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CC08 Dialogue 01 - Key Concepts from Attachment Theory That Influence Your Work - Susan Johnson, EdD and Stan Tatkin, PsyD


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Topic Areas:
Dialogues |  Attachment |  Couples Therapy |  Differentiation |  Neurobiology
Categories:
Couples Conference 2008 |  Couples Conference |  Pioneers in Couples and Family Therapy
Faculty:
Sue Johnson, EdD |  Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT
Duration:
56:43
Format:
Audio Only
Original Program Date:
Apr 25, 2008
License:
Never Expires.



Description

Description:

Educational Objectives:

  1. To become aware of the key concepts of Attachment Theory.

*Sessions may be edited for content and to preserve confidentiality*

Outline:

Integrating Attachment, Differentiation, and Neuroscience in Couples Therapy

  • The conference theme focuses on blending attachment, differentiation, and neuroscience in couples therapy.

  • The goal is to provide therapists with practical, integrative strategies drawn from multiple theoretical models.

Sue Johnson’s Journey into Attachment Theory

  • Sue Johnson shares how a pivotal moment during a conference led to a deep realization about attachment’s central role in couples therapy.

  • Describes how Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) brought surprising and consistent results by emphasizing bonding over transactions.

  • Reframes attachment as an emotional bond rather than a deal.

Stan Tatkin’s Developmental and Neurobiological Approach

  • Stan Tatkin explains his background in developmental psychology, infant brain development, and work with personality disorders.

  • Compares mother-infant attachment dynamics to adult romantic relationships.

  • Emphasizes mindfulness, self-regulation, and the importance of early neurological development in shaping relationship behavior.

Mindfulness and Reflective Function in Couples Therapy

  • Mindfulness supports mentalization and builds empathy between partners.

  • Reflective function is tied to the orbital frontal cortex and helps people recognize their own and their partner’s internal states.

  • Therapists must regulate themselves first to avoid countertransference and model calm engagement.

Attachment Theory in Practice (Sue Johnson)

  • Emotion is central in couples therapy and must be processed, not bypassed.

  • EFCT focuses on organizing distress through attachment needs and patterns.

  • Describes softening sequences where partners move from reactivity to bonding and repair.

Attachment-Based Emotional Processing

  • Couples often present distress that stems from unmet attachment needs and longings.

  • Therapy helps partners understand, express, and respond to those needs clearly and vulnerably.

  • Attachment-based work normalizes distress and supports mutual affect regulation.

Tatkin on Attachment Interviews and Interpretation

  • Attachment interviews serve as interventions to help therapists and partners understand attachment styles.

  • Highlights the neglect profile often seen in avoidant partners.

  • Emphasizes the need for coherence in the therapist's interpretation of attachment dynamics.

The Role of Emotion in Attachment

  • Emotions are not just expressions but signals of attachment-related needs.

  • Helping partners share those signals accurately builds deeper connection.

  • Emotional attunement and regulation become central tasks in therapy.

Therapist Coherence and Belief System

  • The therapist’s clarity about the value of attachment and relationship repair influences outcomes.

  • Therapists guide partners through misunderstandings by holding a coherent attachment model.

  • Helps couples realign around shared emotional meaning and purpose.

Addressing Affairs in the Attachment Framework

  • Affairs are framed as reactions to unmet needs in the primary attachment relationship.

  • Rather than moralizing, therapists explore the emotional context behind the betrayal.

  • Focuses on helping partners understand the injury and rebuild safety and connection.

Credits



Faculty

Sue Johnson, EdD's Profile

Sue Johnson, EdD Related Seminars and Products


Dr. Sue Johnson is an author, clinical psychologist, researcher, professor, popular presenter and speaker and a leading innovator in the field of couple therapy and adult attachment. Sue is the primary developer of Emotionally Focused Couples and Family Therapy (EFT), which has demonstrated its effectiveness in over 30 years of peer-reviewed clinical research.

Sue Johnson is founding Director of the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy and Distinguished Research Professor at Alliant University in San Diego, California, as well as Professor Emeritus, Clinical Psychology, at the University of Ottawa, Canada.


Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT's Profile

Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT Related Seminars and Products


Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT, is a clinician, researcher, teacher, and developer of A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT®). He has a clinical practice in Calabasas, CA, where he has specialized for the last 15 years in working with couples and individuals who wish to be in relationships. He and his wife, Tracey Boldemann-Tatkin, developed the PACT Institute for the purpose of training other psychotherapists to use this method in their clinical practice.


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