Faculty

Elizabeth (Liz) Brenner,the Director and primary instructor of the program, has 25 years of experience doing family, couples and individual therapy in child psychiatric inpatient, home-based and private practice settings. She developed and managed a family-oriented inpatient program for children and adolescents with integrated levels of care including inpatient, day treatment and home based care. She has published two articles about home based family work within a system of care. Liz has been teaching workshops since 1990; she was on the faculty of the Family Institute of Cambridge in Watertown, MA from 2003 until 2009.

Living with a father who is affected by mental illness is a significant factor in her beliefs about working effectively with clients.  In particular, her ideas about coping, resilience as well as knowing how to set limits and create safety while respecting all family members have been part of a personal journey. Liz’s model of working is greatly influenced by her desire for people to develop compassion for themselves and others as they find ways to live more peacefully and capably with their unique gifts and despite their challenges.

Corky (Carol) Becker, PhD is a family therapist, teacher, trainer and consultant. She taught at the Family Institute of Cambridge since 1985 including courses in family systems therapy, witnessing and couple therapy. She has been an associate at the Public Conversations Project since its inception in 1989. The focus of her interest has been about how people behave in a system, how people use language, make meaning and speak to each other with respect. She worked with the Project on Negotiation at Harvard Law School from 1992 – 2003. From 2000 – 2003 she worked in Kosova in the former Yugoslavia, one year after the bombing in 1999, with the Kosova Family Professional Education Collaborative. A very important aspect of her life is that she is the mother of two daughters, both old enough to live away.

Caroline Marvin, Ph.D, taught for many years at the Family Institute of Cambridge. She was a Co-Director of the Institute, and former Co-Director of both the Institute's Intensive Family Systems Therapy Program the Women’s Empowerment Course which she developed. She also developed and Co-directed the Family Therapy Training at Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. At present her work focuses on trauma and reconciliation work at the individual level and, through her studies in Rwanda, the national level. She maintains a private practice in Littleton, MA.

Charlie Verge, Ph.D. was the Director of the Couple Therapy Program at Family Institute of Cambridge for many years. He was also the Co-director of The Institute and its Intensive Program in Family System Therapy. Charlie served as Lecturer in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School for over 10 years and was Founder and Co-Director of Family Therapy Training at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. Charlie specializes in offering workshops, retreats and supervision groups integrating spirituality and psychotherapy locally and nationwide through the Center for Intentional Living, (www.centerforintentionalliving.net). A dynamic teacher and innovator, Charlie has also been a pioneer in developing new methods in the emerging field of energy psychology.

Kaethe Weingarten, Ph.D. is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology in the Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry at Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA). She is founder and director of The Witnessing Project (www.witnessingproject.org). She has over 70 publications, including six books, the last of which, Common Shock - Witnessing Violence Every Day: How We Are Harmed, How We Can Heal, won the 2004 Nautilus Award for Social Change. Dr. Weingarten lectures widely nationally and internationally. Her current work focuses on reasonable hope.