How to Heal Attachment Wounds | Elizabeth Ferreira, Being Well

Attachment wounds are emotional injuries that develop based on painful experiences with those we care about. These experiences create a kind of blueprint we carry around for how relationships work, and when that internal model is based on fear and pain, it's hard for our relationships to thrive. Somatic therapist Elizabeth Ferreira joins the show to help us understand how we can heal old wounds and develop more secure forms of relating.

Elizabeth and I explore how early experiences shape our relationships, with a particular focus on a common paradox: deeply wanting connection while simultaneously fearing intimacy. We discuss fearful attachment, how Elizabeth approaches working with attachment wounds in clinical practice, complex PTSD, self-abandonment, facing our dreaded experience, setting healthy boundaries, and navigating relationships where fearful attachment patterns are present.

About our Guest: Elizabeth Ferreira is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist working in California. She specializes in somatic approaches to trauma work.

Key Topics:
0:00 Introduction
0:55 Elizabeth’s experience of fearful attachment
7:30 What does working with a therapist look like?
12:20 Learning to create boundaries
21:50 Internal Family Systems, and how to dialog with our parts
27:55 Working with our protective parts, and self-criticism
31:50 Dialoguing with our inner child
39:25 Healthy anger, grief, and patience
44:00 What helped Elizabeth be vulnerable with Forrest
55:00 Disorganized moments, identifying needs, and taking in the good
1:02:30 Intent, impact, and reasonable limits
1:07:40 Becoming your own secure attachment figure, and healing in community
1:11:40 Recap

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Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (https://amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (https://apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.

I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice.

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