Attachment
Counseling Services
Attachment is related to an individual's ability to connect with and function in relationship with others. Healthy attachment is formed through consistent, predictable, and reciprocal interactions between infants and their primary caregivers. Early attachment experiences set the stage for an individual’s ability to form and function in all future relationships, define the way people view themselves, others, and the world around them, and also lay the groundwork for emotional regulation. If infants and children have strained attachment in their early relationships it can result in a variety of behavioral concerns that may be misdiagnosed or leave a caregiver feeling confused about how to parent and best meet the needs of the child. In addition, situational issues of attachment may arise when the family goes through phases of transition and, perhaps, maladjustment. Situations in which attachment based interventions may be beneficial include:
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Significant trauma and/or neglect in early childhood
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Inconsistent engagement by primary caregiver (due to medical conditions, challenging life circumstances, and/or perinatal mental health needs)
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Variety of caregivers with no primary attachment figure
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Involvement with foster care or kinship care
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Adoption
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Periods of adjustment in which caregiver's relationship with the child changes (i.e. birth of a new child, divorce/separation, primary caretaker returning to work, moving away from family)
Our therapists are influenced by the work and models developed by Dr. Daniel Hughes, Dr. Bruce Perry, and Dr. Karyn Purvis as it relates to attachment and helping children to form healthy attachment with primary caregivers. We use a variety of modalities to assist in increasing attachment, but primarily pull from elements of Theraplay, an attachment-based play therapy that works on strengthening attachment related neural pathways in the brain.
If you would like more information about how we can assist you or your family, reach out to schedule your free 15 minute phone consultation today.