of Attachment Styles
course led by
As infants, we are wholly dependent on a parent or primary caregiver to survive. Instinctive behaviors—or attachment behaviors—crying for example, help us communicate what we need.
As children grow, explore and learn to relate to others, a secure base of attachment is important for safety, stress, regulation, adaptability and resilience. But what happens when a parent or caregiver is mis-attuned with what a child needs…even unconsciously?
When we don’t get the security we need, we quickly learn to adapt in order to survive. In attachment theory, these adaptations are called insecure attachment styles, or the different ways we interact and behave in relationships.
It’s important to remember that insecure attachment isn’t inherently bad. An adaptation is simply the tool your brain and body utilize as a response to less-than-ideal conditions.
Even though you may not be conscious of how these responses first developed, these adaptations often continue to serve as a working model for our adult relationships. In other words, how our needs are met, or not met, can shape how we interact with others as adults.
When we seek intimacy or connection as adults, we seek a return to secure attachment. The paradox is that we often find ourselves drawn to a partner or significant other who reinforces or recreates the emotional climate of our childhood.
Does it seem that secure attachment is easier for some people than others? What happens when we’re wired to connect, but our attachment style won’t let us?
Our attachment style is often a ‘go to,’ or blueprint, for how we communicate in an adult relationship. Yet, so much of attachment is unconscious…it can even feel like a mystery…where does it come from, how did it happen, why do I react the way I do? Why did I say what I did when I didn’t mean it?
Considering its complexity and implications, it’s surprising that the subject of attachment is often under-represented in graduate and professional training.
Too often, attachment only comes to the forefront after unhealthy behavior patterns have significantly affected our health and well-being, or caused irreparable harm to someone we love.
The bottom line is, we all deserve secure attachment. It’s truly possible to heal from early childhood emotional wounds, so that we create deep and lasting intimate relationship patterns.
By understanding attachment history and the patterns of how we think, feel and act in our relationships, we give ourselves the gift of inner security.
Imagine a client sitting across from you in your office, talking about the recent breakup of yet another relationship. They’re emotional. You hear it in their voice.
They clearly crave the connection and intimacy of a close relationship, yet they’re afraid to trust themselves and others…including you.
What your clients can’t understand is, why does this happen over and over?
Why are they caught up in the same patterns and behaviors, no matter what partner—or relationship—they are in?
As their therapist, you can see what’s going on. But seeing it isn’t enough. Do you know why your clients react the way they do?
Could some corrective exercises or interventions be more effective than others? And how does your own communication style promote or interfere with helping others heal?
You know that there must be a better way to help people—to keep them feeling safe and honors the way they need to be heard.
Research suggests that as much as 90% of conflict and issues that arise in adult relationships can be traced back to early attachment experiences.
Not only does attachment theory give us a framework to understand how the past has shaped our present relationships, it gives us an approach to use to be able to do something about it.
All of us are capable of repairing broken connections. But our clients can’t do it alone, because, as humans, we’re not wired to heal in isolation.
The good news is that Diane’s powerful, proven and pragmatic Dynamic Attachment Re-patterning experience (DARe) gives you the concrete tools to help your clients change deep-rooted patterns and bring couples into a healthy, secure way of relating to each other.
When you understand the fundamental differences between secure and insecure attachment styles, it’s much easier to address old emotional wounds—so you can help yourself or clients break out of unhealthy patterns once and for all—freeing them to experience the joy, intimacy and connection they need and deserve.
Each week, you get 24/7/365 access to the teaching videos. For the first four weeks, we focus on the four attachment styles. In the fifth week, we turn our attention to special issues related to working with Grief and Loss. We close the program by integrating theoretical insights into practical exercises and interventions you can use immediately in your practice.
Each week, you and your colleagues join Dr. Diane Poole Heller for a 60-minute live call to review the week’s teachings. At the end of the calls, there’s always time for your questions and answers.
