Attachment-Based Psychotherapy

Peter C. Costello, PhD, is a clinical psychologist practicing in New York City, working with individuals and couples, and an associate professor of communication at Adelphi University, where he teaches seminars in attachment theory, interpersonal communication, and adult romantic relationships. He previously served in multiple roles as a dean and an associate provost at Adelphi. He is a graduate of Swarthmore College and hold two doctoral degrees: one in clinical psychology from The Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York (City College) and another in communication from New York University. His work combines both fields. Dr. Costello completed his clinical training at The New York State Psychiatric Institute and at the New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. In addition to attachment theory, his current interests include an integrative approach to psychotherapy, and in recent years he has co-chaired two international conferences sponsored by the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration. He also serves on the editorial board of the newly launched journal of the Unified Psychotherapy Project.

In the first half the author focuses on describing attachment and attachment theory, and he does so exceptionally well. The book offers readers a deeper understanding of [attachment] theory, laying a foundation for conceptualizing an individual's suffering according to this framework.(CHOICE)

• AcknowledgmentsChapter : Attachment, Communication, and Affect: An IntroductionPart I: An Attachment-Based View of DevelopmentChapter 2: Why Mothers Matter: The Evolution of Maternal CareChapter 3: The Neural Sculpting of the SelfChapter 4: AttachmentChapter 5: CommunicationChapter : AffectPart II: Attachment-Based PsychotherapyChapter 7: Defensive Exclusion and the Focus of Attachment-Based TherapyChapter 8: Anxiety, Depression, and Maladaptive AngerChapter 9: The Security-Engendering Therapeutic RelationshipChapter : Deconstructing Aloneness: Helping the Patient Access and Communicate Excluded Thoughts, Feelings, and BehaviorsReferencesIndexAbout the Author