Level 5 Diploma in Attachment
 Testimonials

These are some testimonials from previous students

Testimonials

  • Better Therapist

    “Thank you, Jo. The skills I am learning are informing my practice and making me an all-round better therapist”.

  • Mind-Blowingly Excellent

    I wanted to deepen my practice and bolster my confidence after qualifying at level 4 and the level 5 in attachment therapy is doing just that. What has stood out for me, amongst mamy things is the access to quality resources and the kindness of the tutors.
    Ruth Duncan
    Level 5

  • Generous and Well Held

    I’ve found the first term of the attachment-based training to be generous and well-held. The learning is rigorous without feeling rushed, and there’s space for reflection where material inevitably lands personally. It feels like a solid foundation for the work ahead.
    Lucy Castro
    Level 5

  • Profound Transformation!

    This attachment-based training has profoundly transformed both my counselling practice and my relationship with myself. It has deepened my capacity to stay present with complexity, to think relationally rather than diagnostically, and to understand client behaviours through an attachment-informed lens rather than a pathologising one. I feel more attuned, more confident in my clinical decision-making, and more compassionate — both towards my clients and towards myself as a practitioner. The integration of theory with lived clinical reality has been genuinely transformative, not just intellectually but emotionally and relationally. This training has reshaped how I work, how I listen, and how I understand human suffering and resilience. Joanne has been an incredible teacher, who has put the passion back into my learning, my peers have been so supportive of my development and I thank them very much for being a part of my journey.
    Francoise Bicker
    Level 5

  • Theory and Practice

    “It’s been amazing to use this knowledge in my practice, and to hear from the other therapists how they are applying the theory in their own practice and the benefits this has had for clients. I’m loving how the knowledge and discussion are developing me both professionally and personally.
    Viewing relationships through an attachment lens has been so insightful for my client work and life-changing in my personal life.
    Claire
    Level 5

  • I’ve learnt so much and it compliments much of what I had already learnt with more structure and rationale which has helped my confidence, especially as a private practitioner. The reflective questions are always so good.
    One note has been easy to use.

  • “Incredibly insightful, information and theories that resonate absolutely. Lots of theoretical knowledge is shared through lectures and reinforced with lots of additional reading (if you choose to read it, it’s not an expectation). Lots of chances to connect with peers and explore learning in breakout sessions, which is an incredible learning experience.

  • “This course is complemented by the insight of how attachment theory is used in therapy with real-life examples, beautifully explained and explored.”

  • “The amount of personal growth this course has given me is immense”!

  • “I am genuinely loving this course, it’s pushing me out of my comfort zone both professionally and personally, and it’s clarifying so many things that never sat right but couldn’t pinpoint. “

  • Thank you Jo 💫
    Everyone should do this course – what a different world it would be♥️

  • “I have thoroughly enjoyed this course and it has helped me both personally and in my therapeutic work far more than I anticipated. I have felt both supported and challenged in my studies alongside my work and would highly recommend this course to any colleague who has an interest in attachment psychotherapy.”

  • I thoroughly enjoyed this course and believe it to be the best I have undertaken so far – and I have completed many over the years! The learning was challenging and in-depth, offering valuable insights that significantly deepened my understanding of attachment in the therapy room.

  • Integrating Attachment-Based Psychotherapy into Clinical Practice has been life-changing. I have gained an understanding of my attachment styles, my attachment needs and defences. When working with clients it has enabled a deeper understanding of their attachment wounds and how this has impacted their future relationships. The course is well structured, and I have felt supported throughout. I recommend it to any professional seeking to deepen their understanding of attachment and its application within the therapeutic alliance.

  • Best Course Ever!

    I’m on this level 5 attachment and loss course with Jo and it’s one of the best courses I’ve ever had the pleasure of being on, for so many reasons. Firstly the topic is incredibly detailed and fascinating, but it also builds self-awareness to another level, testing your own attachment style and how it plays out with others. It’s changed the way I see all relationships and how I present with all my clients and how I help clients manage their grief and loss.
    On top of that, Jo and my tutor Joanne, are brilliant, caring, efficient and well organised. I feel secure and safe and have a wonderful group of students alongside me. I’ll be honestly sad to end this course. I can not recommend this enough! It should be a prerequisite for every single therapist and coach!
    Thank you Jo! You are amazing! 😊

  • I highly recommend Jo’s Level 5 Attachment-Based Psychotherapy course at Optima Health Services. The first term of theory was challenging yet incredibly rewarding, offering me invaluable insights and knowledge to enhance my clinical practice. Case studies and self-reflective work integrate and consolidate the theory, connecting it to practice.
    Jo is a brilliant tutor. She is knowledgeable, experienced, and truly passionate about the subject. Her enthusiasm and expertise shine through in every session, making complex concepts accessible and engaging. She fosters a learning environment that encourages self-awareness, which has been pivotal in my personal and professional growth.
    This course is profoundly influencing my practice. By integrating theory into clinical applications, I have refined my approach and developed greater self-awareness, which I believe enhances the therapeutic experience for clients in my clinical practice.
    If you are aiming to deepen your understanding of attachment-based psychotherapy and enhance your clinical practice, I wholeheartedly recommend this course and Jo as a tutor. It has been a transformative experience!

