Attachment Trauma (Part 3/3)

Part 1 and 2 of this Attachment Trauma Series focused on the origins of early attachment wounding and the impact it has on adult relationships. This final part of the series will focus on some steps you can take to begin addressing your attachment wounds.

Starting steps to Heal Attachment Trauma

1. Acknowledge the Attachment Trauma

It's essential to acknowledge the attachment wounding you've experienced to begin the healing process. This may require you to reflect on your early environmental conditions, your core childhood emotional needs, and identify the wounding.

2. Understand How Your Trauma Affects You

Early attachment trauma can profoundly impact an individual's life, including your personality, relationships, and emotional regulation. This may require exploring the root causes of your trauma and how it has affected your sense of self and relationships.

3. Learn Healthy Communication and Coping Techniques

When healthy attachment is not created by caregivers, a child can develop negative coping mechanisms such as avoidance or extreme clinginess when their emotional needs are not met. These unhelpful coping mechanisms can carry into adulthood. It is important to recognise these coping styles and start to learn healthy communication skills and adaptive coping techniques to navigate life's challenges and build strong relationships. 

4. Set Boundaries and Manage Negative Emotions

Setting boundaries and managing negative emotions are two critical skills to help heal attachment trauma. Boundaries help you to manage negative emotions by establishing limits and communicating needs. It is a way to respond to situations in healthier ways.

5. Practice Patience

Remember, healing from attachment trauma is not a quick fix. It takes time, patience, and a willingness to face our past and emotions head-on.

6. Seek Trauma-Focused Therapy

If you're struggling with attachment trauma, therapy can be a space to help you understand its impact on your life. Working with a trauma-informed mental health clinician can help you build a secure attachment with yourself and transform the relationships in your life.

7. Explore Different Therapy Options

Different types of therapy are available to treat attachment trauma, such as Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Schema Therapy (ST), and Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS). Each therapy has a unique approach to help individuals process and heal from attachment trauma. It's essential to explore therapy options and find one that resonates with your specific needs.

The Importance of Therapy in Healing Attachment Trauma

Attachment trauma can be a challenging issue to overcome, but therapy can be an effective way to address and heal it. By working with a therapist, individuals can learn new ways to relate and establish healthier patterns of behavior, leading to a more fulfilling life. If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, consider seeking support from a therapist who specialises in attachment trauma.

Through therapy and intentional self-reflection, individuals can learn to identify and work through their attachment wounds, allowing them to form healthier and more fulfilling relationships in adulthood.

Final Word

Healing from attachment trauma requires a willingness to confront past experiences and the emotions that come with them. Therapy can help individuals identify patterns in their behavior and relationships that may be rooted in attachment trauma. By exploring these patterns, individuals can learn to recognize and challenge negative core-beliefs and behaviors, and develop healthier coping mechanisms. Self-reflection is also an important tool in healing from attachment trauma, as it allows individuals to gain insight into their own emotions and behaviors. With patience, determination, and a commitment to personal growth, it is possible to overcome attachment trauma and build strong, fulfilling relationships based on trust and mutual respect.

At Life Growth Psychology, our trained clinical psychologists are experienced in helping you with understanding your attachment wounding. Book an appointment with us and start your healing journey today.