Norton Mental Health Media

“A profound synthesis of attachment theory, brain

science, and clinical practice.”

— Stephen W. Porges, PhD, creator of Polyvagal Theory

Two clinical grids that help you read a client’s attachment pattern as it surfaces in the room and tailor your intervention in the moment.

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Clients with relational trauma come to therapy trapped in a painful paradox: avoiding connection because it was once unsafe, and now needing it to heal their deepest and most frightening wounds.

These clients need clinicians who can understand their attachment pattern and help them process the emotional and relational experiences that their defense mechanisms have blocked.

This free resource prepares you for that work, with tools you can use right away.

In this skill guide, you’ll learn how to:

Identify core elements of the four patterns of attachment (secure, avoidant, ambivalent/resistant, and disorganized), even in clients who don’t initially present with attachment wounds
Understand the potential for resilience inherent in each attachment pattern and take a healing-oriented approach
Recognize attachment defense mechanisms in session, using two easy-to-reference grids, developed from years of clinical experience and observations
Adapt your interventions when they conflict with your client’s defense mechanisms, with guidance applicable to any modality, including IFS, DBT, SE, EMDR, and more

No matter the approach or presenting issue, understanding your client’s attachment pattern is crucial for getting to the heart of their challenges and selecting the interventions that will support lasting healing.

Get this free resource today for tools you’ll use immediately and come back to again and again.

“A beautifully crafted guide . . . gives therapists a map to guide the process of accompanying clients on that transformational journey.” — Deb Dana, LCSW, author of The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy

“Therapists of every stripe will benefit from AEDP’s emphasis on therapists’ presence and understanding of client attachment styles.” — Richard C. Schwartz, PhD, founder of Internal Family Systems

“A great combination of scientific depth, clinical tools, and warmhearted support. . . . Highly recommended.”

—Rick Hanson, PhD, author of Buddha’s Brain and Resilient

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Karen Pando-Mars, MFT, is senior faculty at the AEDP Institute. She developed the attachment grids featured in this chapter and first introduced them in her 2016 paper, “Tailoring AEDP Interventions to Attachment Style.”

Diana Fosha, PhD, is the developer of AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy) and founder and director of the AEDP Institute.