Vancouver Attachment Based Therapy

offering codepedency therapy, anxious attachment therapy and avoidant attachment therapy

surrender to the knowledge of your attachment system & allow therapy to change your relationships and life!

 
 
 

What is Attachment-Based Therapy?

Attachment theory puts a microscope on the attachments formed to our primary caregivers in early childhood and explains the ongoing implications. This theory states that everything boils down to seeking safety and security. Through exploring and identifying your attachment style, clarity on your relationship patterns and challenges around self-worth will emerge. At the end of the day, all humans are wired for connection but connection does not always feel safe.


Attachment-based therapy can be helpful for people in Vancouver experiencing:

Here’s the thing, early childhood relationships shape a person's beliefs about themselves, others, and the world. Understanding and repairing early attachment wounds can lead to deep emotional healing and nervous system restabilization.

If you want the ability to form and maintain healthy relationships, regulate your emotions, and have a positive sense of self then I encourage you to take the leap of faith. This security has always existed within you and the clinicians at gather & ground would like to guide you back to it.


Do I have an Insecure Attachment Style?

Over the years, many different attachment styles have emerged however the fundamental insecure styles to understand are avoidant attachment and anxious attachment. These styles are not black and white, yet they work on a continuum. If the characteristics of these insecure styles below feel familiar for you, then you will benefit from attachment work.

Avoidant Attachment style:

  • Highly prioritize own needs, independence, and self-reliance.

  • In conflict will experience a big urge to be alone to self-regulate. You need space to feel calm.

  • Tend to feel shutdown, tired, and disconnect during emotional conversations

  • Have a threshold to emotional intimacy & commitment, once it is hit will tend to push back to regain a sense of safety

  • Resistance to a long term commitment with the fear of feeling trapped or suffocated

  • Create emotional distance as a defense mechanism to avoid closeness or getting hurt

  • Difficulty communicating or expressing emotions

Anxious Attachment:

  • Fear of abandonment and of not being worthy in the relationship

  • Need for constant reassurance to feel emotionally safe

  • Feel unsettled without consistency in communication and affection.

  • Over analyzing, ruminating and overthinking

  • In conflict craves reconnection and resolution immediately

  • Will sacrifice own needs to make partner happy and to spend more time with them

  • Becomes an investigator- wants to know what is happening at all times to mitigate risk of losing the relationships and to be in control.

  • When threatened, high emotional reactivity and strong feelings of anxiety.

  • Difficulty setting boundaries with the fear of being too much and/or being left

  • Deep rooted feelings of not being enough


Attachment-Based Therapy is for you if you Want to Feel:

  • A balanced sense of independence and interdependence- value autonomy while also recognizing the importance of emotional connection & support.

  • A fundamental trust that others will show up to meet your need for love, support and security.

  • The ability to understand what you feel and communicate your needs without the fear of being too much.

  • High emotional resilience and greater capacity to deal with relational challenges & setbacks.

  • Ability to set and respect boundaries.

  • A secure sense of self when in relational conflict.

  • Positive self-esteem and strong self-worth


In Attachment-Based Therapy, you can Expect to:

  • gain insight and self-awareness on your relational patterns

  • build conflict resolution skills and resilience

  • learn self-compassion

  • Understand how to regain, reconnect, and develop self-worth

  • Practice trust building exercises with self and others

  • Learn actionable emotional regulation and communication tools to easily implement

  • How to ease relationship anxiety or emotional avoidance

  • Create a safe relationship environment where you feel seen, understood, and heard


Is Attachment-based Therapy Effective?

Research has shown that Attachment-based Therapy can be an effective treatment for various mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Studies have also found that this approach can improve relationships and increase overall quality of life.

At Gather & Ground, we believe in using evidence-based modalities such as Attachment-based Therapy to help you achieve your goals. Our therapists are trained in Attachment-based therapy as well as other complementary modalities which allows us to develop a personalized treatment plan that meets your unique needs.

If you're struggling with difficult emotions, relationships, or self-esteem, Attachment-based Therapy may be an effective treatment option for you. To learn more or to schedule an appointment with one of our therapists, please contact us.