An Application of The Imago Relationship Approach and Group Counselling for Developing the Marriage Relationship

Abstract

The increase in divorce rates has revealed that the work to be done should be diversified in order to carry out the marriage union in a healthy way. Studies on improving the marital relationship based on the Imago Relationship approach, which has proven effective, are very limited in our country. For this reason, this review is important in that it is the first article in our country in which the Imago Relationship approach is systematically addressed. The purpose of the current study is to discuss the Imago Relationship approach in developing the marital relationship with all its aspects in light of the literature. In the study, the concept of imago, the theory of imago, the foundations of Imago Relationship Therapy, childhood wounds, romantic love, power struggle, the purpose of therapy, the role of the therapist, and the imago dialogue are discussed in detail. At the end of the study, a group counselling program based on the 8-session Imago approach, which was applied for the first time in Turkish culture by the researcher to increase marital adjustment and satisfaction, was included. This program is included in order to show that the Imago relationship approach is applicable in Turkish culture and to increase the effectiveness of the study. The program was applied in an experimental study in a group of 6 couples and it was concluded that the program was effective (Guven, 2017).