Developmental Attachment Injury

 

What is Developmental Attachment Injury?

                                                                                            Photo: Ksenia Makagonova Unsplash

According to the NIH  

Attachment refers to a psychobiological principle that is deeply rooted in evolutionary development; it is thought to contribute a major advantage in the survival of the social group. Within individual development it indicates a primary motivational system that guides the initial transactions between mother and baby and furthermore mediates affective attunement and regulation. 

Dr. Michael Dadson (Mike Dadson) explains: 

Significant early adversities and traumatic encounters, or substantial emotional neglect, can give rise to varying degrees of attachment security or insecurity, resulting in disorientation and disorganization within the attachment pattern.

As with adults, every child has a different way of dealing with circumstances or events.” Not every person experiences events same way. If a child experiences, terror, abandonment or feels totally alone and vulnerable, it can be traumatic.

Family counselling can be important for children affected by developmental attachment injury, and a great way for parents to find answers behind the behaviours of their child.

Trauma experienced during childhood canmanifest in a multitude of symptoms, including nightmares, bed-wetting, heightened anxiety, depression, resistance to authority, academic underperformance, mood fluctuations, substance misuse, and self-harm.  

Psychology Today identified these key points: 

• People with unprocessed attachment trauma often report similar behaviors or psychological symptoms that affect the quality of their adult lives.

• Unexplained physical ailments may originate from having experienced early trauma.

• Trauma-blocking behaviors occur by engaging in compulsive behaviors that momentarily distract from traumatic memories or pain.

 Dr. Michael Dadson reviews the impact of unresolved childhood trauma in the video below. 

 For further reading on Developmental Attachment Injury:

• 4 Ways a Traumatic Childhood Affects Adult Relationships

• The Application of Attachment Theory and Mentalization in Complex Tertiary Structural Dissociation: A Case Study. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 20, 3, 322. doi:10.1080/10926771.2011.562477 Stewart, B., Dadson , M.R., &, Fallding , M. | Published onlne (2011).

• Early Childhood Trauma

• Attachment Theory: How Childhood Affects Life

• The Link between Types of Attachment and Childhood Trauma

• Attachment Disorder

About Dr. Michael Dadson

·         Ph.D. in counselling psychology from the University of British Columbia in 2013. specializing father son relationships, trauma, veterans, and PTSD recovery.

• ·         Dr. Michael Dadson's Ph. D, dissertation

Dr. Michael Dadson, dedicated his early career to the study of trauma. His role as the former Executive and Clinical Director of the Veterans Transition Network equipped him with a profound understanding of the profound effects that trauma can exert on an individual."  

Professional Profiles:

• ·         BC Association of Clinical Counsellors

• ·         Academia

•       Psychology Today

• ·         Google Scholar

• ·         Three Best Rated 

 Dr. Michael Dadson's web sites: 

• Trauma Therapy Clinic: Trauma, PTSD, trauma recovery insights, impacts, issues, questions, and answers

•  Langley Couples Counselling: Relationship questions and answers, counselling methods for couples and relationship insights. 

• Dr. Mike Dadson: Types of Therapy Used in Counselling

#trauma #ptsd #traumarecovery  #counselling #Drmichaeldadson #Michaeldadson #Drmikedadson #Mikedadson #Drdadson

5 Foundations for Effective Couples Therapy

 

Dr. Michael Dadson reviews the fondations for effective therapy with couples.

1. Develop and establish with both partners, a strong therapeutic alliance. A Registered Clinical Counsellor will work to establish a space that is safe and trusting, allowing both you and your partner to be comfortable sharing thoughts and feelings.

2. Focus on the present moment and the couple's current issues. Addressing the past is important for the purposes of improving the present and changing the trajectory of the future.  Understanding how the past effects the present may take time and iit is always for the purpose of understanding the present rather than just dwelling on past conflicts or events.

3. As a couple, entering into couples counselling helps you to identify and express your emotions in a healthy and constructive way. This includes helping and teaching couples to: 

• Experience what it is like to use effective communication skills
• How couples can effectivly address conflict
• Heal relationship ruptures
• Build emotional intimacy 
• Learn modelling skills for managing stress and difficult emotions, such as mindfulness and relaxation techniques.

4. Explore the underlying emotional and psychological factors and addressing issues that are inhibiting intimacy and contributing to the couple's conflicts. A good couples counsellor should also identify and address individual issues, also be aware of any individual issues that may be impacting the relationship and work toward effectively addressing them in therapy.

5. Identify the negative patterns in the relationship. A good couples therapist will help couples to recognize their patterns of engagement, emotional themes and potential behaviors that are causing conflict or damaging the relationship. Counselling can woirk to modify or eliminate these behaviours and help a couple to work towards repairing past hurts. A therapist should help the couple to work through and repair any past hurts or traumas that may be impacting their current relationship.

In the video below, Dr.Dadson reviewes some of the important things couples discover once they enter into counselling.

