Friday Evening Lecture: Boosting Attachment Security: Clinical and Neurobiological Perspectives, Presented by Daniel Sonkin, PhD, LMFT

What is going on in the minds - both psychologically and biologically - of secure and insecure people? Over the past 25 years, researchers from developmental and social psychology, as well as cognitive neurosciences, have provided empirical data shedding considerable light on this important question. Because of these research advances, clinicians are now able to use the available empirical data to integrate, update, and improve their treatment interventions with clients. Regardless of their clinical orientations, all mental health professionals are either directly or indirectly helping to boost attachment security, which essentially is equivalent to helping them to experience greater internal well-being and more satisfying and stable interpersonal relationships. In this presentation, Dr. Daniel Sonkin will discuss the most current research on secure base priming (www.securebasepriming.org) and how priming may be utilized to augment the naturally occurring security-boosting effects of psychotherapy. Participants will have the opportunity to personally experience several secure base priming exercises.

Daniel Jay Sonkin, Ph.D. is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in an independent practice in Sausalito, California. Since 1981, his work has focused on the treatment of individuals and couples facing a variety of interpersonal problems. In addition to his clinical experience, he has testified as an expert witness since 1977 in criminal cases where domestic violence is an issue.  As one of the early specialists in the field of family violence, Dr. Sonkin has developed a widely used protocol for treating male batterers. His book, Learning to Live Without Violence: A Handbook for Men has been published in English, Spanish and Japanese and is utilized by treatment programs around the world. He is also the author of numerous articles and books on domestic violence and child abuse.  For the past twenty-five years he has been integrating attachment theory and neurobiology into his clinical work with perpetrators and victims of violence, as well as his general psychotherapy patients.  He is the recipient of the 1989 Clark Vincent Award for Literary Contribution to the field of Marriage and Family Therapy from the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and is the 2000 recipient of the Distinguished Clinical Member Award from the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.