When Opposites Attract (and Antagonize) Therapeutic Strategies for Anxious-Avoidant Partners (3HR)

This training is designed for clinicians who want to deepen their understanding of attachment dynamics in romantic relationships. Together, we will explore the unique emotional choreography between anxious and avoidant partners: the push-pull patterns that can foster both intense connection and painful disconnection. Through an integration of attachment theory, neurobiology, and experiential techniques, participants will learn how to help clients recognize their relational cycles, increase emotional tolerance, and cultivate secure-functioning behaviors. Practical interventions and case examples will be emphasized to equip clinicians with tools they can immediately apply in their work with couples.

Upon completion of the training, participants will be able to:

• Implement at least three clinical strategies to help clients increase emotional safety, reduce polarization, and foster secure attachment within the relationship.
• Describe the core features and behavioral patterns of anxious and avoidant attachment styles in adult romantic relationships.
• Identify and interrupt common reactivity cycles that occur between anxious and avoidant partners using attachment-informed interventions.

Instructor: Dreya Blume, LCSW

 

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