Couple Counseling

Imago Relationship Therapy - For Couples Who Have Lost Love Due To Hurt

We all look for a union with our ideal match to stay contented and happily married ever after. However unconsciously, this ideal person that we look for is the composite image of our primary caretakers within our mind. So, this person is called to be our 'Imago match.' Imago relationship therapy is a marriage therapy that aims to ensure committed, friendly and conscious relationships of its clients with their Imago matches.

Imago therapy is based on the belief that we all were complete and whole at the time of our birth. Further, during our development stages of socialization and nurturing, we unconsciously get wounded by our caretakers. Later in life, we marry our Imago match. The purpose of our marriage is to heal our childhood wounds that were left unattended at that time.

As it was our caretakers who left us wounded, only they are the ones who can assist in our healing process. Nonetheless, this method of healing is not literally possible. So, our expectations to get healed turns to our companion or Imago match as he/she resemble the traits of our caretakers.

But, when this 'Imago match,' is chosen as a partner, their negative qualities are also similar to our caretakers and that causes disillusionment and confusion. So, we eventually realize that even our Imago matches are not capable of meeting our intense emotional needs or to assist us on unattended childhood healing. This perplexity in the relationship causes a rift between the partners.

This is where the benefit of Imago relationship therapy is realized. It teaches ways that couples can adopt to deal with their unconscious childhood hurt caused by their caretakers. Partners learn to find the care and nurturing from the relationship with their companion that was missing during their childhood.

Imago therapy thereby enriches the marital relationship as it brings childhood hurts of partners from their unconscious mind to their awareness. As both the partners retort to this unconscious command, they assist each other in the process of healing and grow mature. Power struggle and romantic love are the two initial unconscious stages of marriage according to Imago therapy that help in healing and growth.

If you also want to take advantage of the benefits of Imago relationship therapy, you can attend weekend workshops, private couple counselling or couple training sessions that are held. These sessions that ensure harmony and love among couples are conducted by more than 1,000 licensed Imago therapists in the US. There are also the latest DVD based program, Through Conflict to Connection, which can be used for home study.

Hence, in couple training sessions, Imago Relationship Therapy makes you see an opportunity for growth in your relationship conflict. Here, couples indulge in Imago dialogue. This involves repetition or mirroring of statements of one partner by the other. It also contains summarization, validation and empathy. Imago dialogue helps both the partners realize what the other partner must have felt when the repeated statements are said, distinguished from their own experience. Imago therapist may also be involved to improve the essence of the dialogue even more.

Imago relationship therapy thus is a must for couples who believe that their relationship is not going to work any longer. This therapy may also help them rediscover a perfect and contented relationship in future.