What is imago relationship therapy?
Imago relationship therapy is a therapy method that was developed by Harville Hendrix, PhD, and Helen LaKelly Hunt, PhD in the 1980′s. The therapy form uses theory and practice from a variety of different psychological methods and spiritual discipline and combines them into a therapy method with emphasis on mutuality and intimacy.
This marriage therapy method can help you turn a marriage on the edge of breakup into a loving and fulfilling relationship. If you already have a good relationship, imago therapy can help you resolve areas where you are stuck. Even if you already are quite happy in your relationship, this therapy form can help you connect on a deeper level and bring more intimacy into your relationship.
No matter who you are currently in a relationship with, it is highly likely that you are with the right partner. They probably have some of the caracteristics that you need to grow and visa versa. Ending the relationship is rarely neccessary as you will need a change in yourself, or you will most likely just attract someone else and experience the same problems with your new partner.
We are all born whole and in a state of joy. When growing up all of our needs are not met by our parents and other adults. We adopt to this in ways that become a part of our personality and that causes us to behave in a way that contradicts our counscious desire. We quickly learn that in order to get others love and approval we need to behave in certain ways.
When looking for a new partner we look for certain qualities in them that we cousciously desire. We also look for qualities that we are unconcious about. These characteristics match those of our childhood carers and is called the “imago” (from the Latin word imago that means image). These qualities attracts us because they are familiar and because recreating the childhood conditions allows us finish the childhood and heal.
We tend to find a partner that had the same needs not being met during their childhood, but they adopted to it in different ways from us. Couples often complement eachother in different ways and are attracted to a person with certain traits that they also have, but are not conscious about.
Imago relationship therapy seek to align our conscious mind with our unconscious mind. Our conscious mind wants to be happy and feel good, while our unconcious mind wants to heal and grow. By becoming counscious of the things that we currently are not conscious about, we can start healing and growing. By helping our partner heal and grow through structured dialogue and empathy, we also grow ourselves, and a deep intimacy is brought into the relationship.
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