Attachment based interventions and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are often viewed as distinct or even contradictory due to their differing theoretical foundations. CBT emphasizes cognitive restructuring and present-focused skills training, while attachment-based interventions delve into relational history and emotional healing. This divergence often leads to debates about their compatibility and can create tension among clinicians. Clinicians who ascribe to one theoretical orientation may be reluctant to recognize the value of the other. Those who identify as “eclectic” may not know how to effectively integrate the two theories.
In this workshop, I demonstrate that the two theoretical approaches have much in common and that they can be integrated effectively in therapy for various clinical presentations. The workshop will highlight intersections of CBT and Attachment-based interventions in terms of their underlying drivers of distress, mechanisms of change, value of therapeutic relationship, and even strategies. Attendees will learn to draw on the strength of both theories to develop a comprehensive case conceptualization and use integrated strategies to address both symptomatic distress and deeply rooted attachment wounds.
Attendees will walk away with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to support their clients with strategies that emphasize cognitions and interpersonal connections equally.
Upcoming dates:
“This was an excellent workshop that will be really useful in my clinical practice. I thought theworkshop content was targeted well in terms of being appropriate for the audience” – Workshop participant
Pre-recorded lecture: A Clinical Introduction to Integrating CBT and Attachment in Psychotherapy
If you’re unable to make it to a live training, but are curious about the integration of CBT and Attachment in psychotherapy, this introductory workshop will provide you with the core concepts.
Format: 60-minute prerecorded training + downloadable clinician workbook
This pre-recorded training with Dr. Rana offers a clear, accessible framework for clinicians who want to move beyond technique and toward conceptual integration. Rather than positioning CBT and attachment as parallel approaches, this workshop explores how they can work together to support meaning-making and relational change in psychotherapy.
You’ll learn how attachment patterns shape cognition, emotion, and behaviour and how CBT interventions can be adapted to account for relational challenges and defensive strategies.
This workshop includes a workbook with notes, exercises and reflections that follow the lecture.
Topics covered:
- Historical dichotomy between CBT and Attachment
- Identification of shared principles and complementary components
- Introduction to a CBT x Attachment therapeutic model
- Integrated case conceptualization
- Therapeutic strategies and tools that integrate CBT and attachment
This training is designed as an entry point for clinicians who want to deepen their work and as a foundation for ongoing professional consultation.
What’s included
- 60-minute pre-recording training video (indefinite access)
- Downloadable clinician workbook, including:
- Conceptual maps for CBT × attachment integration
- Reflection prompts for case formulation
- Practical questions to guide interventions and stuck points
- Handouts and resources
- Price: $60 CAD
- Purchase here
This training is for clinicians who:
- Use CBT but feel it can be rigid or limited in scope
- Work relationally but want more structure and clarity
- Notice attachment dynamics driving resistance, avoidance, or over-compliance
- Are looking for a thoughtful bridge between insight and action
Ready? You can purchase the CBT x Attachment introductory course here