Tuesday, November 12, 2024

12- 3 PM Via Zoom

Presented by Edwin Renaud, LCSW, Ph.D.

Attachment theory can inform clinical work with people suffering from traumatic stress, especially for those whose trauma is rooted in the actions of other people. Attachment dynamics play an important role in social perception and the capacity to manage intense emotions. This in turn impacts one’s ability to cope with acute and chronic stress. This presentation will review the basic concepts of attachment theory, it’s two most common classification schemes; and leading contemporary ideas on how attachment contributes to our capacities to interpret the social environment and regulate feelings. We will discuss how traumatic stress can disrupt normative attachment dynamics and present in the context of mood, anxiety, and personality disturbance. Finally, we will discuss ways to engage and sustain a treatment alliance with traumatized clients using approaches derived from attachment theory.