To wrap up my attachment series, I'd like to offer a visual representation of the four attachment styles. For my visual learners out there, this may add some clarity to my previous discussions of the secure and three insecure styles.
Without going back to look at my previous posts, can you answer these questions?
- What researchers are most closely associated with the four attachment styles?
- What do each of these styles entail?
- What landmark study laid the groundwork for the four attachment styles?
- Our relationships with our c_________ lay the foundation for our adult attachments.
Practice some self-awareness as you study these quadrants. What aspects of this image are helpful to you? Which are unhelpful? Does describing the image and its meanings out loud clarify it for you? Does teaching someone else about it help you to understand it yourself?
Additional study exercises for attachment:
Practice some self-reflection using the four styles. Understanding that you will probably not always identify with a single style all of the time, think about which one(s) seem the most relevant in specific relationships. How has your attachment changed over time? What has brought healing?
Contextualizing study material as it holds meaning in your life and your clients' lives can really bring the message home and make this content easier to recall on exam day.