December Monthly Forum with Irina Wen PhD

Trauma does not happen in isolation, and neither does healing. Our earliest attachment experiences shape how we experience safety, regulate emotions, and navigate closeness and vulnerability in relationships. Trauma can profoundly disrupt these capacities, often creating patterns of disconnection, emotional reactivity, and protective withdrawal.

In this workshop, we will explore the intersection of trauma and attachment through the lens of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), an experiential, attachment-based model of psychotherapy. We will examine how trauma shapes relational patterns, how attachment injuries and unmet needs contribute to emotional distress, and how intimate relationships can become both sources of threat and powerful resources for healing.

Drawing on attachment science, EFT principles, and clinical examples, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how to recognize and work with attachment dynamics in both individual and couples therapy. Particular attention will be given to identifying protective strategies, accessing underlying emotions and attachment needs, and fostering…