attachment theory

Attachment Theory explains how early bonds with caregivers shape emotional development and close relationships across the lifespan. In therapy, attachment refers to the patterns of connection that support or hinder secure attachment, trust, and regulation.

Originating with John Bowlby and expanded by Mary Ainsworth, the model describes common styles: secure, anxious (ambivalent), avoidant, and disorganized. These patterns arise from repeated caregiving experiences and form "internal working models" of self and others.

In clinical work, an attachment-informed approach examines relational templates, body-based safety cues, and trauma-related adaptations like hypervigilance or emotional numbing. The aim is to cultivate more flexible, secure relating and steadier emotional balance.