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Sherod Miller, Ph. D., is co-developer of the programs, and Chairman of ICP, the sponsoring organization. He is a teacher/coach to professionals and a nationally known educator and co-author in interpersonal communication. His books include Alive and Aware, Straight Talk, and Connecting With Self and Others, in addition to the workbooks and instructor manuals for the programs he has developed. A former clinician, he is a Fellow in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, a Certified Family Life Educator, and a past faculty member in the Department of Medicine at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Miller has been awarded four national honors for his research and teaching. He brings a wealth of practical experience, as well as an engaging and pleasant facilitation style, to this workshop.
Interpersonal Communication Programs, Inc. (ICP)
About ICP
Interpersonal
Communication Programs, Inc. (ICP)
30772
Southview Drive, Suite 200
Evergreen,
CO 80439
Toll-free
800-328-5099
Phone
303-674-2051
Fax
303-674-4283
E-Mail
icp@comskills.com
Web:
www.couplecommunication.com
Purpose of ICP
We provide programs, materials, and certified instructors to help individuals, couples, and groups:
We are best known as the originators and registered copyright holders of the Awareness Wheel™ (or Information Wheel™), which is the structure of any issue or situation and the foundation for clear talking skills. In addition, we are noted for our other frameworks, including the Styles of Communication™, the Listening Cycle™, and the collaborative process called Mapping an Issue. The COUPLE COMMUNICATION Program, as well as our other programs (Core Communication for individuals and Collaborative Team Skills for groups), teaches how to put these frameworks to practical use.
Background of COUPLE COMMUNICATION
COUPLE COMMUNICATION began at the University of Minnesota Family Study Center with the research and development team of Drs. Sherod Miller, Daniel Wackman, and Elam Nunnally. They based program concepts, skills, and processes on communication and systems theory. In 1972, the team began Interpersonal Communication Programs, Inc., (ICP) to distribute the program.
Miller, Wackman, and Nunnally received awards for their development of COUPLE COMMUNICATION from The Association of Couples for Marriage Enrichment, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and the National Council on Family Relations.
In 1986, ICP moved from Minnesota to Colorado, and Dr. Phyllis Miller joined the organization. (Drs. Wackman and Nunnally continue to serve as advisors.) The COUPLE COMMUNICATION Program was revised and updated in the 1990s. The advanced program, COUPLE COMMUNICATION II, is for partners who have completed COUPLE COMMUNICATION I.
Theory and Research
While the COUPLE COMMUNICATION Program was developed originally from systems and communication theory, many important theoretical connections exist between its concepts and general psychological theory. The program operationalizes constructionist theory. The Awareness Wheel™ relates to theories of perception, cognition, emotion, motivation, and behavior. The Listening Cycle™ connects to theories about empathy and the helping relationship.
Since the beginning, ICP has encouraged independent research on its programs and on the frameworks that undergird them. COUPLE COMMUNICATION is the most extensively researched communication skills program available for couples. To date, about 65 published studies (mostly from universities nationally and internationally), along with more in process, demonstrate the practicality and positive effects of the concepts and skills of the program.
Partners in the studies represent a wide range of people. Couples have included those in various economic groups, older and younger people, plus couples in troubled and well-functioning partnerships. In a nutshell, the findings show:
Authors of Talking and Listening Together, the workbook for COUPLE COMMUNICATION and the Instructor Manual
Sherod Miller, Ph.D., is Chairman of ICP. He heads instructor training plus materials and program development. He also conducts training in corporations and other organizations nationally in areas of interpersonal communication and team-building. He is a teacher/coach to professionals.
Phyllis A. Miller, Ph.D., is President of ICP. She manages certification of instructors, continuing education, and the editorial process. She also conducts training.
Daniel B. Wackman, Ph.D., is Professor of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota. He also serves as a consultant to business, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.
Elam W. Nunnally, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is a marriage and family therapist specializing in communication and in brief therapy, which he teaches in Scandinavia as well as in the U.S..