Summary and Takeaways from Attachment in Psychotherapy by David J. Wallin

[@92ninersboy]

Dr. David Wallin was my therarpist from the 1980's and intermittantly through my last visit in 2021. He is brilliant, empathic, kind. After writing this book, he developed a more open style that created a new level of understanding. He was very important to me over the last 40 years and he has been a most reliable man that allowed a type of secure attachment between us in which I learned to think about my thinking. I am 69 now and I am living a more fullfilling, secure, interested life in which I can FINALLY take care of myself! I really love my thoughts now, and all the projection and mistrust, all the "neurotic debris" has fallen away. I am free now and my gratitude to Dr. Wallin is ever present. I am very pleased to see that this resident in the video thinks the same.

[@jonzywonzy]

Very useful summary, I’m definitely going to buy the book, thanks

[@bushymusic2]

I’m a neurodivergent artist in training to be a counsellor Level 4 and have just been on a workshop in the Uk that was influenced by this book. So on checking more info around Attachment in Psychotherapy by David J. Wallin, I’ve come across Lara Hammock book review on KZbin which has solidified the bits I understood but more importantly for me clarified the bits I didn’t. Often for me I can’t process visual slides, written class exercises and talking/discussion all at the same time so I can miss thinks, so this helped greatly. Cheers Lara.

[@marblejarchannel]

Thanks for this comment!

[@xialah9047]

Thanks for the summary. So I am a client with attachments issues (went from dismissive to fearful avoidant) and work in IT around psychologists and neuroscientists. I also try to read books about childhood and adult relationships.. I can’t help but think that in our modern society, we’re treating the mind the body and the brain as separate entities and that we’re labelling and treating symptoms instead of trying to reconnect and heal our inner self. Sometimes, I feel like I should just stop overintellectualising and thinking so much and just try to follow Buddhism practice and focus myself to be in the present moment, listen to talks about compassion.. Do I really need to read about attachment, growth&fixed mindset… always seeking knowledge.. to become happier?

[@marblejarchannel]

Hi, Xia. I think this is a worthy inquiry. I frequently find that some clients use intellectualization to avoid feeling their feelings. At the same time, I think understanding the neurobiology of your attachment style can give you enough self compassion and understanding to help do the work of healing inside. What I believe you have right is that it’s not either or - but a combination of body and brain that promotes overall wellness. Good luck to you!

[@xialah9047]

@@marblejarchannel Thank you Marble, I really appreciate it.

[@colinthemystic]

Wow…I’m moved by your ability to summarize and distill the primary components of this material and grateful for the time you have taking to do so. I’m about to start delving into attachment theory and this book came up in my search. It certainly seems to be the most robust offering on the market. I am about to start my training to be certified as a psychotherapist and I welcome more academic writing, however I am also wondering if there is a more easygoing/accessible book to learn about attachment theory. Any thoughts on this? My other question: I work as an empath/medical intuitive presently, and a part of my work is to share my energetic impressions of my clients before I meet with them (much like you described using physical cues or internal feelings as a therapist) to help them identify what is going on within themselves. Do you think Dr. Wallin’s work is complimentary to this type of work/approach?

[@marblejarchannel]

Hi and thanks for your commentl I think giving an energetic impression does comport with Dr. Wallin's views. I bring that into my work also (when I'm deliberately balancing my energy -- I have a tendency to have more giving than receiving energy, so I have to watch that). In terms of more accessible readings, I learned about attachment theory first from Sue Johnson's book "Hold Me Tight", but I've also heard good things about "Attached" by Levine and Heller. If you read either of these, come back and let me know what you think. I have a real backlog of summaries that I need to film and upload to my channel, but I'm also always looking for new books to add to my stack. Thanks again!

[@colinthemystic]

@@marblejarchannel Thanks for the quick reply! "Attached" and "Healing your Attachment Wounds" by Heller were the 2 other books I was considering beginning with. "Attached" seems to be the most accessible and might be a good start. Academic vs. Popular...hmmm (if you can call Attachment Theory popular). I like the actionable invitation in Heller's book title - It sounds like it's not just about what Attachment Theory is, but instead how to use this information in your life/healing work. If I look at one of these books I'll report back. Thank you for what you do!

[@sebastianrtj]

Thanks for the summary! Any other books you can recommend for someone not trained in Psychotherapy, but intrinsically motivated to learn more about it and make the knowledge actionable?

[@marblejarchannel]

I have lots of recommendations, but I would need to know a little more about your interests and focus in order to give you some suggestions. I mostly do therapy-oriented book summaries, so you might want to start with my playlist of book summaries and takeaways!