  • I am currently studying a level 5 in Attachment Based Therapy with Optima. The course has consolidated all of my counselling training to date and given me a greater understanding of how relational patterns develop and how past experiences affect our current ones. I highly recommend this course to any therapist looking to gain experience in this field and incorporate into your practice.

  • Amazing and challenging course both at the same time! The content packs a punch and is so content-rich and super organised! One of the best online courses I’ve ever been on. I can’t recommend this enough. It has changed me personally, transformed my clinical practice, and binds so many theories together. It also provides cutting-edge evidence that helps practitioners offer some psychoeducation that is invaluable to clients from an evidence-based perspective. I had a wonderful group of cohorts, too! Thanks, Jo and Joanne. Very supportive and genuinely caring and helpful in every way. I’ll miss my group and my tutor.

  • This course has been such a blessing and it has really helped me progress as a therapist. I feel like the work I do now with existing clients is so much deeper than what I could offer before. I believe that this is because I can offer so much more of myself now to my clients as I am slowly learning how to become more secure in myself. I did not realise how much I had to work on my attachment wounds before this course and how much this has been affecting me in my client work either. I still have a long way to go but I am really proud of myself for pushing through this and feel extremely humbled for the opportunity to be a part of the training and learn so much more about myself and my history. I feel like I have been able to develop more compassion for who I am too, rather than see my insecurities as weaknesses. It has helped me to slowly drop part of that critical voice inside my head saying I am not good enough and learn how to parent and nurture myself in a way. I think the saying is true that you can only take your clients as far as you have taken yourself and this training is proof of that. It is without a doubt the best course I have ever done for both personal and professional growth, so I am truly grateful. I will be recommending it for years to come. I believe that every therapist should do this course.

  • The Attachment course run by Jo is incredible! Jo has so much knowledge to share, and she supports her student’s journey throughout. I highly recommend Jo as a tutor and the course, especially if you want to learn more about yourself and help your clients.

  • I am very grateful to Jo for delivering this course and feel that it is just what I needed to tie the threads of all of my studies over the years to become an integrated therapist. I truly can feel the saying, ‘trust the process’

  • Understanding Relational Patterns

    I am currently studying the Level 5 attachment-based psychotherapy diploma and I am really enjoying it. The course is written in a way that builds knowledge of theory whilst showing how this integrates into practice. The way I work with clients has changed, I am now able to offer a deeper more relational experience and the course has given me access to useful resources and tools to aid my practice. I recommend this course 100%.
    Vickie Fox
    Level 5

  • Hi Jo,
    I just wanted to reach out and say thank you so very much for this course, and your way of being in it.
    The content is resonating with me on a very deep level. What is more important for me is that you have restored my faith in the profession – my last educational experience was horrific and, in some ways, quite traumatising so I just wanted to say thank you for the time, effort and energy you have put into this course.

  • This course has been the most impactful learning I have ever undertaken both personally and professionally. I have found a theory that I understand and relate to and provides a clear map for interventions.

  • The experience of the course and delivery was therapeutic in itself. I found the sessions incredibly interesting, with an amazing cohort of people. Jo and all the other students bought a rich wealth of knowledge and experience which has been invaluable to my development. Each session was insightful and interesting with room for everyone to contribute, keeping the sessions fresh and engaging. Even the session on ethics was really interesting!

  • Jo did a brilliant job of keeping the sessions emotionally safe and contained, holding space for each student and ensuring they felt valued. I felt privileged to hear each student’s attachment journey and share mine in such a safe, supportive environment.

  • The workload has been difficult to manage at times and more than I expected it to be. I found completing the journals, learning reviews difficult to manage alongside writing assignments. For someone who had never done a CPCAB course before, this came as quite a shock. I also found mapping criteria difficult at first.
    During breakout rooms, I never once made it to the last question, although I suspect this was because I was often too engaged in rich discussions.
    II would wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of theory and of self. I can honestly say the course has transformed the relationships in my life, not only with my loved ones, but with my clients and most importantly myself.