Attachment Therapy for Avoidant and Anxious Patterns
I provide individual attachment-focused therapy for adults with anxious, avoidant, or disorganized patterns. These can show up as emotional shutdown, distancing, reassurance-seeking, or feeling pulled between wanting closeness and fearing it.
I offer online attachment-focused therapy for adults in California and Virginia, with limited in-person sessions in Folsom by appointment only.
I'm Dr. Sheila Vidal, a licensed clinical psychologist providing this service at Next Mission Recovery.
What Is Attachment-Focused Therapy?
Attachment-focused therapy is individual therapy for adults 18 and older whose anxious, avoidant (including dismissive avoidant), or disorganized attachment patterns affect closeness, trust, and how they respond in relationships. My approach is ACT-led: I help you notice difficult thoughts, emotions, and urges without automatically acting on them, so you can choose responses that better reflect your values.
Is Attachment-Focused Therapy Right for Me?
If you notice yourself pulling away when someone gets close, needing frequent reassurance that a relationship is secure, or feeling both at once, attachment-focused therapy may help. Common signs include:
Shutting down or going quiet during conflict, even when you want to stay connected
Needing repeated reassurance that someone isn't going to leave
Feeling overwhelmed or trapped when a relationship starts to feel close
Pulling away right when things are going well
Difficulty trusting that connection will stay safe over time
If several of these sound familiar, a consultation is a low-pressure way to find out if this approach fits.
How ACT Helps Change Attachment Patterns
The goal is not to stop feeling triggered. It is to build psychological flexibility so you can respond with more choice when closeness, distance, or uncertainty activates old patterns. Attachment patterns are often maintained by protective stories and urges that arise automatically in relationships. ACT helps you notice those experiences without letting them dictate your behavior.
Defusion from protective stories
Learning to observe thoughts like "I need to pull away" or "this is too much" without acting on them automatically.
Values guided closeness
Clarifying how you want to show up in close relationships and choosing actions that reflect those values, even when discomfort is present.
Willingness and nervous system pacing
Gradually increasing tolerance for emotional closeness so your body learns that connection can be safe.
Committed action in real relationships
Practicing new responses in everyday interactions, not just talking about them in session.
What Attachment Therapy Looks Like
Initial consultation
We discuss your relationship patterns, goals, and whether attachment-focused therapy is a good fit.
Early sessions
We map avoidance or anxiety cycles and identify moments where shutdown or reactivity tends to appear.
Skills practice
You learn ACT-based skills you can use during real relationship moments, not just in session.
Measuring progress
Progress is assessed through functional changes such as staying present longer, communicating more clearly, and responding with choice rather than reflex.
For more detail, I've written about healing avoidant attachment patterns and CBT approaches for anxious attachment.
Service Areas
I provide online attachment therapy for adults throughout California and Virginia.
Attachment patterns are shaped by early relational experiences and can be rewired through intentional, values-guided work. I offer trauma counseling in Folsom CA for clients who prefer limited in-person sessions, along with telehealth across California. I also provide trauma therapy in Northern Virginia for individuals seeking to repair anxious or avoidant patterns within a secure therapeutic relationship.
If attachment patterns are affecting your relationships, you can schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see whether this approach is a good fit.
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Attachment therapy focuses on understanding and changing relationship patterns that affect closeness, trust, and emotional safety.
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Adults who notice avoidant or anxious patterns in relationships and want healthier connection without losing themselves.
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Yes. I commonly work with adults who experience emotional shutdown, distancing, or fear of closeness.
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Yes. I provide secure online therapy for adults in California and Virginia.
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Limited in person sessions are available in Folsom by appointment.
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The first step is scheduling a consultation to see if attachment-focused therapy is a good fit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Attachment Therapy
Have more questions? Visit my frequently asked questions about online trauma therapy page.