305: Young Adults and Adolescents vs. Addiction: Maximizing Success by Retracing the Vine to its Roots Beyond Trauma to Attachment Capacity and Intimacy Connections

Summary 

Most people are poignantly aware of the surge in addictions, especially since the pandemic—multiple sexual addictions, addictions to drugs, alcohol, food, gambling, video gaming, and social media, and the increase in depression, anxiety, and suicide. Most attempts from psychologists, licensed mental health professionals, and interventionists come from a biomedical perspective, which almost completely focuses on “stopping the behavior.” In this workshop, the presenter will critique the biomedical approach to addiction treatment and describe a new form of therapy that focuses on the urgency of healing trauma, developing attachment capacity, and increasing intimacy connections. The presenter will also help participants design a treatment plan for clients that includes abstinence, repairing core hurts, and developing attachment capacity. This presentation drills down through the double bind of “A person needs attachment to heal trauma, but unhealed trauma is what prevents attachment” to the ultimate defeat of addiction and intimacy connections. 

Learning Objectives 

Participants will: 

1. Discuss the interdependent nature of addiction, unhealed trauma, and attachment incapacity, as well as their interdependent nature in overcoming addiction, healing trauma, and developing attachment capacity     
2. Critique the approach of focusing primarily or solely on cessation of the addictive behavior     
3. Design a treatment plan that can be used by psychologists and licensed mental health professionals that gives equal emphasis to abstinence, underlying core hurts, and the development of attachment capacity