Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT) is a type of couples therapy that focuses on helping individuals better understand and relate to their partners. Developed by Harville Hendrix and his wife Helen LaKelly Hunt in the early 1980s, Imago therapy draws on a range of theories and techniques to help couples create more loving and meaningful relationships.
IRT is based on the idea that most individuals have unconscious childhood wounds that they bring into their adult relationships, and that these wounds can impact how they relate to their partner. By uncovering and working through these wounds, individuals can learn to create more conscious and intentional relationships.
One of the central concepts of Imago therapy is the "Imago," which refers to the mental image or unconscious template that individuals have of their ideal partner. According to Imago theory, people are naturally drawn to partners who have traits that mirror those of the caregiver they had as a child. By exploring and understanding these patterns, couples can begin to create more conscious and intentional relationships.
During Imago therapy, couples learn a range of communication and relationship-building skills, such as active listening, mirroring, and empathy building. They also learn to recognize and work through the defense mechanisms that may be interfering with their ability to connect with their partner. IRT can be used to address a variety of relationship challenges, including communication issues, infidelity, and intimacy concerns.
Overall, Imago therapy aims to help individuals and couples build more fulfilling, loving relationships by uncovering and addressing the unconscious patterns and wounds that may be interfering with their ability to connect with their partners.