Elise Holland Therapy and Coaching

A WORD ON ATTACHMENT.

You might be thinking, “I haven’t experienced trauma but I do experience a lot of these symptoms. Can these techniques help me?” Yes, and here’s why; Attachment disturbances can cause the same symptoms as trauma symptoms.

Attachment refers to the degree to which an infant’s brain and their primary attachment figure’s brain are attuned during moments of connection. It is the fundamental building block of feeling secure in relationship to others, and leads to a child’s core beliefs about the world. When attachment is compromised, an alarm reaction is activated, altering the wiring of the brain, central nervous system and stress hormone levels. This can also lead to anxiety, depression and self-regulation challenges.

Most people have no memories as a baby or a toddler, so it is possible that you have experienced attachment disturbances and not know it. EMDR, IFS and mindfulness can help heal these somatic, pre-verbal memories.