This contribution to the special issue reviews my theoretical and rese
arch journey into contemporary interpersonal theory and research. A se
minal period involved conceptualization of a ''communications'' approa
ch to psychotherapy and culminated in development of the Impact Messag
e Inventory (IMI). Generation of the IMI necessitated immersion within
the interpersonal circumplex measurement tradition and resulted in an
''interpersonal communication'' theory, combining concepts from both
traditions, which appeared initially in the Handbook of Interpersonal
Psychotherapy (Anchin & Kiesler, 1982). Subsequent research has concen
trated on circumplex refinement of both the IMI and a second inventory
, the Check List of Interpersonal Transactions, which was derived dire
ctly from the Interpersonal Circle. A continuing theme is the notion t
hat precise and replicable tests of contemporary interpersonal theory,
especially of interpersonal complementarity, require circle inventori
es that possess ideal psychometric and circumplex properties.