Attachment-based Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
If we value our children we must cherish their parents (John Bowlby)
Attachment based psychoanalytic psychotherapy
Dreams, the Unconscious, and Attachment Trauma: My Journey into Depth Psychotherapy
My first encounter with the unconscious—and the power of dreams—came through reading C. G. Jung’s Memories, Dreams, Reflections. I was in my late twenties, and this book completely changed the course of my life. I felt something awaken in me, and shortly after, I began studying Jungian analytical psychology.
One quote that struck me deeply was this:
“As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being. It may even be assumed that just as the unconscious affects us, so the increase in our consciousness affects the unconscious.” — C. G. Jung
This idea—that we’re in an ongoing dialogue with the unconscious—resonated profoundly. I’ve always felt deeply connected to nature, so Jung’s reflections on trees felt especially meaningful:
“Trees in particular were mysterious and seemed to me direct embodiments of the incomprehensible meaning of life... The woods were the place where I felt closest to its deepest meaning and its awe-inspiring workings.”
Remembering Dreams and Meeting the Shadow
I began to remember my dreams more vividly. As Jung said:
“The dream is the small hidden door in the deepest and most intimate sanctum of the soul…”
Dreams became central to my healing and self-understanding. I came to see that dreams aim to restore psychological balance—and by listening to them, I could integrate messages from both my personal and collective unconscious.
Through long-term personal Jungian analysis, I confronted emotional complexes and archetypes. I also encountered my “Shadow”—the parts of myself I had repressed or denied, often projected onto others. In Jungian terms, I also met aspects of the Animus, the inner masculine principle in a woman’s psyche, symbolizing qualities such as logic, initiative, and spiritual insight. When unintegrated, these aspects can manifest as judgment or emotional detachment—but when acknowledged and integrated, they offer strength and depth.
Discovering Attachment and Somatic Work
In 2018, my therapeutic journey took a new direction. I discovered the world of trauma and attachment, and began to uncover my own pre-verbal attachment wounds. This prompted me to explore somatic work, leading me to Dr. Frank Corrigan’s Deep Brain Reorienting approach, a powerful way to access early relational trauma stored in the body.
Since then, I’ve trained in a range of experiential, somatically informed therapy models rooted in attachment theory, including:
- AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy);
- Attachment-Based ISTDP (Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy)
- Attachment-Focused EMDR
- Deep Brain Reorienting
- Internal Family Systems
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for individuals and couples
Motivated by a desire to deepen this work, I began advanced clinical training at the Bowlby Centre in London, to become a psychotherapist specialising in attachment-based psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
What Is Attachment-Based Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy?
Attachment-based psychotherapy is grounded in attachment theory, developed by psychiatrist and psychoanalyst John Bowlby. According to Bowlby, human beings have a biologically driven need to form strong emotional bonds—especially with early caregivers.
When those early attachments are secure, they offer us a safe base to explore the world. But when those bonds are inconsistent, unavailable, or emotionally unsafe, they can leave deep marks—shaping how we relate to others and ourselves well into adulthood.
Psychologist Mary Ainsworth later expanded Bowlby’s work, identifying key attachment styles that can persist throughout life:
- Secure – Comfortable with closeness and independence
- Anxious-preoccupied – Craves connection but fears abandonment
- Dismissive-avoidant – Prefers independence and avoids intimacy
- Fearful-avoidant – Wants closeness but is afraid of getting hurt
Understanding your own attachment style can be a powerful step toward healing. In therapy, we explore how your early experiences shaped the way you relate, and work together to develop a more secure, compassionate relationship with yourself and others.
Why Psychoanalytic?
The word “psychoanalysis” literally means to explore the soul. It’s an approach that values depth, curiosity, and working with the unconscious—the parts of our psyche that influence us in subtle but powerful ways.
Much of what drives our behaviour—especially in relationships—lives beneath the surface. These unconscious processes include:
- Defensive patterns (e.g., shutting down emotionally, becoming overly self-critical, clinging, or controlling)
- Repressed feelings or memories from childhood or painful past experiences
- Relational strategies developed to cope, avoid pain, or seek love—often unconsciously
While these patterns may have once helped us survive, they can become limiting or self-sabotaging over time. The goal of psychoanalytic therapy is not just symptom relief—but lasting transformation. Together, we begin to observe and understand these unconscious patterns and open space for new, healthier ways of relating to ourselves, the others and the world.
As I’ve seen through my Jungian lens, dreams often illuminate what we suppress.
“A dream is a marker of the state of the patient’s psyche. It cuts through intellectualising and, however confusing, has a freshness and unquestionable validity…”
A. Bateman & J. Holmes
Final Thoughts
My work is rooted in both depth psychology and attachment theory. Whether we begin by exploring dreams, bodily sensations, relationship patterns, or early life experiences, the process is about coming home to yourself—with compassion, clarity, and courage.
Alongside attachment-based psychoanalytic psychotherapy—which helps bring unconscious relational patterns into awareness—I also integrate cutting-edge, research-backed therapeutic approaches such as:
- AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy)
- IFS (Internal Family Systems)
- DBR (Deep Brain Reorienting)
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing)
- Brainspotting
- Polyvagal theory
- Attachment-Based ISTDP (Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy)
These experiential and somatic methods are particularly effective for working with attachment trauma as it lives in the body. By weaving together both the insight-oriented and body-based approaches, I aim to offer a thorough, in-depth therapeutic experience that supports healing on the emotional, relational and insightful levels, as well as nervous system regulation.
If you're feeling stuck in painful patterns, struggling in relationships, or seeking a deeper connection with your inner self, this work can help you shift from surviving to thriving —with more freedom, choice, connection, creativity and inner stability.
Contact me
Please contact me if you have any questions about how counselling works, or if you would like to arrange an appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on 07803375794 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential.
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