Traditional training doesn't prepare most therapists for the common pitfalls of working with couples, like being hijacked into taking sides or becoming overwhelmed by the emotional intensity of relationship conflict. Imago Relationship Therapy offers a theoretical framework and set of clinical skills to guide couples through a process that avoids shame, blame, and criticism, and quickly gets to the heart of their power struggle--a failure to get the other to meet leftover needs from childhood. In this workshop, we'll discuss how to help couples engage in a profound dialogue that enables them to express full acceptance and compassion for each other and begin to create a conscious, committed relationship. You'll learn and practice the Imago Intentional Dialogue and find out how to create a safe space for couples that helps them tolerate and appreciate their differences. (This session will continue with Workshop 307.)