We are all beings in relationship.
Our first teachers about relationships (for better or worse) are the caregivers who raised us. Much of this learning is pre-language based. As infants, long before we had words, we were learning the specific ‘procedures’ necessary for relationship with our significant caregivers (e.g., “When I do this, she comes closer. When I do this, she backs away or gets upset”).
The developing brain of a baby is designed to be especially sensitive to building a template for relationship to support the bond with this significant other. As highly vulnerable and dependent beings, this attachment is essential for our survival. Once established, these early patterns of attachment form a blueprint or internal working model for how we come to think and feel about ourself, important others and the world in general.
