Live webinar

September 18 and 19, 2025 | 9 a.m. to noon EST - 2 half day workshop

Integrate attachment-informed strategies to enhance therapeutic outcomes for clients with eating disorders.

Understanding the relationship between eating disorders and attachment theory is crucial for effective treatment. Research demonstrates a correlation between eating disorders and insecure attachment styles. This comprehensive training delves into the intersection of these two areas, offering clinicians a deep understanding of how attachment patterns influence disordered eating behaviors. The facilitator will use interactive discussions and case studies to enhance understanding and application of the key concepts.

“Explore how attachment categories shape the development and treatment of eating disorders. Understand attachment roots and their connection to eating disorders and why creating secure attachment is essential for recovery. Learn how to create secure attachment that supports lasting recovery and gain practical tools to integrate into your therapeutic work.” – Devra Igra, MSW, RSW.

Learning objectives:

• Develop a thorough knowledge of attachment theory and styles

• Gain insights into eating disorders

• Learn attachment-focused therapy tools for treating eating disorders

• Explore the impact of trauma on attachment and eating disorders

Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of how attachment styles influence eating disorders. Enabling them to identify and assess various attachment patterns in clients. They will acquire practical tools to implement attachment-informed therapeutic interventions, fostering emotional regulation and healthier interpersonal relationships. This approach empowers professionals to develop personalized treatment plans that address both the psychological and relational aspects of eating disorders, leading to more effective and compassionate care.

Don’t miss out on this professional development opportunity. Register now to enhance your clinical expertise in treating eating disorders through the lens of attachment theory, and gain actionable strategies to provide compassionate, effective care.

https://sickkidscmh.ca/course/exploring-the-connection-between-eating-disorders-and-attachment-3/

I will post the link to register as soon as I can.

Workshop Description​

Relationships with caregivers in the early years have a profound influence on an adult’s self-perceptions, perception of others and his/her capacity for healthy intimate relationships. Adults with secure attachments and healthy adult relationships usually had early experiences of consistent nurturing and care from parents or caregivers.  Adults with insecure attachments and unhealthy relationships, on the other hand, usually had early experiences of inconsistent nurturing, rejection or even severe neglect and abuse. There is good evidence, however, that adults with insecure attachments can redevelop their capacity for secure attachments.  They can develop such security by understanding the adult attachment style they developed from their early childhood experiences, recognizing how their attachment style impacts their sense of self and the unhealthy patterns in their present relationships, mourning the losses and longings from these early child/parent relationships, developing a non-judgmental stance in exploring their patterns, and risking change. 

This workshop will present methods of assessing for adult attachment and a model of therapy for helping clients to develop secure attachment. The therapeutic interventions will assist clients to recognize their unconscious models of relationships, develop greater security through the therapeutic relationship, and risk new and healthy interactive patterns in present relationships.  Attendees will also develop awareness of their own attachment style and its importance in their therapeutic work with clients. 

Topics Covered:

• Understanding adult attachment and attachment categories

• Challenges for the helper associated with each attachment category and how to work through these challenges effectively
  

• Assessing adult attachment using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) and Behavioural Determinants
  

• Using the AAI as a clinical tool
  

• The neurobiology of adult attachment
  

• Understanding mental health disorders from an attachment perspective
  

• Goals and stages of attachment focused counselling
  

• Treatment interventions for each of the adult attachment categories
  

• The reparative process of the therapeutic relationship

Live webinar

October 6 and 7, 2025 | 9 a.m. to noon EST - 2 half day workshop

Deepen your practice with adult attachment therapy to foster secure, lasting change.

The theory of attachment clearly describes attachment as a lifelong phenomenon. For adults, early attachment experiences continue to impact adult relationships and self-perception. However, most therapy for adults doesn’t incorporate an understanding of attachment and therapeutic interventions based on attachment principles. This training introduces the foundations of adult attachment therapy, helping clinicians integrate attachment theory into their work with adult clients.

Learn the categories of adult attachment and help your clients move from insecurity to secure attachment. This training will present a model of therapy that will shift your theoretical framework to attachment-focused therapy. This model will help you assess adult attachment categories, recognize the impact of early childhood attachment experiences on the personality development of your clients, guide your clients through the process of understanding their adult attachment, mourn their losses and longings, and risk change to develop secure/autonomous adult attachments.

As a therapist, you will develop awareness of your own attachment style and its importance in the reparative process of therapy. Integrating adult attachment therapy into your practice can deepen therapeutic relationships and support meaningful, lasting change for clients.

“Deepen your therapeutic impact by integrating adult attachment principles into your practice. Learn practical, evidence-based strategies and how an adult attachment lens can transform therapy. Create secure attachment in your clients by building stronger therapeutic alliances and developing understanding and awareness in your clients to create lasting change.” – Devra Igra, MSW, RSW.

Learning objectives:

• Recognize adult attachment categories.

• Assess adult attachment using patterns of behaviour and a modified form of the adult attachment interview.

• Use attachment as a paradigm for understanding mental health diagnoses.

• Recognize the adult brain and attachment.

• Use the model of attachment-focused therapy for adults.

• Make attachment the paradigm for therapeutic change.

Register now to strengthen your clinical practice with the tools and insight to effectively integrate adult attachment therapy—supporting clients in developing secure, lasting change.

https://sickkidscmh.ca/course/integrating-an-adult-attachment-approach-to-psychotherapy/