that have improved the quality of education and training.

Brett Pelham, APA associate executive director for graduate and postgraduate education in psychology, presents the Innovation in Graduate Education Award to Brent Mallinckrodt, professor of psychology and director of the counseling psychology program.

Brent Mallinckrodt, professor of psychology and director of the Counseling Psychology program, accepted the award on behalf of the Counseling Psychology Program faculty and students at a ceremony on April 20 at UT. Brett Pelham, APA associate executive director for graduate and postgraduate education in psychology, presented the award.

“I was incredibly impressed with the coherence of the program and the way it really integrated the advocacy component, which was not just placed in the program as window dressing, but truly transformed what the students are trained to do,” Pelham said.

Christine Boake, associate dean for research, graduate studies, and facilities for the College of Arts and Sciences, said the innovative curriculum builds on existing strengths and ensures that graduates are at the forefront of their field.

“The college is delighted that this outstanding program has been recognized nationally for its innovative, creative and path-breaking curriculum,” said Boake. “The faculty is already attracting highly qualified students and has a strong record of successful placement of these graduates.”

In 2007, Mallinckrodt and psychology professors Jacob Levy, Gina Owens, and Dawn Szymanski, met to discuss innovations to the counseling psychology program that would draw upon their collective strengths in teaching and research while emphasizing a distinctive focus that would attract the highest caliber students. Each was a licensed psychologist whose research and work with clients contributed to a conviction that many counseling clients’ problems result from oppressive conditions in the social environment.

The four faculty members quickly discovered a strong shared commitment to social justice and decided to make this the emphasis of the revised curriculum. In 2010, Joe Miles, assistant professor, joined the program as a fifth key member.

“We recognize that clients’ despair and anxiety are natural, understandable reactions to some of the social environments they experience, just as shivering is a natural and expected reaction to being drenched in the cold,” said Mallinckrodt. “Therefore, we designed this program to teach students to address the conditions of the ‘cold and rain’ more so than the symptoms of ‘shivering’.”

Since 1950, the scientist-practitioner model has dominated training in professional psychology programs accredited by the APA until UT pioneered the addition of a third component: training in social justice advocacy. In the treatment setting, for example, the scientist-practitioner-advocate model calls for working with clients to help them find their own voice and, if clients choose, to help them develop the tools to advocate for themselves.

Innovations in curriculum include social justice themes infused into many graduate courses offered by the program. In 2008, the new social justice practicum was described online and in recruiting materials. Since then, applications to UT’s counseling psychology program have increased by 235 percent. The program was first accredited in 1980. In 2009, it was re-accredited by the APA, the first of its kind to adopt the new scientist-practitioner-advocate training model.

“This program would not have been possible if we were not at an institution that encourages change and innovation, and we have been very fortunate to have UT’s support throughout the process,” Mallinckrodt said.

For more information on UT’s Counseling Psychology Program, visit the website.

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C O N T A C T :

Brent Mallinckrodt (865-974-8796, bmallinc@utk.edu)

Cheryl Travis (865-974-6843, ctravis@utk.edu)

“It’s an exciting time to join the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as the institution seeks to become a Top 25 public research university. The College of Arts and Sciences has a pivotal role to play in meeting this challenge and has already developed a five-year strategic plan that will position the college to advance in all aspects of its mission,” Lee said. “With the start of the new semester, I am looking forward to working with the faculty, students, and staff to implement the strategic plan and to build a supportive environment that continues to advance the college and the university while maintaining the great traditions of this institution.”

Lee came to UT from the University of Michigan, where she held a number of administrative positions, most recently chair of the Department of Psychology. She also was a professor in the neuroscience program and a research scientist in the reproductive sciences program.

Lee has a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Indiana University and a doctorate in biopsychology from the University of Chicago.

The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest, largest, most comprehensive, and most diverse of the eleven colleges at UT Knoxville. Its twenty-one academic departments and schools, seven centers and institutes, and twelve interdisciplinary programs span the disciplines of the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and the visual and performing arts.

More than 7,500 undergraduate students have an academic home in one of the college’s sixty undergraduate majors and pre-professional programs. The college also offers more than fifty graduate programs and is home to 1,400 graduate students. The college’s academic programs are served by roughly 600 faculty members, who also provide the university’s entire undergraduate student body with core instruction in the arts and humanities and the natural and social sciences.

Hap McSween, Distinguished Professor of Science and a Chancellor’s Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, served as interim dean from January through December 2011. McSween took over after former dean, Bruce Bursten, stepped down in December 2010 to return to the faculty.

Kristi Gordon, associate professor of psychology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, said families can often sidestep problems by talking through potential conflicts before they happen.

Gordon, who specializes in marital relationships, offers some advice to help you through these sticky areas:

Finances

“Finances are tough, especially with the economy being as bad as it is,” Gordon said. “What makes it doubly stressful is that we put meaning on top of money.”