Can’t attend live? All calls are recorded and posted to the private member area within 48 hours.
All training videos are accompanied by transcripts, because we know some people prefer not only to watch material, but also to have the written copy on hand.
Download the transcripts and use them for reference and note-taking.
You’ll join a warm, friendly and encouraging online community where we support each other as we learn.
It’s also a great place to discuss difficult cases, ask questions and share valuable resources and articles.
Attachment to a primary caregiver is the foundation of all future relationships. When there is secure attachment, you learn how to trust others, ask for what you need and respond emotionally.
In this module, we explore how early life experiences—trauma, brain, social and emotional development—set the blueprint for our lifelong attachment patterns and beliefs.
We’ll explore concrete strategies to strengthen our capacity for secure attachment and begin healing relational wounds.
People with avoidant attachment struggle to connect in relationships because they were consistently ignored, rejected or punished for attachment-seeking behavior in their earliest interactions with their primary caregivers.
In this module, we explore avoidant attachment patterns in depth—from how the adaptation first develops, to relationship behaviors, and which corrective exercises and experiences encourage a return to secure attachment..
Ambivalent attachment adaptation develops in early childhood environments where caregivers respond inconsistently to attachment-seeking behavior, creating a lifelong sense of doubt, insecurity and longing for connection.
In this module, we explore ambivalent attachment patterns—paying special attention to mindfulness, self-orientation and embodiment exercises that teach the ambivalent to connect with others and still maintain a sense of self.
Disorganized attachment adaptation develops in early childhood environments when primary caregivers engage in scary, threatening or abusive behaviors. Children cannot reconcile their simultaneous drive to attach to and flee from their caregivers, becoming incredibly dysregulated.
In this module, we explore disorganized attachment patterns—paying special attention to the “immobility response” that tends to re-emerge when the attachment system gets re-activated in adult relationships.
Given the ongoing challenges of our current pandemic, many of us are working through (or helping clients with) the difficult journey of grief and loss.
In times of trauma or loss—especially when we’re faced with isolation—we recognize that the attachment system becomes fully activated, which means whatever attachment style we have, becomes our “go-to” to help us cope with adversity.
In this module, we explore loss from an attachment perspective, so we can better help people move beyond their grief and renew healing through more healthy, secure attachments.
Once you have all the fundamental knowledge, you’re ready to incorporate new skills, techniques and interventions to help yourself or your clients build healthier relationships.
At the start of the program, you’ll have the chance to submit actual client scenarios for this live, 90-minute discussion—where Dr. Heller will demonstrate specific, attachment-based clinical interventions in real time.
In this recorded audio training session, Dr. David Wallin and Dr. Diane Poole Heller explore clinical applications of attachment theory—including how a therapist’s own attachment style can work for or against them in the clinical relationship.
We cover:
In this recorded video training session, Dr. Robert Scaer and Dr. Diane Poole Heller discuss the importance of somatic strategies in healing trauma, and why it’s so important to do our own attachment work as therapists so we help clients heal.
We cover:
Because people who have the disorganized attachment adaptation often exhibit inconsistent behaviors or have a hard time trusting others, navigating the complexities of this attachment style can be particularly challenging for therapists.
In this two-part video interview, Dr. Stan Tatkin and Dr. Diane Poole Heller explore the intricacies of the disorganized attachment style—including various approaches and strategies that promote better healing outcomes.
We cover:
New Price!
Was $997
$797
PAYMENTS OF
$169EACH
Try the Attachment & Trauma Mastery Program: Fundamentals of Attachment Styles course, 100% risk-free.
If for any reason, you don’t feel it meets your needs, please contact our friendly Support Team within 14 days of purchase — and we’ll happily issue you a refund.
This program is designed to teach the fundamentals of attachment theory—in such a way that you move beyond theoretical concepts and receive real-time, hands-on training from one of the foremost experts in healing attachment and trauma.
