The Emotional Dance of Attachment

Conceptualized as an emotional dance between the child and the primary caregiver, this article summarizes the primary principles of attachment theory as they pertain to clinical practice. The development of the attachment relationship goes smoothly in a secure attachment because the caregiver and child are effectively attuned to one another’s needs. Insecure attachment, on the other hand, occurs when the emotional dance goes awry leaving both the caregiver and the child with an emotional void. The article summarizes current treatment models geared specifically toward helping parent–child dyads resolve attachment problems.