Developing a Secure Self Handbook and Therapeutic Toolkit

Developing a Secure Self: An Attachment-Based Approach to Adult Psychotherapy (2007 edition) presents an approach that evolved out of my search to find a focused way in which to directly address the needs of my clients that are rooted in early insecure attachment relationships. Please go to the "Developing a Secure Self" page (link at left) for more information about this method and for responses from therapists using it.

The 165 pages of this handbook include principles, dozens of clinical examples, sample Imaginal Nurturing scripts and organizational tools. It is now available in a convenient spiral-bound format which has reduced some of the shipping costs.

When you order the handbook or toolkit, a laminated "Talk to the Child" bookmark with reminders of the Imaginal Nurturing guided imagery process will be tucked inside. This may help you begin to be comfortable working with I-N and make the shift to using this approach responsively and spontaneously.

Note for those outside Canada and USA

Shipping options for the handbook and for the toolkit are either surface or airmail. Please be aware that international shipping by surface is very slow - it can take up to 12 weeks. Because the cost of shipping the book or Therapeutic Toolkit by air outside Canada and the USA is high, I am subsidizing it in the shipping price I am offering to you.

Response from purchaser

"I've been studying and using the DSS materials you sent last month, and my clients are simply loving the I-N work. It fits in perfectly with my theoretical base of the attachment relationship between client and therapist..... Anyway all this to just say this is terrific, deep sophisticated work and the clarity of your presentation in written form is truly amazing. I've been a therapist now for 24 years, and this discovery has been nearly as fruitful as learning EMDR. That says a great deal about the power of your creation, April."

~ Mary Kay Neumann, LCSW

Differences from other editions

Unlike earlier editions, the 2007 edition is written for therapists from any theoretical background. For EMDR therapists, there is a section on using Imaginal Nurturing in the context of the EMDR Standard Protocol while maintaining the integrity of the Standard Protocol.
To foster clarity, I have taken this opportunity to change the terms "Adjunctive I-N" and "Core I-N" to "Memory-Based I-N" and "Inspiration-Based I-N" respectively.
The section on the therapeutic relationship has been expanded to include discussion on avoiding the replication within the therapeutic relationship of the client's early attachment traumas. Clinical examples are included.
A section has been added on "Abbreviated Inspiration-Based I-N" which blends infant work with the historical mother and father, and inspiration-based I-N.
There is a greater emphasis on the ego state aspects of the therapeutic relationship and on the need for an awareness of the young parts of self in the therapy as a whole.

Developing a Secure Self - 2007 Update

This is for those who already have a 2004 edition. In these 11 pages, you will find the sections that have been added to the 2007 edition of the book. In addition, I take the opportunity to discuss some of the aspects of this model that are often misunderstood.

The update may be purchased as a pdf file or hard copy.

The Therapeutic Toolkit

The Developing a Secure Self Therapeutic Toolkit consists of the handbook as described above and all four Imaginal Nurturing CDs: "I'm so glad you're here!" and Adventuring Spirit (each for men and for women respectively). It provides you with an opportunity to expand the learning from the book to experience Imaginal Nurturing guided imagery yourself. The CDs were developed for clients to use between sessions and can be loaned, given, or sold to them. I also find that many therapists find them restoring and healing to use themselves. Information about the CDs and an audio clip are available on the CD page of this site.

About the Author iii

Preface iii

List of Tables vi

List of Figures vi

Abbreviations vii

Introduction 1
Background 1
Overview
Other approaches
Imagery
History of inner child work
Summary
Developing a Secure Self Components 5
The therapeutic relationship
Imaginal Nurturing
Emotional skills development
Imaginal Nurturing Concepts 6
Imaginal Nurturing
Memory-Based Imaginal Nurturing
Inspiration-Based Imaginal Nurturing
Exploration Imagery

Attachment, Exploration, and Intersubjectivity 11
Concepts 11
Attachment Research 13
Infant Strange Situation
Adult Attachment Interview
Clinical Indicators of Insecure Attachment 18
Overview
Identity
Intersubjectivity
Mood
Security
Affect
Summary
Continuum of Organized Attachment 21
Structure as an organizing principle
Attachment and the Therapeutic Relationship 24
Attachment style of the therapist
Dependency in the therapeutic relationship
Facilitating attunement and a close therapeutic alliance
The Therapy Faeries

Organizational Tools 35
Attachment-Focused History 36
Therapy Lifeline 40
Client Sheet 42
Nurturing Messages Sheet 44
Balanced Affect Scale and Validity of Cognition Scale 46

Imaginal Nurturing 49
The concept 49
Who's who in Imaginal Nurturing 49
Principles of Imaginal Nurturing 53
Language 66

Imaginal Nurturing in Practice 67
Memory-Based Imaginal Nurturing 67
Overview
General comments
Sample Memory-Based I-N script for women with comments
Uses of Memory-Based Imaginal Nurturing in relation to trauma work
Uses of Memory-Based Imaginal Nurturing in relation to the EMDR Standard Protocol
Inspiration-Based Imaginal Nurturing 81
Overview
Preparation for Inspiration-Based Imaginal Nurturing
Sample initial Inspiration-Based Imaginal Nurturing script for men with comments
Subsequent Inspiration-Based Imaginal Nurturing
Abbreviated Inspiration-Based Imaginal Nurturing 90
Exploration Imagery 92
Overview
Sample Exploration Imagery script for women
Incorporating I-N and DSS into therapy 97

Problems That May Arise in Imaginal Nurturing 101

Emotional Skills 111
Enhancing Skills Through Working With Structure 111
Narrative
Breathing
The body
The Imaginal Home 114
Working with the Imaginal Home
Characteristics of the Imaginal Home
Sample Imaginal Home script
Uses of the Imaginal Home
Emotional Skills Techniques 117
Attachment status and skills
Techniques

In Conclusion 129

Bibliography 131

Appendix: Sample Scripts 135
Sample Memory-Based Imaginal Nurturing Script for Women 135
Sample Memory-Based Imaginal Nurturing Script for Men 137
Sample Inspiration-Based Imaginal Nurturing Script for Women 140
Sample Inspiration-Based Imaginal Nurturing Script for Men 143
Sample Exploration Imagery Script for Women 146
Sample Exploration Imagery Script for Men 150
Sample Imaginal Home Script for Women and Men 153

Appendix B: Clinical Forms
Attachment-Focused History
Nurturing and Encouraging Messages Sheet
Therapy Lifeline
Client Sheet

Laminated Balanced Affect Scale