The Attachment Cycle: An Object Relations Approach to Healing Ministries

The cycle of attachment, separation, loss and reattachment is the dynamic process by which we grow. Our identity is linked to our attachment to others, yet it is only through separation from others that we discover who we are as separate selves. Through separation and loss we are challenged to accept the "other" as truly other and not simply as an object-for-me. This is crucial for discovering, accepting, and even rejoicing in the world which is in me. This book develops the development of the cycle by the Object Relations school of psychology, focusing on the contributions of Freud, Sullivan, Klein, Mahler, Winnicott and Fairbain. Through the use of case studies, Father Garanzini shows how an understanding of the attachment cycle can assist pastoral counselors in facilitating the process of healing.