Attachment Theory

Attachment theory suggests that the relationships we had with our caretakers early in life create an attachment style which is then carried into all subsequent relationships throughout the lifespan. About half of the population has developed an insecure attachment style as a result of attachment wounds in their primary relationships. These wounds are then carried into relationships and prevent them from finding the security they desire.

In my work with families experiencing relational conflict, my clients find that employing an approach rooted in attachment theory allows me to help them learn about the communication patterns within the family unit. Through this work, members of the family typically report that they understand where their own communication patterns come from, how their family system operates as a whole, and their role in improving communication within that system.

I believe in the healing power of relationships, but I also help clients accept how relationships have caused harm. I use attachment theory to explore relational dynamics, childhood patterns, and insecure attachment behaviors. We will work to gain awareness of your attachment style including completing assessments and exploring internalized beliefs about worthiness in relationships. I am confident in your ability to heal your attachment wounds and find a way to an Earned Secure attachment style!

I have trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) as well as studied other sources of attachment theory, and ways that this shows up in our individual patterns as well as relationship dynamics.

I have the training in the skills to understand attachment theory

Through my work and training as a couples therapist I have come to understand that we are social creatures and we need to feel safe. The way we were nurtured as children impact the way we form attachments now and they affect every aspect of our identity especially our relationships with others. One of the main approaches I use comes from an attachment lens. As a couples counselor I work with couples to strengthen their connection with their partner to heal attachment wounds.

Attachment-based therapy specifically targets those thoughts, feelings, communications, behaviors, and interpersonal exchanges that clients have learned either to suppress and avoid or to amplify and overemphasize because of early attachment experiences. Attachment theory helps us examine early experiences with caregivers in order to better understand how strategies and patterns developed and heal from those early relationships so that we can build the relationships we want in our life now.

We often show up in adult relationships as a result of the way our primary caregivers showed up for us in our early years. Understanding our attachment styles can be insightful information to help strengthen our adult relationships. Additionally, creating a strong therapeutic alliance with a therapist can help in working towards a more secure attachment style. My hope is to provide a healthy model for secure attachment in my clients.

Attachment theory explains how early relationships with caregivers shape our emotional development and ability to form secure bonds as adults. Secure attachment, characterized by trust, safety, and emotional availability, fosters resilience, empathy, and healthy relationships, while insecure attachments can lead to difficulties with relationships and emotional regulation. By exploring attachment in a safe therapeutic space, clients can develop healthier ways of relating to themselves and others.

As mentioned above, attachment is about finding safety and healing in relationships. In more detail, it's about learning our own interpersonal neurobiology and using self-compassion and self-care strategies to help bring regulation to dysregulated parts of ourselves.

Attachment Theory has the strongest evidence base as a way of understanding human relationships in all of the social sciences. as an Attachment-based Family Therapy-trained clinician, I utilize a wide range of approaches that incorporate attachment theory to help you live a more fulfilling life and have better relationships.

Our early relationships give us a sense of whether or not we are safe and welcomed in the world. Whether or not we are worthy of being treated with kindness, love, and respect. Attachment-informed trauma therapy can help to repair the psychological wounds from childhood, providing relief from cycles of shame, blame, guilt, doubt, and emotional overwhelm. Outcomes of healing these early wounds can include improved health, relationships, and boundaries, and reduced anxiety, stress, and depression.

Our relationship with our selves and others begins with our experience of attachment to our caregivers. Attachment is a huge influential part of our behaviors in relationship with everyone in our lives- our partners, children, parents, families, and friends.

Attachment Theory shows how our attachment to our primary caregiver and upbringing impact how how we form and sustain relationships throughout life. By understanding your attachment style, you will gain a deeper understanding of why you react to certain things and how to heal and grow in all relationships.

I'm well versed in attachment theory through clinical training, research, and personal therapy. Attachment theory is a foundational piece of my integrative and relational approach.