Building Secure Attachment in Therapy
You didn't choose the way you learned to connect to others within relationships-- but you can choose how you heal.
Amy Bassett-Wells M.Ed., LPC Associate (April West, LPC-S)
Therapy-Tree Mental Health Counseling
Trauma Informed Care Across Texas
What "Secure" Attachment Actually Feels Like
What "Secure" Attachment Actually Feels Like
Having a secure attachment is more than just “not feeling anxious” or “not being avoidant.” Secure attachment is a felt sense of emotional safety.
It looks like:
• Feeling worthy of love, even when you’re struggling
• Being able to express your needs clearly and calmly
• Trusting that conflict can be worked through, not avoided or feared
• Comfort with closeness and independence—both can exist together
• Knowing you’re allowed to rest in connection
You Can Learn Secure Attachment as an Adult
You Can Learn Secure Attachment as an Adult
Even if you didn’t grow up with safe emotional bonds, your brain and body are wired for healing.
Therapy offers a chance to re-pattern how you show up in relationships—starting with your relationship with yourself.
Your Brain Can Rewire for Connection
Your Brain Can Rewire for Connection
Even if you learned early on that connection wasn’t safe or dependable, your brain and body are not stuck. Thanks to something called neuroplasticity, healing is possible.
What’s Neuroplasticity?
Neuroplasticity is your brain’s ability to adapt and change throughout your life.
It means your brain can form new neural patterns—especially when it experiences something safe, consistent, and emotionally meaningful.
How Does Therapy Help Heal Attachment Issues?
How Does Therapy Help Heal Attachment Issues?
When you’re in therapy (or any safe, attuned relationship), your brain starts to register:
• “I’m not being judged or abandoned.”
• “I can name what I feel and still be accepted.”
• “Someone is showing up for me—consistently.”
These repeated emotional experiences begin to reshape your nervous system, making it easier to:
• Calm your body when you’re activated
• Trust others and yourself
• Stay connected even during moments of conflict
Over time, this practice builds a new emotional default—what’s often called earned secure attachment.
What Does the Research Show?
What Does the Research Show?
A 2020 review in Frontiers in Psychology found that attachment and relational therapies can significantly increase attachment security and reduce distress.
Even brief exposure to secure relationships—in therapy, friendships, or healthy partnerships—can “prime” the nervous system for healing.
What Does This Look Like in Therapy?
What Does This Look Like in Therapy?
In sessions, you might practice things like:
• Naming your needs without guilt or shame
• Regulating your emotions when you feel rejected or overwhelmed
• Repairing conflict without spiraling or shutting down
• Tolerating vulnerability in safe doses, with support
• Exploring triggers from the past that still show up in the present
These aren’t “fixes”—they’re relationship skills. And they’re learnable.
Healing in a Safe, Therapeutic Space
Healing in a Safe, Therapeutic Space
The therapy space becomes a new kind of relationship—one where you’re not judged, ignored, or made too responsible.
Through consistent support and reflection, you begin to internalize a new message:
“I can be fully known and still safe."
If you want to explore your attachment patterns and move toward a more secure attachment style, contact Amy below.
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