Adult Children of Disengaged Parents - As Observed by a Bareiter Therapist
Work with a Bareiter Therapist to Heal the wounds of Disconnection and Unhealthy Attachment Styles.
As I work with clients struggling in relationships - whether being relationally avoidant or struggling to connect on a deeper level with those in their lives, I have begun to see a pattern in their stories. As I get a detailed family history and ask questions about relationships and how their vulnerability was dealt with growing up - more and more people share about feeling unseen, unimportant, misunderstood, or not emotionally connected within their families.
This disconnection takes many forms - parents working so much that they are not around or available; parents distracted or burying their trauma; emotionally struggling; addictive behavior; marital tension, among other issues. These issues may be an epigenetic form of relational trauma passed down through the generations.
In addition, we live in a culture of distraction and numbing through our devices. We are increasingly disengaged, lacking eye contact and real social interaction. This has a subtle and devastating effect on our sense of community and connectedness.
Clients lacking healthy and secure attachments to their primary caretakers are left as children to figure life out independently. This lack of attachment often breeds an inability to form healthy adult love relationships - repeating the pattern of distracted or disengaged parenting or extreme codependency. We also see other symptoms such as addictive behavior, self-medication, and lack of connection within and without.
It is possible to heal and stop this cycle of wounding in your family and friendships.
Work with a Bareiter Therapist to Heal the wounds of Disconnection and Unhealthy Attachment Styles.
Whether the modality is Internal Family Systems (IFS), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Experiential Therapy, Individual, Couple, or Group Intensive Intensives - your early relational wounds can be healed. The most significant factor in healing is the relationship between client and therapist. You can heal and learn to foster healthy adult attachments.
Acknowledging your struggles and moving courageously towards addressing them will considerably impact your life and generations in your family - you can leave a legacy of healthy attachment and connection.
Contact Bareiter Counseling Center to assess your relational health and connection.
