990-Confronting Grief and Insecure Attachment: Trauma Informed Counseling Tools

**Summary: Complicated Grief and Attachment by Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes**

[Watch the video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0duJ33ymig)

**Outline Summary:**

1. **Introduction**

  - Presenter: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes

  - Topic: Complicated Grief and Attachment

  - Objectives: Define complicated grief, explore the overlap with trauma, identify risk factors, and explore tasks for successful grief resolution.

2. **Definitions**

  - **Loss**: Change that includes being without someone or something, focusing on primary attachment relationships.

  - **Secondary Loss**: Results from a primary loss, e.g., emotional unavailability of a caregiver due to substance abuse or depression.

  - **Grief**: Reaction to loss encompassing physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual dimensions.

  - **Trauma**: Any situation causing extreme distress, not necessarily PTSD-level.

3. **Primary Attachment Relationship**

  - Forms between 0-18 months, critical up to age 5.

  - Disruptions can have lasting psychological and physical effects.

  - Quality characterized by trust, safety, and security.

4. **Impact of Early Attachment**

  - Influences social and emotional outcomes.

  - Predicts future interactions and relationships.

  - Secure attachments help children feel loved, accepted, and valuable.

5. **Effects of Technology and Modern Parenting**

  - Increasing emotional unavailability due to technology.

  - Shift in family dynamics with daycare and dual-working parents.

  - Importance of being emotionally and cognitively present.

6. **Consequences of Attachment Disruption**

  - Anxiety, irritability, and sleep disturbances.

  - Difficulty forming future relationships and managing emotions.

  - Potential for cognitive and learning disruptions.

7. **Reconciliation Tasks**

  - Acknowledge reality of the loss.

  - Develop new self-identity and intimate relationships.

  - Enhance emotional balance, confidence, and self-esteem.

8. **Intervention Strategies**

  - Mindfulness and distress tolerance skills.

  - Encouragement of supportive adult attachments.

  - Support for parents and screening for postpartum depression.

**Time Codes for Major Points:**

0:00 Introduction by Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes

3:15 Definitions of Loss, Grief, and Trauma

12:30 Importance of Primary Attachment Relationship

22:45 Impact of Technology and Modern Parenting

34:50 Consequences of Attachment Disruption

48:20 Reconciliation Tasks and Intervention Strategies

Feel free to ask if you need further details or a more in-depth explanation on any part of the video!

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