Exploring the work of women in the contributions of attachment theory and object relations as it would apply to family therapy practice

My presentation will explore the work of women in the contributions of attachment theory and object relations as it would apply to family therapy practice. Not limited to, but with a focus on, the work of Mary Ainsworth, Melanie Klein, Margaret Mahler, and Hannah Arendt. Attachment theory has gained considerable interest in research as a means for application in psychotherapy practice (Talia, Taubner, Miller-Bottome, 2019). This leads to the potentiality that psychoanalytic theories with a relation to attachment theory, such as object relations, may find an increased relevance in contemporary practice. Most have heard of the work of Sigmund Freud, John Bowlby, Erik Erickson, and Jean Piaget in the field of psychology, psychoanalysis, and psychosocial development. However, few may reference the substantial work of women within the same discipline. Understanding the ontological and epistemological unfoldment from a woman's perspective, may fill the necessary gaps in a field that struggles to find a particularly salient and cohesive foundational theory to systemic therapy practice. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Rebecca Lucero-Jones)