05/13/2026
Some time ago, I wrote a piece titled "The Origins of DayBreak University and Imago," which explores the deeper motivations, vision, and founding purpose behind the establishment of DayBreak University......................................................................................................
The Dream that Became DayBreak University
— A Journey Inspired by Imago and Love with H&H
The Origins of DayBreak University (1)
DayBreak University began not in a classroom or office, but in love with Imago, Harville, and Helen.
It started with Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT), and with the two wonderful souls who created it — Dr. Harville Hendrix and Dr. Helen LaKelly Hunt. They were not just pioneers of a therapeutic method; they were architects of healing and consciousness. Their vision of transforming the world through dialogue, relationship, and connection touched something deep within me.
One day, I said to Harville,
“Harville, we already have the most wonderful Imago faculty and the best therapists around the world. Through Imago, countless couples and families are being healed. But suppose we truly want this movement to continue studying, researching, and training the next generation. What if we created a university that grants master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Imago Relationship Therapy? Then, perhaps, our dream of a relationship-centered and dialogue-centered world could truly take root.”
He smiled, and at that moment, a seed was planted.
From that day forward, I carried that dream in my heart. I told myself that if such a university ever came to exist, I would pour everything I had — every lesson, every experience from my years as a counseling professor — into making it real, even if it meant doing so as a volunteer. It was a bold dream, but I believed it was possible.
Why? Because I had already seen it.
In my counseling practice and in Imago couples’ workshops, I have witnessed transformations that defied explanation. I had seen broken relationships become whole, estranged couples rediscover tenderness, and families begin to heal. I knew — without a shadow of a doubt — that Imago was not just effective; it was sacred.
For years, I tried to convince my university to let me teach Imago as part of the Counseling primary curriculum. It took persistence, patience, and faith — but at last, permission was granted. I began teaching Imago to my graduate students, and later, as their dissertation advisor, I guided them in conducting empirical research on its clinical effects. Seeing those studies published in major South Korean journals was deeply fulfilling — it was the beginning of evidence-based validation for what my heart already knew. Still, I dreamed of more — of a university where Imago itself would be the heart of learning.
The first person I ever shared this dream with was my Imago trainer, Mike Borash. He looked at me and said, “That’s a wonderful idea. And I believe you can do it.” Years later, during an Imago Faculty meeting, I finally spoke the dream aloud — this time, standing beside my wife, Jin. I still remember the moment vividly. When I finished speaking, Orli Wahrman stood up and said, “If that university is ever founded, I’ll be the first to enroll in the Ph.D. program.” Then Kobus van der Merwe followed. They became among the first two students to register for the Imago Ph.D. program — even before the university had received full federal approval. At that early stage, about twenty colleagues and students from South Korea — bound by long relationships and deep trust — joined as our very first cohort. They believed before there was proof, and their faith built the foundation of DayBreak University.
When my wife Jin and I started DayBreak University, the very first thing I did was invite Harville and Helen to serve as our Chancellors. I still vividly remember the image from my doctoral studies at the University of Toronto, where a Nobel laureate was appointed Chancellor. It left a deep impression on me — the idea that a Chancellor is not just an honorary figure, but the living symbol of a university’s soul and vision. Because our university exists to train counselors and healers, I knew that the ones who could most authentically embody our mission had to be the most outstanding scholars and the most compassionate therapists. And to me, there were no two people in the world who represented that more perfectly than Harville and Helen.
Our Board Chair once said to me, “If anyone deserves the Nobel Peace Prize in this broken world, it’s Harville and Helen.” I couldn’t agree more. I have always believed — and still do — that after Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Carl Rogers, these two names will be forever remembered as those who transformed the landscape of psychology and psychotherapy.
Then one day, I received a message from H&H. They said, “We would like to donate all the books and materials we have used in developing Imago and Safe Conversations to the DayBreak Library.” I could hardly contain my excitement. I literally jumped up from my chair and shouted, “Yes! Now we are truly becoming the Imago University!”
It was beyond anything I could have dreamed of.
To think that our university — still young and small — would become the first and only accredited institution in the world to offer master’s and doctoral degrees in Imago Studies, officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. It was a miracle. During the accreditation process, I explained with all my heart how clinically profound and socially transformative Imago Relationship Therapy is. I knew deep inside that it would be approved. And indeed, it was. We made it happen.
To honor Harville and Helen for their life’s work, our Board and faculty unanimously decided to award them the Honorary Doctor of Counseling. And in gratitude for their extraordinary gift, we dedicated our university library in their name — the “Harville & Helen Legacy Imago Library.” When we held that first honorary doctorate ceremony and the library dedication, I stood there watching, my heart full. It was one of the most moving moments of my entire life — the moment I knew that DayBreak University had truly found its soul. The Harville & Helen Imago Legacy Library naming ceremony has finally taken place. An exhibition hall displaying Imago books translated into about 60 languages was built, and 1,500 books donated by the two were placed in the library. It was a heartbreaking moment. This library will now forever be here at DayBreak University for future Imago research. This place, where Dr. Harville Hendrix and Dr. Helen LaKelly Hunt's Imago Legacy is located, will be the home of the Imago. I dream and wait for the day when Imago Relationship Therapy is taught at every university in the world and helps all couples and families to heal.
