Why you feel inadequate or guilty on Mother's Day or any day may be linked to your experiences growing up.
John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth research showed that a secure attachment begins in infancy. Babies watch their caregiver to explore and find responsive comfort. How we think and feel as adults is often linked to early caregiving that was inconsistent, erratic, neglectful and or distant. Children develop early internal models of themselves based on their early experiences and these often guide future behaviours especially in intimate relationships. How we connect and trust others and our self esteem are created and developed from early lived experiences. These experiences can affect mental health such as depression and anxiety as well as physical health such as the influence on our immune system functioning.
High quality care acts as a buffer against adversity.
We can learn to improve our own attachment styles through counselling and therapeutic experiences. Contact me if you welcome support.
Jocelyn Gallagher
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