Bill Doherty

William Doherty, Ph.D., is Professor in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota where he directs the Minnesota Couples on the Brink Project and the Citizen Professional Center. He is Past-President of the National Council on Family Relations, the oldest interdisciplinary family studies organization in North America. He has authored 11 professional books on family studies and family therapy, many scholarly publications in variety of journals and books, and five books for the lay public on the topics of family rituals, confident parenting, marriage, overscheduled kids, and the family dynamics of wedding planning. Of particular relevance to Thanksgiving is his book The Intentional Family: Simple Rituals to Strengthen Family Bonds. In addition to studying family rituals, his current research interests focus on community engagement to strengthen families and couple relationships, and the prevention of unnecessary divorce. Bill is also a practicing marriage and family therapist and co-founder, with this daughter, of The Doherty Relationship Institute.