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Attachment Trauma Can Occur

ByJennifer Nurick
Attachment Trauma can occur: In the womb in response to the parents' physiology, specifically their capacity to regulate/ adapt to stressors in their life. During crucial stages of a child's development where there is an absence or inconsistent experience of being attended to, attuned to, co-regulated with, or the child’s needs not being responded to. Transgenerationally passed down. From the loss of a loved one. When our primal protective instincts, intuitions, and responses are thwarted. When relational bonds have been ruptured and there is not enough time, space, or capacity to heal/ repair the rupture. When there is too much stimulus too soon- in the hospital, home, environment, or socal-cultural setting. Other traumas that break the vital connection.

A holistic approach to trauma defines attachment injury/wounding not as an event or a challenged relationship, but rather as a disruption and overwhelm to our body-mind’s capacity to feel safe, secure, cared for, and consistently connected with.

Attachment trauma may be less visible than other traumatic experiences. Our adaptive strategies for managing the trauma are deeply embedded in our adult lives, manifesting as patterns in our physiology, thoughts, behaviour, and interactions with other people and our environment. Attachment trauma might emerge in early childhood, adolescence or in our adult life as symptoms of anxiety, depression numbness, disconnection, defensiveness, or a sense that parts of your Self are numb, hidden, fractured, or inaccessible.

Attachment trauma is something that can be worked with and healed. If you are interested in this learning you might want to check out The Embody Lab’s upcoming Somatic Attachment Therapy Certificate. They are hosting an information session on the 16th of January 12-1.30pm ET.

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Jennifer Nurick is a Master's-qualified Clinical Psychotherapist, attachment and trauma therapist and couples therapist with over 20 years in private practice. She helps adults and couples heal anxious and avoidant attachment, childhood trauma and recurring relationship patterns, drawing on IFS, EMDR and Emotionally Focused Therapy. Jennifer is the author of Heal Your Anxious Attachment (New Harbinger), host of the Psychotherapy Central Podcast and founder of Psychotherapy Central.

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