Imago therapy

Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT) is a form of therapy that focuses on relationship counseling.^[1]

Background

IRT emphasizes structured communication through the Imago Dialogue, designed to reduce reactivity, foster empathy, and transform conflict into opportunity for relational growth-focusing on "the space between" partners rather than diagnosing one partner.^[2][3] Empirical studies show that IRT exercises improve accurate empathy development and communication skills in couples.^[4]

History

IRT was developed by Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt.^[1] The word imago is Latin for "image"; in this sense, it refers to the "unconscious image of similar love", according to one therapist.^[5]

A 2017 study of the method's effectiveness found that couples participating in IRT increased marital satisfaction during treatment (and to a lesser extent at a follow-up) but that the improvements were not clinically significant.^[6]

Research published in 2025 in the Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy found that the workshops yielded short-term improvements in relationship satisfaction and communication.^[7]