Success is too often measured by money, she said. When one partner complains about spending limits, the other can translate that into “I’m not good enough.” Husbands—whether or not they are family’s sole breadwinner—are especially susceptible to this thinking, Gordon said.

She suggests talking through how much to spend on holiday gifts before shopping. Good problem-solving skills and some old-fashioned creativity will help, too.

Couples should ask themselves a few key questions: “What’s important to us?” “What are our limitations?” and “How we maximize what we can do?”

In-laws

One of the biggest dilemmas for many couples is how to share the holidays with both of their families, Gordon said. It’s easy for one spouse to think, “If you don’t want to go to my family this year, it must mean you don’t love my family.”

Once you’re at the gathering, big problems can result if tensions develop with your in-laws and your spouse doesn’t immediately come to your rescue.

Each spouse faces the same dilemma: “Where is my primary loyalty? Do I side with Mom and Dad, my significant other, or remain silent?”

Again, Gordon suggests talking through potential difficulties before they arise.

“Try to do it at a time when you are calm, being respectful, and communicating without blaming,” she said.

For newlyweds, the first holiday season together may be especially stressful.

There is no prescribed rule for dividing up time, Gordon said. Some couples choose to spend one holiday with one family and the next holiday with the other family. Some even put the family’s names in a hat and choose one.

Spouses from different faiths may have to find a way to incorporate multiple rituals into their life.

The important thing, Gordon said, is to remember that your spouse “is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, so you want to maximize the happiness for both of you, not just make sure you get what you want.”

Sibling rivalry

The holidays can transform grown-up siblings into squabbling youngsters again.

“When we get back under the same roof, we tend to go right back to the way we were as kids,” she said.

“You cannot change your family members,” Gordon said. “The best thing you can do is manage your own reactions. Be consistent with your own values and be who you want to be.”

If you must confront a sibling, try to do it one on one—not in front of the whole family.

And don’t worry about taking a break from the family to avoid a blow-up.

Overbooked and overscheduled

“We have so many expectations for the holidays,” Gordon said. “People need to sit back and think, ‘What do you want this time to be about?’ ‘What are your priorities?’”

One strategy, Gordon said, is for each person to pick one holiday tradition or activity that is most important to them.

“Couples too often get in a win-lose situation,” she said. “Remember to come at the holidays with as much care for your partner’s point of view as your own.”

And, she said, “recognize that you don’t have to do everything. Allow yourself to accept, let go, and relax.”

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely, (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

Bill Black

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Thomas Coens of the Department of History will lecture on “New Revelations: Andrew Jackson and Indian Removal” at the U.S. Department of the Interior Museum in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, November 2. Coens is a research associate professor and associate editor of The Papers of Andrew Jackson.

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Leslee A. Fisher, an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies, has been inducted as a fellow of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, the international professional organization of sport and exercise psychology. She was selected for her significant contributions to academic and professional practice knowledge in sport and exercise psychology. Fisher, who is teaches sport psychology and motor behavior, specializes in moral and ethical decision-making, sociocultural aspects of sport participation, cultural sport psychology, and character development in sport.

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Kristi Gordon, associate professor in psychology, has received a three-year, $2.16 million demonstration grant from the Administration for Children and Families to implement the Marriage Check-up in community-based integrative health care facility. The Marriage Check-up is a new intervention that uses motivational interviewing principles to help couples at all levels of functioning to identify strengths and vulnerabilities in their relationships and increase their motivation to use their strengths to address the vulnerabilities and make their relationships stronger. The project will also provide groups to teach couples relationship skills and will partner with a local agency to provide groups to help them deal with major financial and employment issues.

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Jay Rubenstein, associate professor of history, has published a book which tells the story of the First Crusade (1095-1099) through the eyes of those who witnessed it, emphasizing the fundamental role that apocalyptic thought played in motivating the Crusaders. Entitled Armies of Heaven: the First Crusade and the Quest for Apocalypse, critics have called it a thrilling work of military and religious history that will revolutionize our understanding of the Crusades. The book hits store shelves in November. This is the second book Rubenstein has published this fall on the First Crusade. The Monodies and on the Relics of Saints was released in October.

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Xiaojun Wang, a graduate student in chemistry, has been selected as one of two recipients of the American Chemical Society (ACS) Graduate Travel Award to attend the 2012 ACS National Meeting in San Diego. The award is sponsored by the ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry’s Membership Committee. Each year, the committee provides funding for two polymer graduate students to travel to the ACS National Meeting and present their research results. Wang will deliver a presentation entitled “Microstructure Effects on Self-assembly of Polystyrene-b-Sulfonated Poly (cyclohexadiene)” to address an unexplored issue regarding self-assembly behavior of strong electrolyte block copolymers derived from dienes.