Attachment is a word used to describe a simple idea – the relationship with someone you love or whose opinions are important to you – so why is so much of the language relating to attachment so obscure, and why is it so challenging to help children who lack healthy attachment bonds? Attachment in Common Sense and Doodles aims to bring some clarity and simplicity to the subject. Providing grounded information and advice accompanied by a series of simple 'doodles' throughout, it explains attachment in language that is easy to understand and describes how to apply this information in everyday life. It describes how the attachment patterns in children who are adopted or fostered differ, summarises the latest research in the field and provides advice on how to repair attachment difficulties and to build create secure, loving relationships. Covering all of the 'need to know' issues including how to spot attachment difficulties, how build resilience and empathy and responding to problematic behaviour, this book will be an invaluable resource for families and professionals caring for children who are fostered, adopted or who have experienced early trauma. Reviews: 'With theory as her cloth and ideas as her cottons, the author creates a rich tapestry that clearly and beautifully evokes the dance between children and their caregivers that is the story of attachment. From its earliest antecedents in the maternal womb to its revelation and evolution across the lifespan, the content of this book offers hope and validation of caregiving that sets children up for a lifetime of success, happiness and insightful caregiving of their own children. Though written with the caregivers of looked after children in mind, there is a depth and breadth to this book that will satisfy a broad audience of adults who hold a caring concern for all children.' - Colby Pearce, Principal Clinical Psychologist, Secure Start, Australia and author of A Short Introduction to Attachment and Attachment Disorder and A Short Introduction to Promoting Resilience in Children 'Miriam Silver [has produced] one of the most accessible narratives I have seen on the subject of attachment… her techniques are realistic, clearly well practiced and intelligently selected... I hope you'll pick up Attachment in Common Sense and Doodles and enjoy the grin that will take over your face as you marvel at how cleverly you've been taken step by step through the attachment journey. Surely there's nothing more wonderful than seeing some grand and potentially nebulous theory be so well packaged into bite-size chunks. Enjoy one of the most delicious intellectually informed clinical thought meals you're going to have in your life. It did the trick. This book is definitely my attachment security blanket.' - From the Foreword by Camila Batmanghelidjh, Trained Psychotherapist and founder of The Place2Be and Kids Company, UK Contents: Acknowledgements. Foreword by Camila Batmanghelidjh. Preface. 1.What is Attachment and Why Does it Matter? 2. Can Attachment Patterns Change? 3. What is 'Good Enough' Care, and What Does it Do? 4. Shaping Behaviour. 5. Effects of Parenting on the Infant's Brain. 6. Through the Generations. 7. Changing Patterns – The Tug of War of Attachment. 8. Arousal Revisited. 9. The Calm and the Storm. 10. Diagnoses. 11. Understanding Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviours. 12. Parenting with PACE. 13. Layers. 14. Shame and Changing the Norm. 15. Roles and Belonging. 16. Stories. 17. Time Holes and Triggers. 18. Patterns That Suck Us In. 19. Heroes. Appendix 1: The Impact of Poor Early Care. Appendix 2: Additional Reading. References. Index. About the Author:
Dr Miriam Silver is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist who specialises in parenting, attachment issues and the impact of early trauma. She has led a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services team providing services for looked after and adopted children as well as conducting court expert witness work in Care proceedings. She holds two academic posts and has conducted research in risk and resilience factors in adoptive matching and the development, mental health and wellbeing of children who no longer live with their biological family. For several years she was chair of the national network of Clinical Psychologists working with Looked After and Adopted Children within the British Psychological Society.
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