Uploaded November 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Dr. John Vervaeke engages in an in-depth conversation with Seth Allison, a practicing psychotherapist, to discuss attachment theory, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and their implications for mental health and relationships. The two experts start off by exploring Seth's personal journey into psychotherapy and the influences that led him to attachment theory. As they unravel the nuances of secure and anxious attachments, the pair also discuss the impact of attachment styles on relationships, parenting, and mental health interventions. With Seth sharing personal struggles and professional insights, the episode becomes an enlightening blend of narrative and knowledge. The conversation ventures into the realms of dialogical practices and wisdom cultivation, touching upon the emotional and physiological aspects of human bonding.
Resources
Seth Allison
Grow Collective: growcollective.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/seth-allison-13abb811b
John Vervaeke
Website: johnvervaeke.com
Patreon: patreon.com/johnvervaeke
Facebook: facebook.com/VervaekeJohn
X: twitter.com/vervaeke_john
YouTube: youtube.com/@johnvervaeke
The Vervaeke Foundation: vervaekefoundation.org
Workshops
Wise Attachment – Sunday, November 12th, 2023 – 10:00am to 12:00pm EST – Event and Registration Link: awakentomeaning.com/event/wise-attachment
IFS Workshop – Sunday, December 10th, 2023 – 10:00am to 12:00pm EST – Event and Registration Link: awakentomeaning.com/event/ifs-workshop
Books
Assessing Adult Attachment: A Dynamic-Maturational Approach to Discourse Analysis - Patricia McKinsey Crittenden, Andrea Landini: amazon.com/Assessing-Adult-Attachment-Dynamic-Maturational-Professional/dp/0393706672
Timecodes
00:00:00 — Dr. John Vervaeke introduces Seth Allison and sets the stage for the episode.
00:01:01 — Seth shares his journey into psychotherapy and its influences.
00:08:38 — Seth discusses the concept of an infant's experience of hunger.
00:10:00 — Introduction to the three steps of understanding attachment theory.
00:16:20 — A deep dive into the concept of information processing in attachment.
00:20:29 — Vervaeke highlights the cultural misconceptions surrounding attachment as dependence.
00:30:15 — Seth Allison describes the emotional regulation between a mother and her child.
00:35:40 — Discussion on disconnection from internal data in children.
00:40:30 — John Vervaeke shares his personal realization of having an anxious attachment style.
00:43:20 — Seth gives a practical example of attachment anxiety in relationships.
00:51:40 — Discussion on how culture can misreward attachment strategies.
00:54:58 — Seth opens up about his personal struggles with mental health.
00:57:40 — Seth talks about the change in his approach to therapy.
01:03:40 — The conversation ventures into Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT).
01:09:18 — John introduces the concept of false normativity.
01:12:10 — Exploring the role of relationships in personal growth.
01:14:00 — Announcement of a Part 2 episode focusing on dialogical practices.
01:19:00 — Vervaeke hints at a future discussion about ally work and IFS.
Dr. John Vervaeke engages in an in-depth conversation with Seth Allison, a practicing psychotherapist, to discuss attachment theory, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and their implications for mental health and relationships. The two experts start off by exploring Seth's personal journey into psychotherapy and the influences that led him to attachment theory. As they unravel the nuances of secure and anxious attachments, the pair also discuss the impact of attachment styles on relationships, parenting, and mental health interventions. With Seth sharing personal struggles and professional insights, the episode becomes an enlightening blend of narrative and knowledge. The conversation ventures into the realms of dialogical practices and wisdom cultivation, touching upon the emotional and physiological aspects of human bonding.
Resources
Seth Allison
Grow Collective: growcollective.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/seth-allison-13abb811b
John Vervaeke
Website: johnvervaeke.com
Patreon: patreon.com/johnvervaeke
Facebook: facebook.com/VervaekeJohn
X: twitter.com/vervaeke_john
YouTube: youtube.com/@johnvervaeke
The Vervaeke Foundation: vervaekefoundation.org
Workshops
Wise Attachment – Sunday, November 12th, 2023 – 10:00am to 12:00pm EST – Event and Registration Link: awakentomeaning.com/event/wise-attachment
IFS Workshop – Sunday, December 10th, 2023 – 10:00am to 12:00pm EST – Event and Registration Link: awakentomeaning.com/event/ifs-workshop
Books
Assessing Adult Attachment: A Dynamic-Maturational Approach to Discourse Analysis - Patricia McKinsey Crittenden, Andrea Landini: amazon.com/Assessing-Adult-Attachment-Dynamic-Maturational-Professional/dp/0393706672
Timecodes
00:00:00 — Dr. John Vervaeke introduces Seth Allison and sets the stage for the episode.
00:01:01 — Seth shares his journey into psychotherapy and its influences.
00:08:38 — Seth discusses the concept of an infant's experience of hunger.
00:10:00 — Introduction to the three steps of understanding attachment theory.
00:16:20 — A deep dive into the concept of information processing in attachment.
00:20:29 — Vervaeke highlights the cultural misconceptions surrounding attachment as dependence.
00:30:15 — Seth Allison describes the emotional regulation between a mother and her child.
00:35:40 — Discussion on disconnection from internal data in children.
00:40:30 — John Vervaeke shares his personal realization of having an anxious attachment style.
00:43:20 — Seth gives a practical example of attachment anxiety in relationships.
00:51:40 — Discussion on how culture can misreward attachment strategies.
00:54:58 — Seth opens up about his personal struggles with mental health.
00:57:40 — Seth talks about the change in his approach to therapy.
01:03:40 — The conversation ventures into Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT).
01:09:18 — John introduces the concept of false normativity.
01:12:10 — Exploring the role of relationships in personal growth.
01:14:00 — Announcement of a Part 2 episode focusing on dialogical practices.
01:19:00 — Vervaeke hints at a future discussion about ally work and IFS.
