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The Journey of Change

Presented by
Maya Kollman & Sophie Slade
Back to Advanced Training

The Journey of Change: Guiding Couples from Reactivity to Renewed Connection

The Journey of Change is a warm, highly practical advanced Imago course created by Imago Master Trainer Maya Kollman and Senior Clinical Instructor Sophie Slade to answer a core clinical question: why do couples so often leave a powerful Behavior Change Request Dialogue inspired and committed, yet struggle to follow through once they get home. Drawing on years of experience, they designed this training to address the deeper shifts that must occur in a couple’s inner world, nervous system, and relational dance for new behaviors to truly take root. The course offers a clear, hopeful roadmap for helping couples move from chaos and discouragement toward a more conscious, connected, and loving relationship.​

Throughout the course, participants are guided through nine essential shifts that underlie real, lasting change: from certainty toward curiosity, reactivity toward intentionality, blaming toward self‑reflection, symbiosis toward differentiation, complaints toward requests, negativity toward possibility, individual frustrations toward the relational dance, childhood story toward adult narratives, and adult narratives toward new behavior. The training is very hands‑on, weaving short theory pieces, stories, demonstrations, triad practice, and rich discussion. Therapists leave with concrete ideas, tools, and skills to help couples move through these nine shifts, as well as deeper awareness of how their own character structure can either support or block change in the therapy room.

Learning Objectives

After this training, you will be able to:

  • Facilitate Dialogues that help couples shift entrenched patterns and move toward more conscious, intentional relating.​

  • List and describe the nine essential shifts that support lasting change in relationships.​

  • Articulate the ways you may block your own effectiveness with couples and create a personal growth plan to move forward.​

  • Restructure negative interactions into more positive, connecting exchanges using Imago Dialogue and related processes.​

  • Identify symbiosis in couples and support movement toward differentiation and mutual respect.​

  • Integrate Dialogue to help partners move from complaints to clear requests, from reactivity to intentionality, and from blame to self‑responsibility.​

  • Deduce relational issues embedded in frustrations and help couples construct cohesive adult narratives from childhood stories.​

  • Guide couples in dramatizing and embodying new behaviors, transferring a cohesive adult narrative into a lived future vision of the relationship.​

  • Label defensive postures and recommend verbal and nonverbal ways to create safety, regulation, and connection in the relationship.​

  • Facilitate Dialogues that help couples shift entrenched patterns and move toward more conscious, intentional relating.​

  • List and describe the nine essential shifts that support lasting change in relationships.​

  • Articulate the ways you may block your own effectiveness with couples and create a personal growth plan to move forward.​

  • Restructure negative interactions into more positive, connecting exchanges using Imago Dialogue and related processes.​

  • Identify symbiosis in couples and support movement toward differentiation and mutual respect.​

  • Integrate Dialogue to help partners move from complaints to clear requests, from reactivity to intentionality, and from blame to self‑responsibility.​

  • Deduce relational issues embedded in frustrations and help couples construct cohesive adult narratives from childhood stories.​

  • Guide couples in dramatizing and embodying new behaviors, transferring a cohesive adult narrative into a lived future vision of the relationship.​

  • Label defensive postures and recommend verbal and nonverbal ways to create safety, regulation, and connection in the relationship.​

Continuing Education

Participants can earn 24 CE credits upon successful completion of the training. Full attendance is required; no partial credits will be offered for partial attendance.

Full CE information coming soon…

Details & Pricing

August 14-17, 2026
10am – 5pm Eastern, each day
Online, via Zoom

Full Price: $750

IRNA Members get an additional 15% off*

*Must be logged in to receive discount.

IRNA Sponsored Training

Imago Relationships North America (IRNA) serves as an administrative sponsor for this training by providing application processing, registration, and logistical support. All decisions regarding eligibility, admission, successful completion, and any certification or designation as a Workshop Presenter are made solely by Imago International Training Institute (IITI) and the course faculty. IRNA does not grant or guarantee any certification or professional credential.

By registering for this course, you acknowledge that IRNA’s role is administrative only and that IITI and course faculty are solely responsible for admission, evaluation, and certification decisions.

Cancellation

Registration cancellations made up to 30 days prior to the start of the course (the date of the first live class) will be refunded in full (less transaction fees). Cancellations made between 30 days and 1 week prior to the start of the course will be refunded minus a $50 administrative fee. Cancellations made less than one week prior to the start of the course will be refunded minus a $100 administrative fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations after the first live class. All cancellations, questions, and concerns can be submitted to info@imagorelationshipswork.com.  

Disclosures

IRNA strives for full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), by being committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodations for participants with disabilities.

Prior to the beginning of the program, any known conflict of interest or commercial support will be disclosed. In the case where there is no known conflict of interest or commercial support, this will be made evident also. Information concerning conflicts of interest and commercial support is also disclosed via promotional materials that are made available to any potential participants prior to registration for the course.

About Dr. Maya Kollman

Maya Kollman, PhD has been a leader on the Imago International Training Institute (IITI) Faculty for 30 years, Dr. Maya Kollman, PhD, is the only active Master Trainer in Imago Relationship Therapy. Trained by Harville Hendrix, PhD, Maya is certified to lead and train both the Getting the Love You Want and Keeping the Love You Find workshops, along with all basic and advanced clinical courses.

Maya provides the tools needed to develop a version of your best self.  With her rich appreciation of complex theory coupled with practical skills, you will learn to live more joyously and more consciously in all relationships. 

About Sophie Slade

Bio coming soon…

Partial scholarships are available for individuals identifying as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC).

Apply for a Scholarship