Imago therapy

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. Empirical studies show that IRT exercises improve accurate empathy development and communication skills in couples. == History ==

IRT was developed by Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt. 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. Research published in 2025 in the Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy found that the workshops yielded short-term improvements in relationship satisfaction and communication. ==References ==