Treating Attachment Disorders: From Theory to Therapy

Attachment theory and research have greatly enhanced our understanding of the role of parent-child relationships in the development of psychopathology. Yet until now, little has been written on how an attachment perspective can be used to actively inform psychotherapeutic practice. In this invaluable work, Karl Heinz Brisch presents an attachment-oriented framework for assessing and treating patients of all ages. Illuminated are the ways that early experiences of separation and loss can lead to a range of psychological, behavioral, and psychosomatic problems, and how these can be addressed in the context of a healing therapeutic relationship. Bridging a longstanding divide between the seminal work of John Bowlby and the concepts and methods of psychodynamic therapy, the book is richly illustrated with evocative clinical material.

Table of Contents:
Kohler, Foreword. Part 1: Attachment Theory and its Basic Concepts. Historical Overview. The Development of the Concepts of Attachment Theory. Part 2: Attachment Disorders. Attachment and Psychopathology. The Theory of Attachment Disorder. Attachment Classification in Diagnostic Manuals. The Diagnosis and Typology of Attachment Disorders. Part 3: Attachment Therapy. Therapeutic Theory. Treatment Technique. Part 4: Treatment Cases From Clinical Practice. Manifestations of Attachment Disorders Prior to Conception. Prenatal Attachment Disorders. Postnatal Attachment Disorder. Attachment Disorders in Childhood. Attachment Disorders in School-Age Children. Attachment Disorders in Adolescence. Attachment Disorders in Adults. Summary. Part 5: Prospects for Further Application. Family Therapy. Group Psychology. Education. Critical Issues. Afterword. Appendix: Brief Precis of the Adult Attachment Interview Protocol.

About the Author :
Karl Heinz Brisch, MD, is a training psychoanalyst at the Psychoanalytic Institute and head of the Department of Pediatric Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at the Children's Hospital at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany.

Review :
This book should be required reading for clinicians and graduate students involved in working with or learning about children and families beset by attachment disorders. While numerous other works review attachment disorders, this outstanding book goes a step further, navigating an easily accessible path into the multifaceted domain of psychodynamic treatment. Evocative case studies are used to illustrate attachment-oriented therapy and how it may be successfully applied across the lifespan. - Howard Steele, Attachment Research Unit, University College London, UK This book should be required reading for clinicians and graduate students involved in working with or learning about children and families beset by attachment disorders. While numerous other works review attachment disorders, this outstanding book goes a step further, navigating an easily accessible path into the multifaceted domain of psychodynamic treatment. Evocative case studies are used to illustrate attachment-oriented therapy and how it may be successfully applied across the lifespan. - Howard Steele, Attachment Research Unit, University College London, UK I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the application of attachment theory for any client group. There is something for everyone here and much to provoke thought and further discussion. - Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry For those unfamiliar with attachment theory, Brisch provides brief but clear summaries of its core aspects. His detailed, up-to-date descriptions of research on the theory and its applications are written in a style that is rich and human rather than dry and technical... This is a very well-structured book, the sequencing of material is well thought out and effective, and the book is written in a style and language that makes the content comfortable to read and accessible... The theory, research, and case material addressed in it are crucial to consider for those interested in reflective, honest, and effective clinical practice. - Psychologist-Psychoanalyst Newsletter Previous books relating attachment theory to clinical concerns have been heavily theoretically and research-based, with little for the practicing clinician to grab hold of and use. In contrast, Brisch squarely takes on the challenge of articulating for the practicing clinician how attachment concepts can inform clinical process, as 'lived' in the immediacy of the clinical hour. Using a dazzling array of case material from infancy to adulthood, he illustrates the breadth of application of attachment concepts in clinical work and draws out the subtle recentering of clinical stance that can result from an attachment perspective. By bringing attachment concepts into the center of the therapeutic encounter, Brisch's volume opens a rich clinical theoretical dialogue with both object relations theory and cognitive-behavioral approaches. This clinical debate will surely occupy and enrich all of us for the rest of the decade. - Karlen Lyons-Ruth, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School In this much-needed book, the first of its kind, Brisch brings attachment theory into the consulting room. Through many moving case vignettes, he shows us how he uses countertransference to understand and treat each patient in unique and sensitive ways. In his discussion of childhood and adolescent pathology, Brisch makes clear his conviction that children need both a secure base and the opportunity to explore the world outside the immediate attachment figures... The way Brisch works with children and families is truly remarkable: he is never intrusive or coercive, but intervenes in sensitive, compelling, and effective ways. Practitioners and trainees in child psychotherapy and parent infant psychotherapy programs should find this book especially invaluable. - Anni Bergman, Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, New York University; Program for the Study and Treatment of Parents, Infants and Toddlers, New York Freudian Society