Photos by Shelley Smith
The University of Winnipeg congratulates this year’s graduates from the Master of Marriage and Family Therapy program, who celebrated their achievements on Saturday, June 18, 2016. Aurora Family Therapy Centre — the program’s main practicum site — hosted the ceremony at Crossways in Common Young United Church.
This is the largest graduating class in the program’s history, with 13 candidates receiving a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy degree, and 30 candidates receiving either a certificate in Marriage and Family Theory or certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy. This is also the first cohort of students to graduate since the Master of Marriage and Family Therapy program moved into the Faculty of Education.
Dr. Maria Gomori, faculty member in the Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy program, was honoured during the ceremony as the 2016 recipient of the Aurora Family Therapy Key to the Centre. The award recognizes a community member who has enhanced the life, health and vitality of the centre, which is in its 44th year of service.
“Maria Gomori is a living legend and pioneer in field of family therapy,” said John Smyth, Executive Director of the Aurora Family Therapy Centre. “Her courageous pursuit of freedom has influenced her teachings and inspired generations of practitioners. At age 96, Maria continues to write her incredible life story by working here and in many other countries throughout the world.”
After fleeing her native Budapest during the Hungarian Revolution in 1956, Gomori moved to Winnipeg, where she studied social work. She quickly established an international reputation as a workshop leader, and designed numerous successful training programs modeled on the Satir Method for Family Therapy. In 2004, the City of Winnipeg named her “Woman of Distinction” in the field of health and wellness. That same year, the St. Boniface Hospital Research Centre established a lectureship in her name to honour her contributions to the health system.
