How Can We Heal Attachment Trauma?

by Dr. Yakov Barton

When we experience childhood trauma, it can have a profound effect on our ability to form and maintain healthy relationships. This is because trauma can disrupt our sense of safety and lead to feelings of mistrust, isolation, and fear.

If you have experienced trauma in your family of origin, you may find it difficult to trust others or feel close to them. It's important to know there are solutions--effective treatments that can dramatically change the course of your platonic and romantic relationships. With the right support, you can heal these wounds and grow to form healthy, secure, and fulfilling relationships.

Two evidence-based treatments that can help build secure attachment are eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and internal family systems (IFS), both somatic-based trauma-informed psychotherapy modalities. These approaches focus on helping you understand, and more importantly, integrate on the level of the emotions and nervous system, how your past relational experiences are affecting your current life. They also work to build trust and safety in the psychotherapeutic relationship as a way of laying down “beta” for future emotional connection and vulnerability.

If you are struggling with attachment trauma, please reach out to explore potential psychological treatments paths that can help in meaningful and transformative ways. With the right support, you can begin to heal the past and build healthy, secure relationships in the present.

Here are four explanatory videos to better understand how EMDR and IFS work, and to consider whether they may be the right therapy modalities for you.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

"Introduction to EMDR Therapy" by the EMDR International Association

"The Secrets of EMDR Therapy and How It Can Help You" by The School of Life

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

"What is IFS Therapy? | Intro to Internal Family Systems" by Dr. Teri Olds

"Overview of the Internal Family Systems Therapy model" by Jay W. Foster