Attachment Theory

I read about attachment theory and this immediately changed the game for me. I routinely use this to help you understand and validate your patterns in relationships. We can explore early family dynamics and learn how these have shaped your adult behaviors. I also love incorporating Schema Therapy. We are beings who thrive in healthy and safe relationships. Sometimes, our caregivers failed to meet those needs. I can help you learn skills to meet your needs as an adult.

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 like to think about attachment this way: our experience of the world is formed in childhood. If we were raised by caregivers who projected that everything is okay, that is the default way we tend to view life situations. If we were raised by caregivers who were in fear, rage, depression, then we tend to see the world as scary-unsafe-not okay. I love to work with clients to develop a secure sense of attachment, even if their beginnings were scary-unsafe-not okay.

Whether it's with a family member, friend, or intimate partner, relationships are an integral part of life. How those relationships add or extract value from our lives also depends on how we connect with others. This connection, or attachment, is developed in early infancy between a child and their caregiver and impacts our ability to both receive and give love, safety, comfort as well as impacts our thoughts, feelings, and expectations. Understanding attachment expands awareness and growth.

Through early attachments, we create a template that governs how we interact with others for the rest of our lives. This template can change, if we're lucky enough to find a loving relationship or if we work to change it in therapy. Too often, we're attracted to people who end up reinforcing old attachment wounds, which means that therapy is likely the pathway to healing for most people. I use a psychobiological approach to healing attachment woundings, to help you create a new template.

I'm trained in mentalization-based treatment (MBT), which is scientifically proven to improve the quality of attachments.

Attachment theory tells us that how we grew up, how we related to our caregivers effects us as adults. Through a process called compassionate inquiry we look at your childhood through new lenses to uncover what might be holding you back today. Some people come to therapy expecting to go to a couple of sessions until the counselor tells them what to do about their problem. I don’t do that. I do help guide you to your own answers.

My background is focused in attachment based therapy. I approach client trauma from an attachment lens and help clients work through childhood traumas, family of origin trauma and discord, and relationship dynamic concerns.

I am a big believer in attachment theory and how it plays out in our relationships, in particular, romantic relationships. Using attachment theory and emotionally focused therapy, I am able to cut to the heart of the dynamics at play and see through the white noise so that each partner feels seen and heard and not bogged down in the details that don't matter. Couples therapy isn't what it used to be. Let me show you how.

Everyone needs healthy attachment bonds. Attachment is a deep human, and even mammalian need. We literally need to be securely attached to others in order to feel safe, supported and live a fulfilling life. Our survival actually depended on it in human history. Most relationship challenges arise from the fact that people feel their safe and secure attachment to a loved one is threatened. This activates survival alarms in the brain. Healthy attachment is vital in relationships.

Attachment theory is one of the keys to understanding yourself and your patterns in relationships. Attachment work in therapy is crucial to helping you strengthen the relationship you have with yourself and with other people. Working on attachment issues can help relationships make more sense and flow with more ease. This work is a game changer when it comes to finding and maintaining healthy, satisfying, long-lasting relationships.

For those who often “lose themselves” in relationships. We discuss ways to deconstruct controlling patterns that play out in enmeshed relationships and those who find themselves people-pleasing or avoiding "healthy conflict." Goal is empowerment and freedom. Implementing psycho-education and tools for people who find themselves resentful of others due to lacking their own boundaries. Helping to create new patterns in relationships, increase self-awareness and improves thought processes and und

In addition to my degree in social work, I also have a master's in psychology, and gained expertise through this in child development and attachment. I utilize attachment theory in practice, and believe it is central to understanding of mental health for many.

How we relate to others is a key aspect of mental health. Some say that relationship health is mental health! I find it crucial to keep relationships and community in mind as we work through a client's concerns.

By committing to a deep exploration of your story, you will acquire the skills to identify and expose harmful identity messages playing on repeat in your unconscious. You will learn how to replace destructive self-beliefs with empowering truths of your strength, empowering your decision-making in peace and confidence.