ABSTRACT

Systemic Therapy and Attachment Narratives explores how attachment-based ideas can be used in clinical practice by offering a practical and sophisticated exposition of clinical approaches.

This new edition offers an updated overview of the integrations of attachment, systemic and narrative theory, and practice incorporating key developments in developmental trauma, intergenerational trauma and neuroscience of the emotional brain. It shows how early emotional experiences set the tone of the narratives we develop about our lives and how these in turn shape our emotional connections. This edition is more oriented towards activities and features more visual representations of problematic patterns of interaction, showing their significance for the family members. It also uses clinical examples to provide guidance on using attachment narrative therapy in different clinical contexts and with various client groups.

The book provides practical guidance for a range of mental health professionals including family therapists, child, adolescent and adult psychotherapists, clinical psychologists and social workers, enabling them to apply this approach in a range of contexts.

chapter |7 pages

Authors' introduction

chapter Chapter 1|18 pages

Attachment, family systems and narratives

chapter Chapter 2|19 pages

Blame, choice and responsibility

Corrective and replicative scripts in family life cycle

chapter Chapter 3|19 pages

Life-cycle transitions and attachment narratives

Family life-cycle models of change and development

chapter Chapter 4|22 pages

Love and sexuality

Systemic therapy and attachment narratives – applications with couples

chapter Chapter 5|22 pages

Problems in managing arousal

Working with diagnoses of ADHD and autism spectrum disorder

chapter Chapter 6|21 pages

Problems of addiction

Alcohol dependency and eating distress

chapter Chapter 7|11 pages

Living with fear

Relational danger and violence in the family

chapter Chapter 8|20 pages

Trauma and dissociation

chapter Chapter 9|16 pages

Loss, grief and attachment