Alaya is a Certified Imago Relationship Therapist (IRT) offering Imago Relationship Therapy to couples around the country. Above and beyond her two masters degrees, certification in the Imago Model requires over 100+ hours of study and live supervision. This process was completed over 10+ years ago, and since then Althea has dedicated over half her practice to enabling couples to move into Conscious Loving.
Harville Hendrix is the founder, creator and originator of this model. He and his wife, Helen have spent 25+ years refining and developing this powerful and pragmatic relationship tool. The premise of Imago Therapy is that relationships pass through stages just as the human body grows and matures.
For example, if one didn't know that children loose their teeth to allow space for mature teeth, we would be quite concerned and mis-interpret the significance of this growth process. So it is with relationships!
There are three basic stages in relationships: The Romantic Love Stage, The Power Struggle Stage, The Conscious Loving Stage. Most couples, in trouble misunderstand the Power Struggle Stage to indicate that something is "wrong". While in fact, this stage is "normal" and must be negotiated in order to arrive at the mature stage of authenticity in a relationship.
One of Alaya's greatest joys is to celebrate with a couple the wonder of coming back home to themselves, as friends, lovers, teachers, students and precious individuals.
Alaya's structure for Couples Work follows this general pattern:
Meet the first time and determine the "fit" between the couple, each individual & Alaya. This is an initial consultation.
Each session lasts a minimum of two hours to insure that everyone has a chance to speak and be heard. This includes the initial consultation
If both Alaya and the couple determine that the "fit" is a good one, then meetings continue (2 hours/ session) at a pace that allows for the couple to "practice at home" and to move at the pace that is comfortable to them.
Alaya's policy is that "The first hour session is free, UNLESS you continue, and then the first hour session is billed in full". In general, insurance companies do not cover couples therapy AND Alaya does not accept insurance. She is able to give you a statement with diagnostic codes for "couples therapy" for you to submit to your insurance for direct re-imbursement. At the beginning of each session, payment for that session is required before beginning the two hour "healing time". In the beginning of the appointment, the date for the next session is determined, so that the couple knows the length of time prior to the subsequent meeting.
Alternative ways to begin: Alaya has created support products, designed to deepen the Imago work and can also be used to prepare for this work. They may be purchased through the (W)hole Point Institute, LLC.
To learn more click on PRODUCTS.