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Imago Trainings Imago Relationship Therapy, a model of therapy developed by Harville Hendrix, Ph.D., founder and President of the Imago International Institute, a division of Imago Relationships International, recognizes that the inherent nature of human beings is what Jung described as a "push towards wholeness". That wholeness contains Maslow's qualities of a self actualized person: spontaneity and creativity, acceptance of self and others, an ability to tolerate and even welcome uncertainty in life, a need to have both solitude and deep intense relationships, a sense of humor, caring and compassion for others, inner direction, and an open and fresh attitude toward life. Throughout our development as human beings, that wholeness is fragmented through experiences in relationship with our caretakers and results in a significant impact on the choice of a marriage or relationship partner and the dynamics of all our relationships in adulthood. The ultimate goal of the work that couples do in Imago Relationship Therapy is to assist each other in repairing the wounded or injured aspects of that original state, and to reclaim the whole self that can more passionately and vibrantly express itself in life and in relationship.
Training Programs in Couples Therapy Rick Stolp, Ph.D. offers a training program with a clinical track for therapists and an educational track for others who want to use the ideas and skills in personal, educational and organizational contexts. The Clinical Track will assist clinicians in using Imago therapy to work with couples. It is designed for licensed therapists at the masters or doctoral level who would like to become Certified Imago Therapists. For 12 days, participants will focus on Imago clinical procedures, clinical demonstrations and a review of participants' cases. Typical participants include Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Marriage and Family Therapists, Professional Counselors, Clinical Social Workers and Pastoral Counselors certified with AAPC. The Educational Track is for non-clinicians who want to use Imago Relationship Therapy and processes personally and/or teach them in non-clinical settings such as schools, religious organizations, businesses and to the general public. The course includes all Imago theory and processes taught in the Clinical Track in addition to assistance in applying the theory and processes in the participant's field of interest. Participants will also receive orientation in materials for teaching Imago Education in non-clinical settings. Typical participants include clergy, religious educators of all faiths, teachers, school educators, college and university professors, personnel directors, human resource professionals, physicians, lawyers and public educators. Training for both tracks includes:
Graduate Permissions and Benefits: If graduates of the clinical and educational programs qualify they may apply to Imago Relationships six months after completion of their course work and join as a Clinical Member or Educational Member (this requires a yearly membership fee plus continuing education to maintain certification). This distinction qualifies them to be called a "Certified Imago Therapist"® or a "Certified Imago Educator" ® and allows them to be listed in the Imago Directory and on the IRI web site. All certified members of IRI receive the Journal of Imago Relationship Therapy and other member benefits. Description of Clinical Sessions The clinical training program offers psychotherapists the opportunity to learn the theory, techniques, and application of Imago Relationship Therapy in order to work more effectively with couples in their practice. The clinical training program leading to certification in Imago Relationship Therapy consists of 96 hours of training. The hours are usually divided into three weeks of 32 hours each. The primary focus of Session I is to give participants the meta-theoretical framework and essence of Imago Relationship Therapy. Assumptions serving as the foundation of the theory and the resulting paradigm shift in understanding and working with couples are presented. The assumptions are further developed in exploring the evolutionary journey of the self and how that impacts on relationships. The focus moves to the developmental journey of the individual self from a relational paradigm. The various ways individuals are wounded throughout the developmental process through parenting styles and socialization are discussed. The concept of the formation of the imago and the role it plays in partner selection and subsequent interaction is explained. An overview of the major therapeutic processes is given. Explanation, clinical demonstrations, and practice by participants of therapeutic techniques and processes form a significant portion of the first four days.
Practice of the techniques by training participants is done in small group format with real material from each participant's personal experience. Participants experience each process as therapist, as client, and as observer. The clinical instructor provides supervision within the small groups. Participants are required to begin using the processes learned with clients from their practice and to record some sessions for supervision in Session II. Session II continues theoretical explanation, clinical demonstrations and practice, and adds small group supervision of recorded client sessions from within the framework of Imago Relationship Therapy. Theoretical material consists primarily of the process and purpose of initial partner attraction and selection and how that forms the basis of the power struggle as a natural stage in the relationship. Symbiotic beliefs and other factors contributing to the power struggle are discussed. Character adaptation to the developmental wounding and socialization wounding are explained, as well as how the partner we chose is in a unique position to contribute to the healing of that wounding. Reactivity, loss of empathy, and the origins of self hatred, projection, and prejudice are placed within this framework. Discussion of the maximizer-minimizer polarity and how that affects the relationship is presented. Explanation of the theory also includes discussion of the denied self, lost self, hidden self, disowned self and presentational self. Discovering and working with the core of resistance and the couple's core scene is explained. Explanation, clinical demonstrations and practice by participants of therapeutic techniques and processes included are:
Supervision of participants' work with clients between Session I and Session II, and work within small groups is included. Participants are expected to record sessions with their own clients using processes learned in this session for supervision in Session III. The theoretical portion of this last session includes the concepts of containment within the relationship. Containment is further developed to include a framework and safe structure for intense anger or rage. Concepts regarding the re-visioning and re-romanticizing the relationship are presented. The overall structure and progression of therapy using this approach is presented, including the format and duration of sessions with couples, commitments on the part of the couples and therapist, the focus, structure, and process of a session, and the use of assignments and guided imagery. The primary focus of Session III is on clinical practice and supervision of client sessions. Processes demonstrated and practiced in Session III include:
Learning Objectives of the Clinical Training Program:
This program is designed for experienced therapists with a current practice which includes work with couples. The focus is on Imago Relationship Therapy clinical theory, clinical procedures and therapeutic processes, clinical demonstrations, and supervision of participants' cases using this model.
Each applicant will be considered on their own merits. If you do not have all of the above credentials, please attach a cover letter to your application which addresses the exception. Within twelve months of the completion of the formal course, the participant must serve as a support therapist in a twenty hour Getting the Love You Want Workshop for Couples conducted by a Certified Workshop Presenter. Trainee must receive a positive evaluation from the Presenter which must then be submitted directly to the Institute and the Course Instructor(s). At three months and again at six months after completion of the formal course, the participant must write a one page report of their learnings and submit it to their Clinical Instructor. Having completed all these requirements, the trainee may apply to the Institute for Clinical Membership. Upon acceptance as a Clinical Member of the Institute, one may represent him/herself as a Certified ImagoTherapist®. To maintain certification, a Certified Imago Therapist® must be a Clinical Member in good standing with IRI, current with annual membership dues and current with continuing educational requirements.
Admission to any program does not guarantee certification. Certification makes a graduate of any program eligible for referrals from Imago Relationships International. Therefore, the review process of audio/video tapes is supervisory and evaluative. Approved by American Psychological Association (APA) for continuing education credit through Imago Relationships International. Upcoming Clinical Trainings:
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