The Origins of DayBreak University (2)
The day of the 2023 Las Vegas Imago Conference stands out as unforgettable. Surrounded by colleagues and the Imago community, we witnessed the world's first Ph.D. degree conferral in Imago Relationship Therapy Specialization, awarded by Dr. Harville Hendrix and Dr. Helen LaKelly Hunt, Chancellors and Distinguished Professors of Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT) at DayBreak University. Sharing this milestone with Dr. Maya Kollman, Dr. Wendy Palmer Patterson, Dr. John Mortensen, Dr. Rebecca Sears, Dr. Kathy Malcolm Hall, and Dr. Caroline Bernhardt-Lanier made it especially meaningful. As I stood on that stage, tears filled my eyes. I wasn’t just witnessing a ceremony — I was seeing a miracle. They all became faculty members of the Department of Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT) at DayBreak University, totaling 10 Imago professors.
The Department of Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT) at DayBreak University
Distinguished Professor: Harville Hendrix, Ph.D., Helen LaKelly Hunt, Ph.D.
Director of IRT: Wendy Palmer Patterson, Ph.D.
Faculty: Dr. Maya Kollman, Dr. John Mortensen, Dr. Rebecca Sears, Dr. Jay Oh, Dr. Caroline Bernhardt-Lanier,
Clinical Professor: Orli Wahrman, Ph.D., Kobus van der Merwe, Ph.D. Cand.
Harville and Helen recently developed the Safe Conversations (SC) Dialogue to realize their ambitious dream of reaching the tipping point of 2.4 billion people worldwide —a vision of people connecting through dialogue. My wife Jin and I were truly amazed by their endless work and passion. And at Helen’s invitation, we completed the Safe Conversations Workshop Leader training, and we were convinced that SC, along with Imago, would be an essential tool container not only for couples but also for everyone.
Harville and Helen readily donated scholarships to DBU, and we named it "Harville and Helen’s Legacy Dialogue Worldwide Project Scholarship." We began by providing scholarships and training SC workshop leaders to spread the Safe Conversations Dialogue in 20 countries where DBU students live. To date, 175 individuals, including professors recommended by university presidents, counseling center directors, police officers, military officers, city hall officials, and teachers, have received scholarships and completed SC workshop leader training. They are actively working in this field after completing the training.
Even as I write these words, I can’t help but think of all my family members and friends who, at that time, insisted that what I was dreaming of was simply impossible. And yet, I am deeply grateful to my beloved wife, Jin, who chose to believe in my dream unconditionally, who gave up her tenured professorship at New Jersey State University, a position she deeply cherished, and decided instead to walk beside me on this uncertain path. Even during the times when things were unbearably difficult—when giving up seemed the only option, she quietly shared the burden and continued this journey with me. I also want to express my heartfelt gratitude to every member of our Healing Tree community.
I always enjoy Harville's jokes. Every time we meet, he teases me by saying, "How can a guy like you have such a beautiful and smart wife? You're the luckiest guy in the world." Helen then links arms with Jin and says, "Jin, you and I are soul sisters, both proposed to and married by the most wonderful men in the world. And Helen has been calling Jin her soul sister since Harville and Helen were the keynote speakers at the 2022 International Imago Seoul Conference held in Seoul, Korea, for the first time in Asia. My daughter Jina was born in the same year that DBU was founded, she is the best gift and sign that God has sent me, who makes me alive every day and gives me laughter and joyful relaxness. Jina is an Imago girl.
Today, I continue to dream. I dream of the day when Imago, supported by rigorous scientific evidence and research, will be fully recognized as the most powerful and relationally transformative approach in the world. I dream of the day when Professional Counseling and psychotherapy specialized graduate programs worldwide teach Imago as a core discipline. And most of all, I dream of a world where couples and families live consciously — communicating, collaborating, and loving through Imago and Safe Conversations dialogue.
That is the dream that became DayBreak University. And it all began — with love, dialogue, and relationships. So, our DBU and Imago’s slogan is the same: “One Relationship at a Time.”
After the 2025 Chicago Imago Conference, I made a passionate confession of love to Harville and Helen:
Dearest Harville and Helen,
I truly, truly love you both. Meeting you has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. Through your encounter, marriage, and life journey, you have become instruments of healing for countless couples and families across the world.
Your radical honesty, sincerity, extraordinary genius, and profound humility continually bring me to my knees. I have found in you the most incredible role models of my life. How can anyone so completely and selflessly offer their pain and wounds as a foundation for the healing of all?
Being able to meet you up close and learn directly from you has been the greatest gift I could ever receive. The priceless gems you have created —Imago and Safe Conversations —forged in the furnace of your own deep relationship —have transformed families, communities, and even the world. You shine like a daybreak in the darkness, a beacon of hope for humanity.
Ah, I am genuinely grateful. My heart overflows with thankfulness. I love you, Harville, and the beautiful Helen. Words will never be enough to express how grateful I am.
Happy 90th Birthday, Harville. Remember? You’ve been like a father to me for quite some time now.
With all my love,
Jay
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🌎 DayBreak's Heart and Mission
DayBreak University isn’t just an academic institution — it’s a community of healing. Our students and faculty come from 20 different countries, all sharing one vision: To make the world a more connected, compassionate place by transforming relationships and families — "one relationship at a time."
If you ever want to learn more, visit our website or reach out. I’d love to share more about what we’re doing and the amazing people who make DayBreak University what it is.
✨ Because every healing begins with one relationship.
👉 https://daybreak.edu
Jay Oh, Ph.D.
President / CEO
Daybreak University
321 South State College Blvd.
Anaheim, CA 92806
(310)739-0132
[email protected]
www.daybreak.edu
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