Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

Attachment Masterclass: Sue Johnson, Rick Hanson, Julie Mennano, and Elizabeth Ferreira

Dec 23, 2024

Dr. Sue Johnson, a pioneer in Emotionally Focused Therapy, joins forces with Julie Mennano, a relationship coach, and Elizabeth Ferreira, a trauma-informed therapist, to delve into the intricacies of attachment theory. They explore how childhood experiences shape adult relationships and examine the four main attachment styles. Insights include strategies for 'hold me tight' conversations, overcoming anxious-avoidant dynamics, and healing attachment wounds through vulnerability. This engaging discussion offers listeners practical tools for fostering emotional connection and healthier relationships.

02:01:45

Episode guests

Elizabeth Ferreira

Julie Mennano

Sue Johnson

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Each individual has a unique attachment style impacting their relational behaviors, with four primary styles identified: secure, anxious, avoidant, and fearful.

Embracing vulnerability and authenticity in communication is essential for fostering deeper connections and breaking maladaptive relational patterns.

Understanding the dynamics of the anxious-avoidant cycle sheds light on common relational conflicts and promotes healthier interaction patterns.

Positive social experiences and emotional safety are crucial for healing attachment wounds and creating emotional resilience in relationships.

Deep dives

Understanding Attachment Theory

Attachment theory is founded on the understanding that early relationships significantly influence adult relationships. It simplifies human attachment into four main styles based on perceptions of self and others: secure, anxious, avoidant, and fearful. Secure attachment comes from a positive view of both oneself and others, while anxious attachment results from a negative self-image but a positive view of others. Avoidant attachment is characterized by a positive self-image but a negative view of others, and fearful attachment reflects negativity toward both oneself and others. Recognizing these styles helps individuals understand the underpinnings of their relationship behaviors.

Intro

4min

Healing Insecure Attachments

18min

Understanding Avoidant Attachment Dynamics

8min

Navigating Avoidant Attachment and Self-Care

4min

Navigating Fear of Abandonment

16min

Cultivating Secure Attachment

22min

Understanding Relationship Dynamics

15min

Reflecting on Self and Relationships

14min

Healing Through Vulnerability and Self-Reflection

2min

10.

Navigating Vulnerability in Relationships

14min

11.

Understanding Vulnerability and Emotional Safety in Relationships

3min

Why do some people navigate the social world with such ease while others feel like they're swimming upstream? In this special episode of Being Well, Forrest is joined by four leading experts for a masterclass on the science of attachment. Featuring conversations with Dr. Sue Johnson, Dr. Rick Hanson, Julie Mennano, and Elizabeth Ferreira, this carefully curated episode gives you a map to becoming more socially confident, emotionally intelligent, and authentically connected.

Topics include:

The four fundamental patterns that influence how we show up in every social interaction.
Dr. Sue Johnson's guide to having deeper, more meaningful "hold me tight" conversations.
Dr. Rick Hanson’s approach to working with self-abandonment.
Julie Mennano on working with the anxious-avoidant dance that brings so many couples to therapy.
Elizabeth Ferreira’s somatic and trauma-informed perspective on healing attachment wounds.

Rick’s Yearly Program: Rick’s Foundations of Well-Being 2.0 is a year-long, science-backed journey through developing 12 key inner strengths like mindfulness, motivation, and confidence. It’s currently on sale, and if you like Being Well we think you’ll love it. Follow the link here and use coupon code beingwell20 for an additional 20% off: RickHanson.com/FWB

You can watch this episode on YouTube.

Key Topics:

0:00: Introduction

3:35: Rick Hanson: How to become securely attached

31:20: Working with common attachment wounds

47:35: Sue Johnson: How to have a bonding conversation

1:09:35: Julie Mennano: The attachment mistakes that bring people to therapy, and how secure couples relate differently

1:22:25: Rick Hanson: Self-abandonment, anxious attachment, and how to build up a greater sense of self-worth and self-trust

1:40:30: Elizabeth Ferreira: Creating a secure relationship

1:56:50: Recap and outro

About our Guests: Dr. Sue Johnson is a clinical psychologist, researcher, professor, and the founder of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), a widely used and respected approach to couples therapy. She is considered one of the foremost experts in the field of attachment, and has received numerous awards for her contributions to the field of psychotherapy. Dr. Johnson is also the author of seven books, including the best-selling Hold Me Tight.

Elizabeth Ferreira is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist working in California. She specializes in somatic approaches to trauma work.

Julie Menanno a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and Relationship Coach. She is the founder of The Secure Relationship coaching method, and maintains an instagram of the same name with over 1M followers. She is also the author of Secure Love.

I am now writing on Substack, check out my work there.

Support the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.

Sponsors

Use promo code hanson at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/hanson.

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code BEINGWELL at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world’s largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month!

Transform your health with the ZOE Science & Nutrition podcast. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.

Connect with the show:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more