Therapeutic Book Club: “The Power of Attachment" by Diane Poole Heller

For our next meeting of the Therapeutic Book Club, we'll discuss The Power of Attachment: How to Create Deep and Lasting Intimate Relationships by Diane Poole Heller.

From Goodreads: From our earliest years, we develop an attachment style that follows us through life, replaying in our daily emotional landscape, our relationships, and how we feel about ourselves. And in the wake of a traumatic event―such as a car accident, severe illness, loss of a loved one, or experience of abuse―that attachment style can deeply influence what happens next. In The Power of Attachment, Dr. Diane Poole Heller, a pioneer in attachment theory and trauma resolution, shows how overwhelming experiences can disrupt our most important connections - with the parts of ourselves within, with the physical world around us, and with others - [and how] we can restore and reconnect at all levels, regardless of our past.

"We are fundamentally designed to heal," teaches Dr. Heller. "Even if our childhood is less than ideal, our secure attachment system is biologically programmed in us, and our job is to simply find out what’s interfering with it―and learn what we can do to make those secure tendencies more dominant."

The Therapeutic Book Club is aimed at self-discovery and self-reflection by exploring relevant themes and connecting with others in a safe environment. The group decides by vote which book will be read for the next meeting. The books are therapeutic in nature covering themes such as childhood trauma, anxiety, stress management and healthy relationships.

We are an open and non-judgemental group that welcomes a diversity of ideas and perspectives. This is also an inclusive event open to all genders.

Previous books we have read and discussed include Mating in Captivity: Reconciling the Erotic and the Domestic by Esther Perel, and The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture by Gabor Maté.

There is no charge for attendance but we recommend people purchase at least one drink at the venue. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Anita (Niah) Sommers or Kat LeRoy.