The BodyMind Approach for supporting people with medically unexplained symptoms to self manage: The implications of insecure attachment

Medically unexplained symptoms and insecure attachment: The BodyMind Approach
Research has found insecure attachment style is linked to medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). When designing an intervention to support people with MUS (previously known as psychosomatic conditions) the implication of insecure attachment needs to be born in mind. A novel methodology researched at the University of Hertfordshire called The BodyMind Approach has been designed specifically to incorporate insecure attachment style with the aim of supporting people with MUS to live well. The original research (2004-9) had encouraging outcomes, reducing depression /anxiety and symptom distress whilst improving wellbeing, self-management and overall functioning. Subsequently the approach has been delivered in the NHS primary care setting with similar outcomes calculated using reliable change. This presentation will introduce the approach, providing psychotherapy practitioners with guidance on how they can support patients with insecure attachment patterns in managing their unexplained physiological and embodied symptoms.