The National Institute of Relationship Enhancement^® (NIRE), a non-profit educational corporation, was founded by Bernard Guerney, Jr., Ph.D. in 1992 as a branch of its parent organization the Institute for the Development of Emotional and Life Skills (IDEALS), which Dr. Guerney had previously founded in 1972. The mission of NIRE is...

NIRE offers skills training workshops, supervision and certification programs for mental health professionals and lay educators in the areas of Relationship Enhancement Couples/Family Therapy, Family Therapy with Young Children (Filial Therapy), Play Therapy, Couples' Relationship Enhancement^® Program Leadership, and Parenting Skills Program Leadership. NIRE also provides on-site training opportunities for mental health agencies, professional organizations, and community service organizations.

For the general public, NIRE offers a wide variety of counseling services for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families.

Counseling services are offered at NIRE's main office in Bethesda, MD and at two satellite offices in Rockville, MD and Columbia, MD.

NIRE also offers a variety of innovative psychoeducational programs for couples and families including the Couples Relationship Enhancement^® Weekend, as well as homestudy programs for couples who cannot attend these programs at NIRE's facility. NIRE also maintains a mail order Bookstore for couples wishing to purchase books, audiotapes, or other resources for enriching marriage and family life, including resources for improving couple communication skills and parenting skills.

NIRE's Staff