Kobus van der Merwe
Certified Imago Relationship Therapist, Clinical Professor & Senior Faculty Member
Kobus van der Merwe is a distinguished expert in couples therapy and a highly esteemed trainer of therapists. With over three decades of hands-on experience and a profound commitment to his craft, Kobus not only excels in guiding couples through complex emotional landscapes but also in shaping the next generation of therapists worldwide.
“Connecting is Being.”
— Harville Hendrix (a philosophy Kobus lives by)Qualifications & Recognition
A career built on rigorous training, continuous scholarship, and an unwavering dedication to the science and art of relational healing.
Certified Imago Clinical Therapist
Certified in 1996 under the mentorship of the renowned Hedy Schleifer. Advanced to Clinical Instructor within Imago by 2002.
Clinical Professor — Daybreak University
Professor of Imago Studies at Daybreak University, California, USA. PhD candidate in Counseling Psychology specialising in Imago Therapy.
Imago International Senior Faculty
A dedicated member of the international faculty, training clinicians since 1998 across the United States, Europe, Australasia, and Africa.
Harville Hendrix Award — 2016
Recipient of the prestigious Harville Hendrix Award for Clinical Excellence, recognising outstanding contributions to the field of Imago Relationship Therapy.
M.A. in Counselling Psychology
Holds an M.A. in Counselling Psychology. Began his journey studying Theology at the University of Pretoria, graduating in 1992.
Global Conference Speaker
Regular contributor to international conferences in the United States, Canada, Denmark, South Korea, and South Africa.
A Lifelong Path to Relational Healing
From theological roots to global authority in couples therapy — three decades of deepening commitment to the transformative power of relationships.
Theology & Ministry
Graduated in Theology from the University of Pretoria. Served five years as a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church, where a growing fascination with relational healing drew him toward family therapy and systemic work in a psychiatric hospital.
Imago Certification
Certified as an Imago Clinical Therapist under the mentorship of the renowned Hedy Schleifer — launching a lifelong commitment to relational work and the Imago modality.
Training Begins
Began training clinicians in Imago Relationship Therapy and other professionals in Imago Professional Facilitator Training. The start of what would become a global teaching career.
Clinical Instructor
Advanced to Clinical Instructor within Imago, expanding his reach to train therapists across multiple countries and continents.
Harville Hendrix Award
Received the prestigious Harville Hendrix Award for Clinical Excellence — a recognition of outstanding contributions to couples therapy and the Imago field worldwide.
Professor & Global Leader
Clinical Professor at Daybreak University, PhD candidate in Counseling Psychology, and active Senior Faculty member — continuing to facilitate workshops, train therapists, and transform relationships across the globe.
The Heart of the Work
Therapeutic Approach
Kobus’s approach is richly relational — blending Imago’s core structures of Dialogues, relational awareness, and systems thinking with neurobiological insight, deep personal presence, and cultural nuance.
He is particularly interested in the cosmological metatheory of Imago Relationship Theory and its practical application of “All is Connected” in working with couples. His work draws from a holistic metatheory that sees every relationship as an interconnected system.
Influences & Roots
Kobus is a second-generation Imago practitioner — both his parents practice Imago. His mother’s holistic approach to psychiatry and his father’s relational theology profoundly shaped his worldview.
He deeply values the insights of Harville Hendrix on connectedness and Hedy Schleifer’s concept of the sacred space. These foundations inform every session, workshop, and training he facilitates.
Training participants report renewal of purpose, increased confidence, and richer connection in their clinical work — moving away from transactional sessions toward profoundly generative relational engagement.
Training Therapists Worldwide
From Pretoria to California, Kobus’s clinical training has reached more than 1,100 therapists across continents.
The Man Behind the Mission
Kobus shares his life with his wife, Anita, whom he married in 1992. Together they have three adult children. His work is not merely professional — it is deeply personal, rooted in the belief that every relationship holds the potential for profound healing.
As a second-generation Imago practitioner whose parents both practice Imago, Kobus embodies the very principles he teaches: that connection is being, and that the relational space between two people is sacred ground.
Ready to Begin Your Journey?
Whether you’re looking for couples therapy sessions, a transformative workshop, or a deep-dive intensive — Kobus is here to guide you toward the relationship you both deserve.