Clinical Services

To attach is instinctive. Attachment behaviors are necessary for an infant’s survival because they promote caretaking from parents. Attachment develops as a result of the cycle that occurs when an infant expresses a need and someone in the environment satisfies that need. When needs are repeatedly not met the infant cannot develop trust. Instead, a negative blueprint of the world is developed that can have serious consequences on the child’s social, emotional, and physical development.

Insecure attachments are associated with:

• History of abandonment, neglect, abuse, and/or multiple placements
• Indiscriminately seeks affection and/or comfort from strangers (i.e., pseudo-attachments)

• Anti-social behaviors (e.g., lying, stealing, manipulating, destructiveness, cruelty, fire-setting, aggression)

• Lack of authenticity, spontaneity, flexibility, and empathy

• Lack of physical affection and closeness and/or inappropriate clinginess

• Poor eye contact

• Problems with learning, attending, self-regulating, self-monitoring

• Abnormal eating and elimination patterns (e.g., wetting, soiling, hoarding food)

Assessing and Treating Attachment Disorders in Children

Identifying symptoms of attachment problems is only one part of a diagnosis. A diagnosis should only be made by a licensed professional trained in working with children and families and familiar with adoption and trauma issues.

An assessment at the Attachment Institute includes a structured interview of the child’s performance in various situations and contexts and a review of the birth and adoptive or foster families history. Well-researched measures including the Conners’ Rating Scale, Achenbach’s Child Behavioral Checklist, and the Randolph Attachment Disorder Questionnaire are also incorporated. Communication with former and current therapists is encouraged.

Attachment Therapy

• Treatment takes place in our outpatient setting following an assessment, during which the family demonstrates a satisfactory level of commitment to the child.

• Families are provided with a list of reading, materials and other resources and are encouraged to utilize these throughout the course of treatment.

• Attachment Therapy is an integrative treatment that utilizes elements of multiple therapies including cognitive-behavioral, object relations, psychodynamic, family therapies and biofeedback.

• Treatment typically requires 10 to 14 two-hour sessions

• Sessions are usually scheduled one day a week or every day for two weeks.

• Families learn to develop emotional attunement to address the child’s affective dysregulation.

• In most cases two therapists are assigned to each family.

• Therapists already involved with the family are strongly encouraged to participate.

• Primary caretakers are expected to attend each session. The child is frequently held on the parents’ lap to promote physical intimacy which is integral to the formation of a secure attachment.

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a specialized form of treatment for trauma, may also be used.

• Specialized educational and support groups are offered to primary caretakers.

• The fee for each session is $400.00. Some financial assistance may be available.

Dr. Suzanne Allen runs a parent support group for parents of children with Reactive Attachment Disorder which is sponsored by Adoption Journeys of Central MA. The group meets on alternating Mondays at 21 Cedar Street in Worcester. Families do not need to be in treatment with us to participate. There is no cost to attend. Please contact Dr. Allen for more information at (508) 799-2663.

Dr. Peg Kirby teaches a 7 week Parenting with Love and Logic class. The cost is $110 per family. Both parents may attend for the same price. A textbook is included. This class is appropriate for teaching all parents COOL parenting, and all children how to be more respectful, responsible and fun to be with. This class is highly recommended for parents of children with Reactive Attachment Disorder as an effective tool to help parents parent calmly and rationally. More information under events.

All of our clinicians are registered members of ATTACh.

Please contact us to find out more about these services.