Counselling Support and Information Videos:

·         Ask Dr. Mike Dadson

·         Michael Dadson Gentle Currents Therapy

Counselling Support and Information Videos:

·         Ask Dr. Mike Dadson

·         Michael Dadson Gentle Currents Therapy

 

Education

·         PhD. University of British Columbia: Thesis title “Stories of Fathers. Men’s

Recovery from Integral Wounds

·         Masters Thesis: Stories of Father Child Closeness

Licences, and Memberships

·         Canadian Certified Counsellor

·         Registered Clinical Counsellor, BC Association of Clinical Counsellors

·         Certified Member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association

·         2016-2017 Board Member of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), named fellow in 2017 in the ISSTD

·         Best Rated Marriage Counsellor in Langley, British Columbia

·         Academia Profile: Publications

·         Google Scholar: Publications

·         Licensed in the Province of BC

·         Ordained Minister/ Chaplain (retired)

Certifications

·         Certified Myers Briggs Personality Type Assessor

·         Certified Strong Interest Inventory Assessor

·         Certified Observed & Experiential Integration (OEI) Therapist and Trainer

·         Certified QPRT Suicide Risk Assessment and Management

·         Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Level One and Level Two

·         Enactment Therapy Trainer Level One and Level Two

#couplescounslling #couplestherapy #Drmichaeldadson #Michaeldadson #Drmikedadson #Mikedadson #Drdadson

Making Love Last

Dr. Michael Dadson Launches Couples Groups 

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NEWS PROVIDED BY

Gentle Currents Therapy 

Couples Group Program is being launched by renowned mental health expert, Dr. Michael Dadson. It addresses the critical need for couples to develop the interpersonal skills required to deepen intimacy and make love last in a relationship.

LANGLEY, BC, Feb. 14, 2023 /CNW/ - Top rated Langley, BC marriage counsellor, Dr. Mike Dadson, announces a new "Couples Group" program to address the most difficult issue facing couples today.

Dr Michael Dadson on Couples Counselling

According to Dr. Dadson:

"There is a natural process and evolution in relationships. Communication and the art of sending, listening, and receiving the messages, build your relationship from the inside out."

The Problem: Couples can lack interpersonal skills to establish deep and lasting intimacy which allows the relationship to grow through time. 

Love hurts and especially romantic love. Relationships, particularly, are one of the most meaningful ways for humans to find purpose, contentment and happiness.  Dr. Michael Dadson reminds couples that "resolving your differences through collaborative decisions allows you to  stay on the same team!"

Dr. Michael Dadson relates"My experience with couples is that, often, couples care deeply about one another. They want the relationship to work, but often there is a gap or failure in the communication process where there are things that aren't spoken that need to be spoken".

If you have questions about couples counselling and are looking for answrs, visit Dr. Dadson's :Langley Couples Counsellilng website here.

In the video below, Dr. Dadson reviews why counselling can be helpful for couples.

The Approach: Couples Working Groups

Intensive Work Group for Couples: "Making Love Last"

Led by renowned men's mental health specialist, Dr. Michael Dadson:

·         Date: For upcoming dates please call 778-554-0174)

·         Duration: 2 days / 8-hour sessions (16 hours total)

·         Location: 20103 40 Ave #107, Brookswood, Langley, BC V3A 2W3

·         Cost: $1,099.00

·         Size of each group: 10 couples

Who Can Benefit from the Group:

·         Couples needing to learn when forgiveness is and is not necessary

·         How to rebuild lost trust

·         Healing the past and embracing the future

Couples having difficulty or who are suffering from a wide variety of issues, including the following, can benefit from Dr. Michael Dadson's Couple's workgroup:

• ·         Family / couple conflict or trauma
• ·         Depression
• ·         Anxiety
• ·         PTSD
• ·         Adjustment issues
• ·         Anger management

Since early 2020, Mike Dadson has voiced concern for couples, and points out that communication skills are critical to resolve conflict, mend ruptures, and deepen security and closeness in a couple's love life.

According to Dr. Michael Dadson:

"Communication and the art of listening, sending & receiving messages, will build your relationship from the inside out. How a conversation is started, often predicts how it will end.  Learning the 4 essentials to conflict resolution and how to have a difficult conversation with someone who matters" is important.

Dr. Michael Dadson recommends that couples focus on communication skills before a rupture becomes a crisis:

"Listening leads to understanding."

1.      Pause, reflect, consider the motional state of mind.

2.      Attending to the micro-relationship messages in the eyes, the face, the tone and volume.

3.      Learn to interpret the message from the other person.

4.      Reflect and check to see if the interpretation is correct.

5.      The goal is to help partners to not only be understood but to feel understood.

In his practice at Gentle Currents Therapy Counselling Clinic, Dr. Michael Dadson helps clients with trauma, anxiety, depression, and PTSD, with a focus on couples counselling, first responders, and male mental health.

Due to Dr. Dadson's specialization in working with men, he finds that couples will often seek out his services as he can help women understand:

"Men process emotions differently due to their biology and cultural conditioning".

ABOUT:

Dr. Michael (Mike) Dadson, in Langley, British Columbia, is the Senior Clinical Director at Gentle Currents Therapy - Counselling and Neurofeedback Therapy. Dr. Dadson is a widely published author, ranking among Langley's top rated marriage counsellors.

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh0aBsdOfzU
Website:   https://www.gentlecurrentstherapy.com

EXPERTISE:

Trauma recovery, PTSD, relationship counselling, men's mental health, addressing stress, anxiety, and depression

Dr. Michael Dadson's licences and certifications include:

·         Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), BC Association of Clinical Counsellors

·         Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association Counsellors

·         Certified: QPRT Suicide Risk Assessment and Management, Observed and Experiential Integration (OEI), Myers-Briggs Personality Type Assessor Therapist and Trainer, Strong Interest Inventory Assessor

• ·         Crime Victims Assistance Counsellor
• ·         Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Level One and Level Two
• ·         Enactment Therapy Level One and Level Two
• ·         Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy Level One

SOURCE Gentle Currents Therapy

For further information: Email: info@gentlecurrentstherapy.com

#couplescounselling #Drmichaeldadson #Michaeldadson #Mikedadson #Drmikedadson #Drdason