Don’t miss your chance to learn directly from Dr. Diane Poole Heller in this foundational course that’s only offered once a year!
As part of a joint sponsorship with Commonwealth Educational Seminars (CES), you can obtain 20 CE credit hours for this program, for an additional fee of $69.
Course Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Target Audience: Licensed mental health professionals
Continuing Education Credit is pending through Commonwealth Educational Seminars for the following professions:
A Certificate of Completion is available to all participants at the end of the course at no additional charge.
It is the participant’s responsibility to check with their individual state boards to verify CE requirements for their state. For detailed information regarding CEs, please visit: https://dianepooleheller.com/ce/information
For further information, please contact Commonwealth Educational Seminars, 1-800-376-3345, or [email protected].
You do not. While this program is designed primarily to provide both novice and experienced practitioners with skills, strategies and corrective exercises that can be applied in a clinical setting, we’ve found that anyone who would like to better understand attachment theory and the origins of attachment styles can benefit from this course.
In this program, you’ll get powerful insights and skills that can be used to improve communication, deepen intimacy and heal early attachment wounds for any relationship.
Of course! All of our training programs and courses include lifetime access to ALL training materials, including video and audio recordings, transcripts, worksheets, exercises, demos and bonuses too.
The only thing you cannot download, are client demos—because we need to honor and respect client confidentiality.
DARe stands for Dynamic Attachment Re-patterning experience, a set of groundbreaking somatic adult attachment workshop for therapists and other mental health practitioners who want to learn essential skills to help their clients develop stronger and more secure attachment.
The DARe Certificate Program requires you to complete:
In order to complete the program and receive a certificate, you must also complete a review with Dr. Heller or approved DARe provider—to demonstrate a high level of understanding of the DARe attachment work and somatic methods and skills, as well as the ability to integrate exercises and interventions into your practice.
If you wish to learn more about the DARe Certificate Program, please visit our website at www.dianepooleheller.com.
Yes. Fundamentals of Attachment Styles is an online, self-paced course within the Attachment & Trauma Mastery Program, which includes additional bonus resource material and weekly live calls with Dr. Heller. It is the equivalent of DARe1 (our intensive 3-day training) and also satisfies the prerequisite for any other DARe training.
DARe is our signature certificate program, which consists of four, progressive workshop modules: DARe 1, DARe 2, DARe 3, and DARe 4. DARe 1 is the foundational course on Secure and Insecure Attachment Adaptations and Patterning.
Yes, we’ve structured this program in such a way so that we don’t just tell you about theoretical concepts—we show you how to apply them.
You’ll be able to watch actual client demo videos and participate in LIVE Q&A sessions, where Dr. Heller answers your specific questions, reviews case consults and gives you practical tips and techniques you can use integrate into your every day practice immediately.
The time most people spend varies because of individual learning styles and preferences. Most of our students tell us they spend an average of 2-3 hours per module/week, including the LIVE Q&A sessions.
This course is structured so that everyone can move at their own pace—at the very least, we encourage you to join us for the interactive sessions, case consults and demos, so you get a chance to ask questions from Dr. Heller live.
We would love to have you join each session live, but if you are unable to do so, all our sessions and training calls (including the Q&A) are recorded, so you can still receive all the information and coaching you need.
Additionally, the program module materials are yours to download and keep in your professional reference library. The only thing you cannot download, are client demos—because we need to honor and respect client confidentiality.
Learn the basics of attachment system dynamics, so you get to the root of unresolved trauma to help yourself or your clients address negative patterns that undermine connection and intimacy in adult relationships.
Was $997
New Price!
Was $997
$797
PAYMENTS OF
$169EACH
Try the Attachment & Trauma Mastery Program: Fundamentals of Attachment Styles course, 100% risk-free.
If for any reason, you don’t feel it meets your needs, please contact our friendly Support Team within 14 days of purchase — and we’ll happily issue you a refund.