Numerous clinicians have studied the emotional attachment mechanisms between people. John Bowlby who founded this way of thinking left the door open for interpretation of his ideas while attempting to encourage psychoanalysis into an empirical tradition which it has hitherto resisted.
However, Otto Kerberg, a prominent psychoanalyst, explored attachment styles as part of his work on object relations theory. Kernberg (still being alive on writing this piece) would be considered one clinician who has straddled the divide both being a practicing analyst and a developer of techniques and ways of teaching clinicians and patients. He described three primary types of attachment which are described below:
1. **Secure attachment**: Characterized by individuals who feel confident in relationships, able to trust others and depend on them. They have a balanced sense of autonomy and closeness.
2. **Insecure attachment**: Includes anxious and avoidant patterns. Anxious individuals tend to be clingy, fear abandonment, and struggle with trust. Avoidant individuals, on the other hand, distance themselves emotionally, fearing closeness and reliance on others.
3. **Disorganized attachment**: People with this style exhibit chaotic, unpredictable behavior in relationships, often stemming from trauma or inconsistent caregiving. Their responses can fluctuate between anxious and avoidant tendencies, creating confusion in relationships.
Kernberg emphasized that these attachment styles affect personality development and emotional regulation in adulthood. His subsequent work in the US, developing TFP (Transfernece Focused Psychotherapy) alongside Frank Yeomans, has become a primary approach in helping those with the most distressing of these dynamics - those with disorganised attachments patterns.
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