401: The Brain and Attachment Styles: A Toolkit for Clinicians

Summary 

Attachment dynamics explain much of what happens within relationships and the suffering that prompts clients to seek services. John Bowlby (1969) described the attachment system as active “from the cradle to the grave.” The attachment system has a neurobiological basis. Understanding attachment and the neural networks employed during activation of the attachment system can enhance the efficacy of attachment-based interventions for a psychologist or licensed mental health professional for guiding clients in redeeming attachment and enhancing relationship security. The toolkit includes interventions such as a 10-second transformation technique, “The Mr. Rogers Effect,” “intercessory touch,” and more. Clinical vignettes will illustrate the use of these techniques in counseling. 

Learning Objectives 

Participants will: 

1. Identify behavioral and neural manifestations of the activation of the attachment system  
2. Differentiate the neural networks associated with activation of the attachment system and guide intervention strategies  
3. Develop a toolkit of interventions to guide clients to redeem attachment and move toward relational security