ABOUT ME

I grew up in England and lived in France for a year before emigrating to Canada. In my late 20s I entered university to study psychology. After going through a divorce my interest focused increasingly around couple relationships and what makes them work. My doctoral dissertation, which I completed at Concordia University in 1992, was on relationship satisfaction and the personality fit between partners in adult love relationships.

When I discovered the work of Harville Hendrix it made so much sense to me I immediately knew I wanted to train with him and started this process in 1991 - a pivotal moment which changed my life both personally and professionally. I certified as an Imago Relationship Therapist in 1992 and have subsequently continued my training to become an Advanced Clinician and a certified workshop presenter for both the "Getting the Love You Want" workshop for couples and the "Keeping the Love You Find" workshop for individuals. I now present the workshops internationally in both French and English. I completed my training as a clinical instructor to train new Imago Relationship Therapists in 2005 and offer trainings in French and English in Montreal, London and Dublin.

I am constantly exploring new formats to help people integrate the Imago approach. These have included:
• Five days in Switzerland combining the couples’s workshop with theatre and body movement.
• Annual week-long ‘Getting the Love You Want’ workshop on the Greek island of Skyros.
• Visiting couples in their own homes for intensives, lasting from three hours to three days.
• On going groups for couples and singles to deepen and integrate the new learning and skills.

As an active member of the Imago board and faculty, I contribute to the ongoing development of Imago theory and practice. I am currently chair of the Programs Committee which has the exciting responsibility of developing new programs such as The Imago Connects series, a Pre-marital workshop and a Parenting workshop.. Since 1999 I have been working with a group of Imago therapists (The Keepers) to expand the work for Singles and compile "Deepening the Conscious Self: An Advanced Toolbox for Working with Individuals, Couples and Groups" (available on CD). Based on the "Keeping the Love You Find" material, it provides Imago therapists with a comprehensive selection of theory handouts and practical tools to enhance their work. My poetry and theoretical articles have been published in the Journal of Imago Relationship Therapy and The Imago Dialogue.

At home in Montreal, Canada, I have a private practice where I work with couples, individuals and groups, weaving together my Imago approach with my psychodynamic training, my humanistic orientation and my own life experience. I also have a home in London, England, where I offer Imago training, workshops and consultation.

My husband, David Howarth, was a reluctant participant at first, when I gave him the Couples Workshop as his birthday gift! However, he very quickly saw the benefits and in 1997 he completed the basic Imago training on the educational track. He is very committed to assisting me at the workshops whenever possible, and to doing the work with me in our relationship. We agree that our relationship would not be as rich and passionate if we had not had the Imago tools to work through our issues and to deepen our understanding and connection. We disagree about whether our relationship would have survived at all.