Attachment Trauma Therapy in San Diego
Explore your story of connection. Build strong connections.
From our earliest moments in life, we are wired for connection. The bonds we form with our first caregivers write the blueprint for how we see ourselves, how we relate to others, and how safe we feel in the world.
When these foundational connections are inconsistent, neglectful, or frightening, it can leave deep wounds that ripple throughout our lives.
I’m Allie, a licensed therapist in San Diego, and I have a deep passion for helping people heal from the impacts of attachment trauma. My experience as a therapist in both California and Colorado has helped me understand that the need for secure connection as one of the most powerful forces in our lives.
This understanding led me to train deeply in multiple modalities that can help effectively heal these specific wounds: EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Somatic Therapy.
Through therapy, we’ll help you move beyond old patterns and build the secure, loving relationships you deserve.
Understanding attachment trauma
Attachment trauma isn't always about a single, major event. It can be the result of a thousand small moments of disconnection—having a caregiver who was emotionally unavailable, overly critical, or struggling with their own unresolved issues.
This can leave an imprint on our nervous system, manifesting in adulthood as:
A deep-seated fear of abandonment or, conversely, a fear of being engulfed by intimacy.
Difficulty trusting others, even when they’ve proven to be safe.
A pattern of anxious, avoidant, or chaotic relationships.
A harsh inner critic and a chronic feeling of being "unlovable" or "too much."
Feeling disconnected from your body or emotions.
These are not character flaws; they are adaptive strategies your younger self developed to survive. In our work together, we will honor these strategies with compassion as we gently build new pathways toward safety and connection.
An integrated approach to healing attachment trauma
As a San Diego attachment therapist, I understand that healing the relational wounds of the past requires a holistic approach that addresses your mind, body, and internal system.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): As an EMDR Certified Therapist, I use this powerful tool to target and reprocess the specific memories and core negative beliefs (like "I am not worthy") that are stuck in your nervous system. EMDR can neutralize the emotional charge of past hurts, allowing you to move forward without being pulled back into old pain.
Internal Family Systems (IFS): Using the compassionate lens of IFS, we’ll get to know the "parts" of you that carry the burdens of attachment wounds. We'll listen to the young, exiled parts that hold loneliness and fear, and we’ll understand the protective parts that built walls to keep you safe. This fosters deep self-compassion and inner harmony.
Somatic Therapy: Attachment is a full-body experience. We will gently pay attention to your body's wisdom—the sensations, gestures, and postures that tell the story of your early connections. This body-centered approach helps regulate your nervous system and builds a felt sense of safety from the inside out.
Heal from attachment trauma and build stronger connections
Healing from attachment trauma means coming home to yourself. It’s about learning that you are worthy of relationships that feel safe, supportive, and deeply nourishing.
If you are in San Diego, or anywhere in California, and are searching for a therapist to guide you on this journey to heal and improve your connections with others, I invite you to reach out.
Contact me today to schedule a free, confidential consultation.