It is my belief that the greatest gift of humankind is being able to creates bonds. There is no greater joy than the joy you feel when you are deeply connected to another person. And, in the same vein, there is no greater pain than the pain of feeling disconnected from an important figure in your life. As I have supported people in their pain I have found that the wounds that cut the deepest and take the longest to heal are those formed by attachment injuries, or injuries by important figures in one’s life, i.e. attachment figures.
Who is considered to be an attachment figure? In childhood, an attachment figure is typically a caregiver, for example, a parent, grandparent or guardian. In adulthood, an attachment figure could be a romantic partner or a close friend. Essentially, it could be anyone that has played a significant role in your life and to whom you have turned support and comfort.
Attachment-informed therapy involves understanding how your attachment experiences have influenced your thoughts, emotions, behaviours and relationships. In this type of therapy, we would talk about your relationship to your attachment figures, explore and process through any injuries that you may have experienced, and identify how these experiences may influence your current emotions or relationships.
People commonly present to therapy with concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, panic attacks, anger management difficulties, and relationship issues. These issues and many other alike can often be traced back to attachment injuries. It is said that we are likely to play out our early attachment styles in adult relationships. When these styles create friction in your present relationships it can be helpful to understand this so that you can make the necessary changes to have greater satisfaction in life.
Although this is less frequently talked about, the relationship you form with your therapist, in this case, me, is also important when practicing attachment-informed therapy. Positive change can be expected when you are in an environment that is supportive and nurturing. I aspire to create this type of an environment for my clients so that they can feel safe enough to explore their deepest emotions with curiosity and take the necessary risks to create meaningful change.
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