Our need to belong, connect, and be loved is much more than a whimsical feeling. We are in fact wired to connect from birth. This compelling draw towards connection entangles our being with each experience of connection throughout our young life as we reach out to have our needs for connection met. Our connective experiences lead us on a journey with ourselves that results in the creation of our own definitions of love, intimacy, trust, and commitment, which in adulthood relates to how we approach and experience our romantic relationships.
Romantic relationships tend to follow natural stages of development that lead to a final stage in which we experience a secure and stable relationship that is rooted in ongoing co-creation that balances the needs of each partner. On the path to reaching this final stage, we can face growth challenges that can shift us out of love-based patterns and into fear-based or insecure patterns that have the power to destroy our chance to experience the love that we need and deserve from one another.
In this presentation, Dr. Lynne M. Kostiuk will:
- Outline the natural stages of relationship development
- Describe common attachment patterns to better understand yourself and your partner
- Explain how these common patterns relate to specific fear-based patterns