IMAGO RELATIONSHIP THERAPY

Over the years, in the wake of several intense and confusing relationships, I read a number of books about relationship dynamics and improvement. However, perhaps none have had as powerful an impact on me as psychologist Harville Hendrix's books about his model of relationships - Imago Relationship Therapy. Imago offers a comprehensive and brilliant approach to explaining why we are attracted to the particular partners who attract us, why they are attracted to us, the purpose of relationships and - perhaps most important - how to make them work.

THE CONSCIOUS RELATIONSHIP

The focus of Hendrix's theory is the concept of the "conscious relationship." This is a relationship in which partners strive to become aware of the deep psychological causes of their attraction, challenges and conflicts and to communicate about them openly. The partners then can address these more fundamental dynamics within the relationship constructively, rather than repeatedly being caught up in a focus on surface manifestations that are really just symptoms of deeper issues. In his work, he provides great detail on the characteristics of a conscious relationship and the steps entailed in achieving it.

HARVILLE HENDRIX'S BOOKS ABOUT IMAGO RELATIONSHIP THERAPY

I may write more about Imago on this page in the future, so feel free to check back here. For now, I highly recommend that anybody who is interested in gaining understanding of their romantic life and how to improve it - or even just gaining an understanding of themselves or relationships in general - read Hendrix's books. They are some of the most important I have ever come across.

There are two books explaining the Imago model of relationships as they apply to romantic relationships:

In addition, Hendrix has also written a book about parenting which applies the same basic understanding of relationship dynamics to help raise healthy, well-developed children. This is especially powerful since it is parenting that has the greatest effect on the future adult relationships that children will have.

	Giving the Love That Heals: A Guide for Parents by Harville Hendrix, Ph.D. & Helen LaKelly Hunt, Ph.D. - Hendrix and his wife explain how his model can help parents raise healthy children capable of healthy future intimate relationships.

RESEARCH SUPPORTING IMAGO RELATIONSHIP THERAPY

Imago Relationship International's website features a page entitled "Research on Imago Relationship Therapy" detailing research that has been done in support of the Imago model. I hope to see even further academic studies documenting the efficacy of the model

OTHER RESOURCES RELATED TO IMAGO RELATIONSHIP THERAPY

• Choosing Intimate Partners: To Repeat or Not to Repeat - Blog post in which I discuss Imago in great detail, as it is applies to my own relationships, as well as those of others, and contrast it with some competing views of relationships.
  
  
• All of my Blog posts tagged Imago
  
  
• Imago Relationships International - Nonprofit organization, co-founded by Harville Hendrix, dedicated to transforming the world through spreading the Imago model.
  
  
• Al Turtle's Relationship Wisdom - Website of a brilliant Imago therapist with many brilliantly written articles on relationships.

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