Transcript Slide 1
Tim Clinton, Ed.D.
Gary Sibcy, II, Ph.D.
Joshua Straub, Ph.D.
Brain Mind Relation ship
Neural Networks—based on experience The Brain as a “social organ” Neural Plasticity Neural Integration Gene Expression Enriched Environments
◦ How the brain grows Bottom to top; right to left Integrated, regulated brain ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Top to bottom; left and right Finding the Zone— Support—safe, regulated Challenge—emotional activation Think—label, communicate, problem solve Relate—attend, back-and-forth, collaborative
◦ ◦ ◦ Brain wires itself based on experience Asks several questions: Is the world a safe place?
Can I count on my caregiver’s to help me in time of need?
Can I get the care I need when I need it?
Care = Love
◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Implicit Memory— Present at birth Includes behavioral, emotional, perceptual, body Mental models—states become traits Conscious attention not required for encoding No sense of recollection when memories recalled Does not involve hippocampus—mostly amygdala and limbic-motoric
◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Explicit Memory Emerges in second year of life Sense of recollection when recalled If autobiographical, sense of self and time present Includes semantic (factual) and episodic (autobiographical) Requires conscious attention Involves hippocampus—converts to context If autobiographical—involves prefrontal cortex
◦ Sensitive, timely responses to child’s distress Enhance regulation, brain stem, limbic system Stimulate integration of these systems, ultimately through integration of these systems with the middle prefrontal cortex
The Big Five
Seeks Proximity in times of trouble
Safe Haven Experience
Secure Base
Exploration
Separation
anxiety/anger
Loss
Grief
Self-Confidence/Exploration Felt security
Secure Base
Caregiver’s Signal detection Safe Haven Perceived Threat
Signaling
◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ The middle prefrontal cortex Anterior cingualate Orbital prefrontal cortex The mediate prefrontal Ventral lateral All work together as a team
Body regulation- Attuned communication- Emotional balance- Response Flexibility- Insight— Empathy Mindsight Fear modulation Accessing intuition Morality
Parent Responses Themes Responsive/Attuned Rejecting/disengaged /overly Intrusive Inconsistent/Role reversal Frightening/ Threatening/ Dissociated Attachment Style Secure Avoidant Ambivalent Disorganized
AAI Classifications of Pre-term Mothers in Third Trimester of Pregnancy 70% ACCURACY Child Strange Situation Classification At Twelve –Months 75% TO 78% ACCURACY AAI Classification 16 To 20 Years Later
The Sacred Romance -- “Lover of our Soul” Love and Marriage -- Genesis 2:18-25; SOS; Matt.19; I Cor. 7; I Cor. 13; Eph.5:21 ff; I Peter 3:1-10 The Family -- Deut. 6:6-9, Psalm 127; I Tim. 5:8
Self Other •Am I worthy? •Am I capable?
•Am I willing?
•Are you trustworthy?
•Are accessible?
•Are you capable?
•Are you willing?
SELF
Positive View Low Anxiety Negative View High Anxiety
SECURE Comfortable with intimacy and autonomy DISMISSING Downplays intimacy, overly self-reliant PREOCCUPIED Preoccupied with relationships and abandonment FEARFUL Fearful of intimacy, socially avoidant
Figure 1.Bartholomew’s model of self and other
+ Other __ +
Secure Attachment
Self Dimension
I’m worthy of love I’m capable of getting the love I need
Other Dimension
Others are willing and able to love me I can count on you to be there for me _
Ambivalent Attachment
Self Dimension
I am not worth of love (I feel flawed) I’m not able to get love I need without being angry or clingy
Other Dimension
Capable but unwilling (bc my flaws) May abandon me (bc my flaws)
Avoidant Attachment
Self Dimension
I’m worthy of love (false pride) I’m capable of getting love I want and need (false sense of mastery)
Other Dimension
Others are incompetent Others are untrustworthy
Fearful Attachment
Self Dimension
I’m not worthy of love I’m unable to get the love I need
Other Dimension
Others are unwilling Others are unable Others are abusive, I deserve it
Secure Attachment
Full range
Good control
Self-soothes
Shares feelings
Ok with others’ feelings
Capable of accurate empathy
Avoidant Attachment
Restricted Range
Too much control
Uses things to soothe self, prone to addictions
Keeps feelings at a distance
Doesn’t share feelings
Restricted empathy
Ambivalent Attachment
Full range
Poor control
Can’t self soothe
Shares Feelings too much
Overwhelms others with their feelings
Uses feelings instrumentally to gain proximity
Disorganized Attachment
Full Range, but few positive feelings
Poor control
Can’t self-soothe
Can’t really share with others
Overwhelmed by others feelings
Dissociates when in face of strong emotion
Secure Attachment
Comfortable with closeness
Shares feelings and dreams
Willing to commit
Balances closeness and distance
Avoidant Attachment
Not comfortable with closeness
Withholds feelings and dreams
Difficulty with commitment
Distances
Ambivalent Attachment
Desires closeness, but never seems to have enough
