FOY Wellness and Recovery is a licensed PHP and IOP program in Agoura Hills, California, accredited by The Joint Commission and certified by DHCS. Our clinical program is developed and overseen by Clinical Program Director Dr. Shannon Dobbs, a licensed clinical psychologist. Attachment-Based Therapy is a core clinical modality in our outpatient treatment program, particularly well suited to individuals whose early relational patterns continue to shape their mental health and relationships today.
What Is Attachment-Based Therapy?
Attachment-Based Therapy draws on attachment theory, originally developed by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, which holds that early relationships with caregivers shape a person’s lifelong patterns of emotional regulation, trust, and connection with others. This approach examines how a client’s attachment style, whether secure, anxious, avoidant, or disorganized, continues to influence their relationships, self-worth, and coping patterns in adulthood, including patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, and substance use.
How Attachment-Based Therapy Works
In session, the therapeutic relationship itself becomes a space to notice and gently work through attachment patterns as they arise. Clients explore early relational history and how it connects to present-day patterns in relationships, emotional regulation, and coping, building new capacity for secure, trusting connection over time.
Attachment-Based Therapy at FOY
At FOY, Attachment-Based Therapy is integrated into individual therapy sessions, particularly for clients whose presenting symptoms are closely tied to relational history, including difficulty trusting others, fear of abandonment, or patterns of relational conflict that intersect with substance use or mood symptoms.
Conditions Attachment-Based Therapy Addresses
- Anxiety and relational anxiety
- Depression connected to relational patterns
- Substance use disorders with relational triggers
- Difficulty with trust and emotional intimacy
- Codependency patterns
- Complex trauma rooted in early relationships
What to Expect
Attachment-Based work is typically integrated into individual therapy sessions with a licensed clinician, exploring relational history alongside present-day patterns. It is often combined with other modalities such as EMDR or psychodynamic therapy depending on individual clinical need.
FAQs
Is Attachment-Based Therapy only for people with childhood trauma?
No. It is relevant for anyone whose relational patterns are contributing to current symptoms, not only those with a significant trauma history.
How is this different from Family Systems Therapy?
Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on internal relational patterns formed early in life; Family Systems Therapy focuses on current dynamics within the client’s family unit. Both may be used together.
Will I need to talk about my childhood in detail?
Attachment work often involves exploring early relational history, though the pace and depth are guided by the client’s readiness and clinical judgment.
Can Attachment-Based Therapy help with substance use recovery?
Yes, when relational patterns, such as difficulty with trust or fear of abandonment, contribute to substance use, addressing these patterns is often a meaningful part of sustainable recovery.
Is this modality used in individual or group therapy?
Attachment-Based work is typically integrated into individual therapy at FOY.
How long does Attachment-Based work typically take?
Duration varies by individual clinical need and is reviewed continuously as part of your overall treatment plan.
Is Attachment-Based Therapy evidence-based?
Attachment theory has a substantial research base in developmental psychology, and attachment-informed clinical approaches are widely used and taught in clinical training programs.
Can this help with relationship problems outside of family?
Yes, attachment patterns influence romantic, friendship, and workplace relationships as well as family relationships.
Is Attachment-Based Therapy covered by insurance?
It is delivered within individual therapy sessions as part of FOY’s PHP and IOP programming, which is billed as a level of care. Contact our admissions team to understand your specific coverage.
Take the First Step
FOY Wellness and Recovery offers a free, confidential assessment. Call (805) 659-8429 or visit foywellnessandrecovery.com/contact. We are in-network with Blue Shield, Cigna, and TRICARE through TriWest, and accept most other major PPO plans, including Anthem, Aetna, Multiplan, HMC HealthWorks, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, on an out-of-network basis.