Attachment

Attachment issues, or attachment disorders, are broad terms used to describe issues resulting from a failure to form normal attachments to primary caregivers in early childhood. Most children with attachment disorders have had severe problems or difficulties in their early relationships (they may have been neglected or physically or emotionally abused). One specific attachment disorder is Reactive attachment disorder (RAD), a condition typically found in children who have received grossly negligent care and do not form a healthy emotional attachment with their primary caregivers (usually their mothers) before age 5. A mental health professional who specializes in attachment issues can be a great help to both the child and the caregiver affected. Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s experts today!

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Meet the specialists

 

I have specialty training in how trauma suffered during childhood impacts ongoing attachment styles.

— Chelsea Williams, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate in Bellingham, WA

I have worked with clients who experienced attachment issues from childhood that have now impacted their adult relationships. This includes intimate relationships. Understanding your attachment style can allow you to make changes that will improve your relationships with others.

— Troy Hylan, Counselor in Shreveport, LA
 

Our family of origin sets us up for our "modes" of attachment where current relationships can still trigger our past feelings of abandonment, rejection, invalidation, etc. along with their correlating sensations in the body. This all makes for a difficult time navigating current relationships, even if they are healthy. I enjoy showing clients where attachment styles may affect them currently in relationship and how we can heal past wounds creating a sense of wholeness they've never had before.

— Kelley Collins, Licensed Professional Counselor in ,

First and foremost placing emphasis on clients identifying and formulating their own understanding of how they have "attached" to the world around them informs my ongoing studies but was the foundation of my education and interest in the world of psychology.

— April Watson, Psychotherapist
 

Our early experiences with primary caregivers can set the stage for how one approaches relationships throughout life. I work with clients to establish a trusting client-counselor relationship that can be used as a blueprint for strengthening other relationships and can serve as a foundation for vibrant mental health.

— Kristi Cash White, Licensed Professional Counselor in Portland, OR

I work with individuals in therapy to identify the problematic thoughts, behaviors, and patterns that stem from our oldest and deepest attachment wounds. I help my individual clients develop self-compassion, self-acceptance, and self-worth by deconstructing and rebuilding their sense of self. I specialize in trauma informed approaches to working with anxiety and depression in the LGBTQ+ community and have extensive experience working with the effects of religious trauma and discrimination.

— Antoinette Mastronardi, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in San Diego, CA
 

This theory focuses on exploring our early childhood attachment style, which has been created throughout our childhood with our caregivers. This attachment style lays a foundation for how we see the world and develop trust and is carried out into our future relationships with partners and close friends. I support clients by guiding them through a better understanding of their attachment style, as well as supporting clients to work through their past to a healthier attachment with others.

— Lisa Stoll, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Reno, NV

Our attachment anxieties are often triggered in the context of our close romantic relationships and friendships. This can show up as reactivity, overwhelming fears about the relationship, or a habit of shutting down or pulling away. I help my clients to notice their behavioral patterns and overcome unhelpful habits that can create obstacles to connection.

— Kayla Freeman, Social Worker in Austin, TX
 

I work with mentalizatiion-based treatments and the Brown?Elliot Three Pillars model of attachment disorder repair.

— Scott Hoye, Psychologist in Chicago, IL

Our early experiences with attachment and bonding shape the way we relate to others throughout our lives. If you're struggling with attachment issues, such as fear of abandonment, difficulty trusting others, or feeling disconnected from yourself or others, my approach could be well suited to working on these issues. I offer therapy that focuses on understanding and healing attachment wounds, which is correlated with healthier, more fulfilling relationships.

— Julia Markovitz, Marriage & Family Therapist in Philadelphia, PA
 

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.

— Elizabeth Bryant, Licensed Professional Counselor in Atlanta, GA

I have specialty training in how trauma suffered during childhood impacts ongoing attachment styles. This is my primary area of expertise.

— Chelsea Williams, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate in Bellingham, WA
 

Attachment wounds are at the core of many of our struggles, and this lens comes into all the work I do. I also have specific training in modalities such as EFT, and Attachment Focused EMDR.

— Emily Ingraham, Clinical Social Worker in Centennial, CO

There are times we find ourselves in relationships where we have difficulty communicating our intentions clearly, or we find that we can't establish a safe, emotional connection with our partner or partners. Looking at integral stories from experiences in one's family of origin, as well as getting a sense of ways that people adapt to meet their own needs in a relationship, as well as their partner's or partners' needs can help with establishing ways of connecting that feel more authentic.

— Kendra Smith, Associate Professional Counselor in Portland, OR
 

Lastly, while training in Somatic Experiencing®, I was introduced to the work of Dr. Diane Poole Heller.I have completed Modules I – IV of Dr. Heller’s Dynamic Attachment Re-patterning experience (DARe). DARe is an approach that focuses on helping individuals create more meaning, connection, and emotional intimacy in their relationships by processing early attachment wounds and identifying individual attachment styles.

— Victoria Muñoz, Counselor in Phoenix, AZ

There is a theory that all psychologic issues stem from attachment wounds and that everyone one has attachment wounds. Now, I'm not sure if that is really true, but we at least all have a first heartbreak. I have helped with deep attachment issues such as, Reactive Attachment Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, and chronic codependence. Your attachment wounds may not be that severe, but they are may still be negatively affecting your relationships in ways you don't realize.

— Leif Moa-Anderson, Mental Health Counselor in Portland, OR
 

Attachment styles impact our relationship with ourselves, others, and the world. Supporting awareness and integration, knowing ourselves can support us being able to choose how we want to connect in a way that honors our identities and creates safety.

— Trysta Wedding, Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate in Englewood, CO