Wants to merge with other
Preoccupied with abandonment
Clings and criticizes
Crisis
attachment
Disorganized Attachment
Desires closeness, but fears and avoids it
Wants to merge, then wants to distance
Terrified of abandonment
Sabotages closeness
Attracted to people who victimize
Kirkpatrick ◦ Reframes attachment within religious context Christian conception of God satisfies Ainsworth’s attachment criteria: Seeks closeness in times of trouble Safe Haven Exploration Separation anxiety/anger Loss Grief Christian Attachment Therapy 27
Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.(NIV) Ps 17:6-10 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me. They close up their callous hearts, and their mouths speak with arrogance.(NIV) Christian Attachment Therapy 28
Ps 46:1-4 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah Christian Attachment Therapy 29
-Research shows people seek God for a safe haven and secure base during times of stress. Most researched area of attachment theory in the context of religion In times of emotional distress or loss, it has been found that people: -turn to prayer rather than the church -grieving persons tend to increase their faith and religious devotion -soldiers pray more frequently in combat -times of death and divorce -fears associated with serious illness -emotional crises -relationship problems -other negative events
As substitute attachment figure (Kirkpatrick, 1992) Provides “felt security” (Sroufe, 1977) More similar to parent-child relationship but moderate and consistent link to romantic attachment (Kirkpatrick, 1992, 1999; Rowatt & Kirkpatrick, 2002) Measured on two dimensions: Anxiety and Avoidance (Beck & McDonald, 2004)
THE ATTACHMENT TO GOD INVENTORY scale (Beck and McDonald, 2004) The Experiences in Close Relationships (Brennan et al. 1998) -Avoidance of Intimacy -Anxiety about Abandonment
Increased anxiety of abandonment Preoccupation and worry Angry protest Increased jealousy Resentment Concerns that they are lovable Increased Avoidance A reluctance to communicate Avoidance of emotionality Obsessive self-reliance
Attachment style impacts how God is viewed ◦ Secure : He is there, I can count on Him. He will accepts me, in spite of my flaws ◦ ◦ ◦ Avoidant Him.
: He isn’t there for me when I need Him. I will have to go at life alone. I don’t really need Ambivalent : I’m too flawed; God is sure to reject me. I probably committed the unpardonable sin Disorganized : I’m flawed, beyond repair. God will strike me down if I turn toward Him. He will surely reject or punish me.
Christian Attachment Therapy 34
-God may serve as a compensatory attachment figure for individuals displaying insecure attachment patterns (Kirkpatrick & Shaver, 1997, 1998).
--avoidant attachment types had higher incidents of sudden conversions. These results indicate that God may serve the role of a substitute attachment figure (emotional compensation), compensating for the distant, unresponsive care giving style they experienced in infancy and childhood. This hypothesis is based upon Ainsworth’s (1985) findings that those with insecure attachment styles seek substitute objects of attachment.
proposes that individuals with secure attachment styles are more likely to sustain a future belief and relationship with God because a foundation has been established throughout childhood. This hypothesis is based on Bowlby’s (1969) idea that relationship permanence and stability stem from stable working models of attachment (Kirkpatrick & Shaver, 1997, 1998).
According to this hypothesis--the explanation to the root of religiousness in securely attached individuals may be derived “from without”, or socialization processes, whereas the religiousness of the insecurely attached individual may be derived “from within”, or emotional regulation (Granqvist & Hagekull).
The connection between attachment insecurity and sudden religious conversion may be considered the most robust and corroborated finding from the research on attachment and religion…This interpretation is in line with ambivalents’ observed tendency to desperately seek care and easily fall in love, and may be a continuation of the inconsistency in parental caregiving that has been shown to be characteristic of parents in ambivalent dyads
Factual Emotional Volitional
Secure Childhood Secure Adult/Roman tic Corrective Relational Experience Trauma/Loss Insecure Childhood Insecure Adult/Roman tic Secure God Insecure God
Warmth and security—responsiveness and attunement Regulation so child is not overwhelmed Relatedness and engagement Back and forth emotional signaling and gesturing Problem solving Using ideas in meaningful and functional way Thinking and reasoning
Step I: Remember Your Story – Narrative Recall Step II: Recognize Your Pain and Need for Healing – “Can’t heal what you don’t feel” Step III: Reframe the Meaning of Your Story Step IV: Repair Your Story – ‘forgiveness, grace and acceptance’ Step V: Reconnect – deepening emotional strands of safety, trust and intimacy; able to accept influence from others.