Attachment-informed therapy for adults: Towards a unifying perspective on practice

Katherine Berry*, Adam Danquah

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Purpose We aimed to provide an integrated overview of the key goals and strategies of an attachment-informed psychotherapy by summarizing the literature describing the clinical implications of attachment theory for psychological therapy for adults. Method We carried out a narrative thematic review of 58 texts from a diverse range of therapeutic schools, until we agreed that we had reached a saturation of themes. Results We identified six key themes: Changing internal working models; the therapeutic relationship and creating a secure base; formulating and processing relationship experiences; countertransference; separation, termination and boundary issues; and working with different attachment styles or patterns. We discuss empirical evidence in relation to each theme and highlight areas for research. Conclusions Attachment theory provides a useful framework to inform psychological therapy with adults, but there is a pressing need for further research to empirically demonstrate the 'added value' of an attachment perspective.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)15-32
    Number of pages18
    JournalPsychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice
    Volume89
    Issue number1
    Early online date14 Jul 2015
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2016

    Keywords

    • attachment
    • clinical practice
    • psychotherapy
    • secure base
    • therapeutic relationship

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