Our Approaches to Counseling

We have found the following approaches to be extremely powerful in supporting people on their relational journeys.  Each section contains suggested readings and a link to a website for even further exploration.

Imago Relationship Therapy, developed by Harville Hendrix, Ph.D.  and Helen LaKelly Hunt, M.A., is a synthesis of a number of different approaches to improving relationships.  This approach helps you understand why you chose the person you selected as your partner (and they chose you), how your childhood experiences influenced both your choice of partner and the ways you act with each other.  It explains why you get frustrated and in power struggles with each other.  It also teaches you a set of skills and processes to help you move through the power struggle (a normal phase of relationship) into a place of deep connection and intimacy.  You can experience this work in the weekend intensive workshop – Growing in Intimacy/Getting the Love You Want – as well as in couples’ sessions with a trained Imago therapist.

All of the RRC staff are certified as Advanced Clinicians in this work.  In addition John, Mary and Howie are certified as Workshop Presenters.

You can read more about this theory in Harville and Helen’s book, Getting the Love You Want, or click on the following link for many resources about this work:  www.imagorelationships.org.

Relational Life Therapy, was developed by Terrence Real, LCSW.  This work  begins by focusing on the one-up/one-down –win/lose model of relating that is so common in our culture that none of us can escape its influence.  It emphasizes particularly the dance of entitlement and resentment that occurs between men and women because the culture dictates that men should be one-up and women should be one-down.  In addition, it helps you to see the unconscious “stance” that each partner in a relationship takes and how these two create the “dance” that you can’t seem to get out of.  It also teaches a set of skills that can enable you to practice intimacy daily in your relationships.

All of the RRC staff have completed intensive training in this approach.

You can experience this work in our one-day workshops Growing Yourself Up and Growing in Relationships.

Terry has written several books about his work: I Don’t Want to Talk About It , How Can I Get Through to You? and The New Rules of Marriage. You can read more on his website www.relationallifeinstitute.com.

Compassion Power Therapy was developed by Steven Stosny, Ph.D. This work focuses on reconnect with our compassion for ourselves and others by accessing felt sense of intrinsic value as a human being.  It provides one of the most powerful methods of changing painful negative beliefs about ourselves and living from our Core Value. Dr. Stosny’s books include The Powerful Self and You Don’t Have to Take It Anymore. You can read more about his work at www.compassionpower.com.

All of the RRC staff and associates have trained with Dr. Stosny.

To experience this work

• call for a counseling appointment 303-321-1108;
• email for an appointment staff@relationshipresourcecenter.com;
• sign up for our Growing Yourself Up workshop by clicking here.

The Enneagram describes nine basic personality types, each with its own worldview and motivations for behavior.  Each type has its inherent strengths and gifts and each is likely to constrict and distort the self in specific ways.  Each type also has it own growth path.  An understanding of the Enneagram can greatly enhance your understanding of and compassion for your own and others’ behavior.  It can also help you to not take what others do so personally and thus reduce the pain you so often experience in relationships.

Several of the RRC staff have studied the Enneagram extensively.

There are numerous books written about the Enneagram.  A brief introduction can be found in The Enneagram Made Easy by  ?.  A more thorough treatment is  The Wisdom of the Enneagram by Riso and Hudson.  A good website is www.enneagraminstitute.com.