How Childhood Experiences Form Your Attachment Style and Where to Turn for Attachment Therapy in Lake Oswego, OR

Attachment style profoundly influences how individuals form and maintain relationships throughout their lives. They are primarily shaped through interactions with primary caregivers during early childhood. This article from an attachment specialist in Lake Oswego, Oregon, will introduce you to the different styles and teach you what to do if you’re finding it difficult to form and maintain healthy relationships as an adult.

The Origin of Attachment Styles

The bond between a child and their caregiver lays the groundwork for future patterns. A person will have one of four attachment styles based on their experiences from infancy:

Secure Attachment

Secure attachment develops when a caregiver consistently responds to a child’s needs with warmth and sensitivity. Children who experience this type of support tend to grow up feeling safe and confident in their relationships and can form healthy connections.

Avoidant Attachment

Emotionally distant and unreliable caregivers often result in avoidant attachment. Those with an avoidant attachment style value independence and self-sufficiency. They are slow to trust, often uncomfortable with intimacy, and tend to keep others at a distance.

Anxious Attachment

Anxious attachment can develop when caregivers are inconsistent—sometimes responsive, sometimes not. This can cause adults to become overly dependent on others for reassurance and approval, often resulting in a heightened sense of relational anxiety.

Disorganized Attachment

Disorganized attachment is seen in individuals who experienced chaotic or frightening caregiving as children. This style is characterized by a lack of clear strategy for getting needs met by others, leading to confusion and ambivalence in close relationships.

Through self-reflection, individuals with insecure attachment styles can work toward developing more secure attachments. If you’re struggling with this as an adolescent or adult, attachment therapy at Sapphire Blue Behavioral Health Solutions in Lake Oswego can help. Contact us today to learn more.