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
As a psychotherapist, I work with clients to validate their struggles, help them understand past patterns and motivations, derive new insights, and ultimately lead to commitment-driven change. I believe all people understand their needs and wants inherently, and therapy can serve as the conduit to better understand and elicit the best approach for each individual, allowing them to advocate for ...
( English | español ) Therapy is an intimidating process. It requires you to face the struggles keeping you from reaching your full potential. Life is full of transitions. At each, we learn to adapt and adjust. However, these transitions can be difficult and can lead to debilitating symptoms like anxiety, depression, and anger, etc. Perhaps these are not happening to you, but you notice them in...
Heather O’Donnell is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania. She has over 10 years of experience working with those struggling with depression, anxiety, mood disorders, personality disorders, trauma, grief and loss, and other serious mental health conditions. Heather also has worked effectively with foster and birth parents, adoptive parents, children, and adolescents...
My practice is rooted in what I believe to be the principles of a just and compassionate world: It is warm, welcoming, affirming, and emotionally attuned. I am committed to honoring your reality while actively exploring the possibility of healing and practical change. In fulfilling this practice, I will work with you—in partnership—to develop a sense of curiosity about your thoughts and feeling...
Life is sending messages from every angle that you need to be more. The more you hear it, the more your belief that you can do better fades. Each day you wake up with dreams that life will change and yet it seems each day is served up the same as yesterday. You wonder if it will ever change. It may be your marriage, your relationship with your parents, addictions that shame you, or anxiety or...
As a marriage and family therapist, I consider people’s contexts, or systems, from a smaller scale, such as family, friends, and intimate relationships, to a larger scale (sociocultural aspects) and how these factors intersect and influence your life. Even though I am specially trained in relational work (couple and family therapy), I also see clients individually. I work with various issues,...
Trauma and stress are not distributed fairly among us, but they are a part of life we all have to learn to navigate. While I can't say treatment of trauma - or any successful therapy - is fun, easy, or quick, if you are looking at Psychology Today profiles you are likely considering getting support and making some changes. That is an excellent first step! If you are experiencing difficulties in...
It has been my passion to help people improve their health and well being for over 30 years. I started my career as a Dietitian/Nutritionist, helping people improve their health through nutrition counseling and behavior change. I soon discovered that it takes more than knowledge and good intention to change long held habits, beliefs and behaviors. Childhood trauma, poor self esteem, unhealthy...
( English | español ) From the outside, it looks like you have it all together. No one would guess you’ve learned to bury your anxiety, pain, anger, and fear. Whether it’s stress, struggles with family and relationships, or healing from your past, I am here to support you. Often, my clients have experienced childhood trauma and painful events. They’ve carried that pain alone for years. They are...
I believe that counseling should be tailored to the individual so I strive to create a unique, safe environment for every person who comes in for help. I work with my clients to help them overcome the issues that are keeping them from moving forward in their life. I have over 10 years experience with treating clients of all ages with Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, ADHD, and Panic Disord...
Life can often feel like a roller coaster. The pressure to perform in various areas of life can feel heavy and difficult. We all have personal and relational things impacting our lives no matter what stage of life we are in. I understand that it's difficult to ask for help and yet I know from personal experience the first step toward healing can be reaching out to someone who is able and willin...
Whether this is your first time considering therapy or you've had experience with it in the past, finding a therapist that feels like a good fit is paramount to making progress in therapy. Maybe you've stumbled on this page because you are struggling with depression/anxiety, are experiencing relationship conflict, or perhaps you've been recommended by someone you trust. While neither of us will...
I treat a variety of presenting difficulties including depression, anxiety, mood disorders, major life changes, relationships, loss, and everyday life stressors. I am certified in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) and specialize in working with individuals who have experienced trauma. I have experience working inpatient and outpatient with children, adolescents, and adults. Treatm...
Do you find yourself feeling anxious in relationships? Have you ever wondered why you keep repeating old behaviors? Are you battling internal voices that say you aren’t good enough? My practice focuses on adults dealing with anxiety, depression, self-esteem, childhood trauma, and relationship issues - including dating and negotiating forms of consensual non-monogamy. Together we learn about how...
I support individuals working through life transitions, relationship struggles, grief and loss, depression and anxiety, and those who are working to gain a better sense of themselves and their life purpose. If you are seeking to have a more peace in your day to day life, to better manage your emotional experience, and to relate to yourself and others with more understanding I will help you reac...
