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Attachment Trauma Therapy Can Help You Find Your Path to Connection

Writer's picture: Tracy TeichmanTracy Teichman

Do your relationships leave you feeling anxious, disconnected, or stuck in painful patterns? You may find yourself pushing others away when they get too close or clinging to relationships out of fear of abandonment. These patterns can feel frustrating and confusing—why does love feel so hard? The answer may lie in attachment trauma, an invisible wound from early life that shapes how we connect with others today.


Healing is possible. By understanding what attachment trauma is, how it impacts adult relationships, and how therapy can help, you can begin to break free from these cycles and create the deep, fulfilling connections you deserve.


What is Attachment Trauma?

Attachment trauma happens when a child’s fundamental need for safety, love, and consistency is not met by their caregivers. This can happen for many reasons—neglect, emotional unavailability, abuse, unpredictable caregiving, or even a parent’s own unresolved trauma. When these needs go unmet, the developing nervous system adapts, often leading to deep-seated fears, trust issues, and difficulty regulating emotions.


Attachment theory, pioneered by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, explains how these early relationships shape our ability to connect with others. When caregivers provide security and emotional attunement, a child develops a secure attachment, laying the foundation for healthy relationships. But when that bond is disrupted, insecure attachment styles emerge—patterns that follow us into adulthood, affecting how we relate to romantic partners, friends, and even ourselves.


How Attachment Trauma Shows Up in Adulthood

Attachment trauma doesn’t disappear once childhood ends—it carries into adult relationships in ways that often go unnoticed until they start causing distress. Here are some common signs:


  1. Fear of Abandonment or Rejection

    Do you worry that people will leave you? Do you find yourself clinging to relationships or sabotaging them before you can be hurt? This fear, rooted in early relational wounds, can create a cycle of anxious pursuit or emotional withdrawal.

  2. Trust Issues & Emotional Walls

    If you’ve been hurt before, letting people in can feel like a risk you’re not willing to take. You may keep emotional distance, assume people will eventually betray you, or struggle with feeling truly safe in relationships.

  3. Difficulty with Emotional Intimacy

    Opening up and being vulnerable can feel overwhelming. You might fear depending on someone too much, or on the other hand, expect a partner to meet all your emotional needs—leading to either avoidance or codependency.

  4. Emotional Dysregulation

    Do your emotions feel overwhelming and unpredictable? Mood swings, anxiety, or difficulty managing stress often stem from attachment trauma, making relationships feel chaotic or exhausting.

  5. Repeating Unhealthy Relationship Patterns

    Without realizing it, you might gravitate toward relationships that mirror your childhood experiences. If love felt unpredictable or conditional growing up, you may find yourself in relationships that are inconsistent, emotionally draining, or unfulfilling.

  6. Low Self-Worth & Negative Core Beliefs

    Attachment trauma often plants the belief that “I’m not enough,” “I’m not lovable,” or “I don’t deserve happiness.” These thoughts can drive self-sabotage, perfectionism, or settling for relationships that don’t meet your needs.


How Attachment Trauma Affects Adult Relationships

Attachment trauma doesn’t just impact you—it influences the dynamics of your relationships in profound ways.


  • Frequent Conflicts & Misunderstandings: Fear of rejection can lead to misinterpreting a partner’s words or actions, resulting in unnecessary tension.

  • Emotional Withdrawal: If getting too close feels dangerous, you may unconsciously pull away, leaving partners feeling disconnected.

  • Codependency & Blurred Boundaries: Some people rely too much on their partners for emotional stability, leading to a loss of independence and identity.

  • Struggles with Intimacy: Deep emotional closeness might feel foreign or even terrifying, making relationships feel unfulfilling or distant.

Attachment Trauma Therapy at Creating Space Therapy
Understanding attachment trauma empowers you to take charge, heal, and build healthier, secure relationships.

Attachment Trauma Therapy Can Help

The good news? Attachment wounds don’t have to define your future relationships. Therapy offers a path toward healing, emotional security, and healthy connections.

At Creating Space Therapy, we specialize in helping people heal from attachment trauma using approaches like:


Healing doesn’t happen overnight, but you don’t have to navigate this alone. With the right support, you can break free from attachment trauma, rebuild trust, and cultivate the meaningful, secure relationships you deserve.


Take the First Step Toward Healing

At Creating Space Therapy, our experienced therapists,Thelma Razo, LCSW and Tracy Teichman, LCSW and specialize in attachment trauma and are here to guide you through your healing journey. You don’t have to stay stuck in the same painful relationship patterns. Healing is possible, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation call today to explore how therapy can help you break free from attachment trauma and build the meaningful connections you deserve.


📞 Call us at (630) 601.3460


Your healing journey starts now. Let’s create space for the connection and security you’ve been searching for.

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Creating Space Therapy in Batavia and Naperville
Creating Space Therapy in Batavia and Naperville

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