Imago Therapy is a unique approach to relationship counseling designed to help couples understand the deeper roots of their conflicts and create a stronger, more empathetic bond.
This therapy is based on the idea that many of the issues we experience with our partners stem from unmet needs and emotional experiences from our early lives. Without even realizing it, we’re often drawn to partners who mirror traits from our primary caregivers, and this can bring both positive and challenging dynamics into our relationship.
Here’s how Imago Therapy works and how it can help you:
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The Imago Dialogue
A key part of Imago Therapy is a structured communication tool called the Imago Dialogue. This technique guides you through a process where one partner speaks while the other listens and reflects back, without interrupting or adding their own perspective. You’ll take turns being the “sender” and “receiver,” which builds empathy and helps you feel truly heard. This dialogue helps slow down reactive responses, creating a safe space for open communication and fostering a deeper understanding.
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Understanding Unconscious Patterns.
Imago Therapy suggests that we choose partners who help us revisit unresolved parts of our past. When we feel triggered in a relationship, it’s often because an old wound has been activated, and our partner unknowingly brings this to the surface. By recognizing these patterns, you can work together to heal old wounds rather than getting stuck in repeating cycles.
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Building Empathy and Connection.
Imago Therapy is very focused on creating empathy between partners. By understanding how each of you is impacted by past experiences, you’ll be able to see each other with greater compassion and build a more nurturing and supportive relationship.
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Fostering Growth and Healing.
Through this approach, you’ll learn how to meet each other’s needs in a way that promotes healing and mutual growth. Imago Therapy allows you to turn challenges into opportunities to grow closer, as you become more attuned to each other’s experiences and more intentional in your interactions.
Overall, Imago Therapy helps you recognize what each of you is carrying from your past and empowers you to use this insight to create a loving, conscious relationship in the present.
How your therapist helps you in this process.
In Imago Therapy, I’ll be here to guide both of you as you navigate a deeper understanding of your relationship and help you move from conflict to connection. My role as your therapist is to create a safe, structured environment where you can explore the unconscious patterns that often drive misunderstandings or tensions between you. Let me explain how we’ll work together in this approach.
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Facilitating the Imago Dialogue.
One of the core techniques we’ll use is the Imago Dialogue. I’ll guide you through a process of taking turns sharing your thoughts and feelings, with one of you speaking while the other listens, repeats, and acknowledges what’s been shared. This dialogue is designed to help each of you feel truly heard and understood without interruptions or immediate reactions. I’ll coach you through each step, ensuring you’re both comfortable and fully engaged.
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Exploring Unconscious Patterns and Triggers.
Together, we’ll uncover the early life experiences that might be influencing your interactions today. I’ll help you identify the unconscious patterns you bring into the relationship—often connected to how we felt in our families growing up—and understand how these play out in your dynamic. This is an insightful process that can reveal why certain issues feel especially sensitive or recurring.
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Building Empathy and Emotional Safety.
Imago Therapy is very focused on empathy and creating emotional safety. I’ll work with each of you to help you better understand and empathize with each other’s perspectives, needs, and feelings. Through this process, you’ll begin to see each other’s experiences and triggers more compassionately, which helps defuse conflict and foster a secure, supportive bond.
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Learning and Practicing New Patterns.
As we work through these conversations, I’ll help you practice new ways of communicating and responding to each other, replacing unhelpful habits with supportive, intentional interactions. We’ll address specific issues or challenges, but I’ll also encourage you to bring these tools into your daily life, strengthening your relationship beyond our sessions.
Throughout this process, I’ll be right here to support both of you—helping you develop the skills to build a deeper, healthier, and more conscious relationship. Imago Therapy is truly about transforming your relationship into a space where each of you feels understood, valued, and connected.
Visit us at: www.couplesinstituteofcolorado.com
Or Schedule an appointment today
7120 East Orchard Rd., Suite 303
Englewood, CO 80111
818-497-7034
