Gordon Neufeld’s beautiful words offer a simple but profound truth about human development: “To foster independence we must first invite dependence… We liberate children not by making them work for our love but by letting them rest in it.” Most parents instinctively feel the wisdom in this, even if the world around them sometimes encourages…
Everything in life comes back to relationships — how we relate to others, the world around us, and, most importantly, ourselves. And in our most intimate relationships, the places where we feel most loved are often the same places where our deepest triggers show up. It’s why so many couples reach a point where they…
When most people hear the words “couples retreat,” they imagine something halfway between a spa break and a reality show — scented candles, a bit of yoga, possibly some awkward confession circles, and someone weeping into a herbal tea. What happens at a couples retreat? But the reality of a couple’s therapy retreat is something…
We are, at our core, relational beings. Wired for Connection: Attachment, Loneliness, and Love in the Age of AI We are, at our core, relational beings. From our first breath, we are wired to seek safety, comfort, and meaning through connection with others. Attachment is not a luxury of childhood — it is the survival…
When Expectation Meets Reality Therapists spend a lot of time helping clients make sense of disappointment — that aching gap between what we hoped for and what is. But if we’re honest, we’re not immune to it ourselves. We expect to feel centred and compassionate every day, to know what we’re doing, to manage our…
Signs Your Relationship Needs a Couples Retreat Every relationship goes through seasons — some warm and bright, others stormy or stagnant. That’s normal. But when the storm clouds linger or the spark feels like it’s fading, couples often wonder: “Is this just a phase, or do we need help?” Attachment theory reminds us that our…
Neuroscience: Bowlby’s Ideas Meet the Modern Brain Bowlby’s brilliance lay not only in his observations but in his ability to weave ideas from multiple disciplines into a coherent model of human connection. For clinicians, understanding these influences can provide richer insight into why early relationships are so foundational.Neuroscience: Bowlby’s Ideas Meet the Modern Brain While…
Decoding Attachment: The Surprising Ways Early Experiences Shape Our Stress Response As counsellors and psychotherapists, we witness firsthand how early attachment experiences leave lasting imprints on the mind and body. But what if we told our clients that these early relationships literally shape their brain’s wiring—especially when it comes to stress? Understanding the neuroscience of…
Attachment-Based Therapy Isn’t “Too Abstract”—Here’s How Neuroscience Makes It Practical If you’ve ever dismissed attachment-based therapy as too abstract or “theoretical,” you’re not alone. It’s easy to feel that way when terms like secure attachment, internal working models, or attachment styles are thrown around in ways that sound more academic than actionable. But here’s the…
Detecting and Unlocking Hidden Attachment Patterns In the ever-evolving landscape of mental health and psychotherapy, attachment-based psychotherapeutic counselling is emerging as a transformative approach to healing relational wounds and fostering emotional resilience. By detecting hidden patterns of insecure attachment through observable client behaviours and neurobiological cues, we gain profound insights into how past experiences shape…