Certification as an Attachment-Focused Organization is for residential treatment centers, wilderness programs, therapeutic boarding schools, group homes, and other residential programs that use an attachment model for programing, services, operations, and treatment and for outpatient clinics. The certification program warrants that the organization uses an attachment model and philosophy in its operations.

Attachment-Focused Therapy is the application of attachment theory to the practice of psychotherapy, counseling, and treatment. It considers the latest advances in the neuro-biology of interpersonal behavior and how this affects relationships and behavior. The use of an evidence-based, effective, and empirically validated model. Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy is one element of practice.

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) is an evidence based, effective, and empirically validated treatment that is grounded in current thinking and research on the etiology and treatment of Complex Trauma or Developmental Trauma Disorder and disorders of attachment. It is now recognized as a general approach to treatment. Therapy is primarily experiential.

The basic purpose of treatment is to help the child resolve a dysfunctional attachment and develop a healthy attachment. The goal is to help the child bond to the parents and to come to grips with the disappointment and anger at his/her first attachment figure(s) and their failure to parent (well). Said another way, the goal is to resolve the fear of loving and being loved. These children often have authority or control issues. Control, trust, and intimacy issues are prominent features of their pathology and the resolution of these issues is a major treatment objective.

Certification Steps

1. Each therapist will have completed 32 hours* of training in Attachment-Focused Therapy and have two DVD’s of sessions reviewed and approved by the Attachment-Focused Treatment Institute.
2. The program director and clinical supervisors will have completed a minimum of 30 hours* of training in Attachment-Focused Therapy.
3. The clinical supervisors or at least two of the clinical staff must be Certified Attachment-Focused Therapists.
4. Mileu staff supervisors will be Certified Attachment-Focused Professionals.
5. Mileu staff will have completed 24 hours* of training in Attachment-Focused Therapy.
6. All other organization staff will have 8 hours** of training in Attachment-Focused Therapy.
7. Application fee - $208.

*This training may be provided by either an Attachment-Focused Treatment Institute approved trainer or other approved trainers, training programs, or institutes or from organization staff who are certified by the Attachment-Focused Treatment Institute.

**These training hours may be provided by the organization’s certified staff or clinical director.

Annually, the organization will provide at least 8 hours of training for its mileu and clinical staff in Attachment-Focused Therapy.

Every two years, the organization will provide 16 hours of training for its clinical and mileu staff who have been newly hired since the initial date of certification and each two years thereafter.

Organizations that offer at least monthly consultation with an Institute Consultant for its clinical staff, supervisors, program director, and/or mileu staff will be awarded Certification with Distinction. A minimum of two hours a month of consultation will satisfy this requirement.

After organizational certification, newly hired staff will have two years within which to complete the requirements.

The Organization must have licensing necessary to operate within their jurisdiction or have certification by a national certification body such as the Joint Commission or COA.

Certification will be for a two year period. Renewal fee is $208.

Mail all materials to the:
Attachment-Focused Treatment Institute
Arthur Becker-Weidman, Ph.D.
5692 Ferncrest Court
Unit D
Clarence Center, NY 14032