Attachment-Based Therapy relies on John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory to inform the therapeutic process. Attachment Theory emphasizes the quality of an infant’s connection to its parent, most primarily its mother. If a child is adequately cared for and responded to, they will grow up to form healthy relationships. If a mother is too distant, unresponsive, or overly cautious, the infant is more likely to grow up to experience unhealthy relationships. Children must get adequate care and love to learn to trust others and themselves.
Attachment-Based Therapy’s goal is to help you rebuild the context of your relationships in more healthy, positive ways. Your therapist will show you openness, caring, and empathy. You can experience what a healthy relationship looks and feels like through this therapeutic relationship.
Although therapists can use it for individual or group therapy, you may benefit from Attachment-Based Therapy in a family therapy setting.
Your therapist will help you discover your particular attachment style based on your relationship with your parents and your early memories of family relationships. They also will explore your current relationship dynamics as they relate to your upbringing. With this understanding, you and your therapist can then begin to restructure your existing relationships based on a foundation of love and trust.
Therapists Who Specialize in Using Attachment-Based Therapy
Often we seek therapy when our natural tools alone can't support us anymore. Maybe life has thrown something too big at us, or we have suffered silently for too long. I work collaboratively with clients to move towards personal growth, stress reduction and improved coping techniques. Through compassion and clinical tools I partner with clients to manage life transitions and navigate development...
Life is full of joy and pain. And now may be a time in your life when pain is felt more strongly; the pain from worry, hurt, loss, failure, disconnection, or unfulfillment. We all have a deep yearning to understand ourselves and be understood, especially during those time. I would love to walk alongside you in this journey as you make sense of your pain and regain your joy. I use a variety of...
Are you tired of the same old patterns and anxiety holding you back in life? Perhaps you know what your goals are and you would like to gain some more insight and coping skills as you work towards them. You've been putting a lot of pressure on yourself and you're wanting support as you figure things out. You’re realizing it’s time to take care of you. You are motivated and ready for a change....
I enjoy being able to use my skills and training to help people who are hurting, whether they are experiencing things such as depression, anxiety, grief, or relationship issues. I aim to deeply connect with my clients and understand their feelings, as well as whatever situation they find themselves in. I accept them exactly where they are, and I work to understand where they want to go as part ...
Kathleen Bergen, M.A. is a Jungian/Depth Oriented, Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. Kathleen understands the importance of working through the source of personal suffering in one's life. This task may feel overwhelming or intimidating to many who are in emotional pain. Kathleen's role as a therapist is to walk alongside her clients as they embark on deep healing, lending a new sense of...
( English | 中文 ) I offer mental health therapy for people of all backgrounds and age 5+. As human beings, we are in a constant state of transition and emergence into new selves. Meaning, just as we defined ourselves in the past, we can also choose to redefine ourselves now and in the future. No matter how you would like to begin your story, I am here to help you piece the puzzle together and ...
Life is complex for everyone. Whether you are a toddler trying to communicate your needs or a family who is stuck in destructive interaction, wouldn't it be great if there was a manual that could give us all the answers? Life experience has taught me that having compassionate support in therapy was the key in finding my "life manual". I strive to give back what has been given to me. I am also...
I value the complexity and depth of the human existence, and I work to meet people where they are presently on their journeys. As such, I place emphasis on the therapeutic relationship as a foundational component of change and growth. My approach to therapy involves cultivating safety through honoring individual’s values and experiences. This paves the way for the promotion of resilience and...
I am a postdoctoral fellow at Upside Therapy who enjoys and has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. I value a holistic, collaborative approach that takes into consideration every aspect of the client’s life (e.g., medical history, religion/spirituality, psycho-social stressors, family dynamics). I utilize evidenced-based treatments that include parent behavioral managemen...
Are you feeling unhappy or lost and not sure what’s missing? Does it seem like you’ve tried everything but it’s still not better? And is it getting harder to ignore these feelings? I specialize in helping people work through these issues using an integrative approach tailored specifically to each person. Through individual, couple’s, or family therapy, we can work together to explore your past ...
Seeking help? Good for you.. and remember, there is nothing “wrong with you”. Like many, you have been faced with challenges that have overwhelmed your available resources. Each person has the capacity to function in a healthy way. I believe that emotional responses, especially stress, occur on a spectrum that can range from healthy to dysfunctional. My goal is to create an environment in which...
I believe healing involves knowing all aspects of oneself more deeply, and in doing so, recognizing, honoring and cultivating compassion towards both how we came to be, and who we can become. My approach is relational and collaborative. I work with clients to build a space that is safe and connected enough to engage with the challenges that foster growth. We exist in context. I am passionate ab...
Life presents us all with situations and events that have the potential to overwhelm us and knock us off balance. Sometimes we experience patterns in our lives that we struggle to alter; these echoes of the past can be used as guideposts for the direction of therapy and have their own lessons and gifts. Each person's unique history, strengths, and challenges provide clues about their path to...
There are so many reasons you may be interested in therapy. You may find yourself in a season where you want deeper connection, or just have a feeling something needs to change. You may be in a relationship that seems stuck in a distressing pattern of conflict and are looking for hope. You may notice yourself reacting, escaping, or coasting through life. You are not alone. One of the most...
Samantha is an action-oriented, experientially focused supportive psychotherapist. She has trained in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Internal Family Systems, Non-Violent Communication and incorporates various mind-body practices into her clinical work. Samantha is also a health coach and chef, and has training in Nutritional Psychiatry (how food impacts...
