Title: Attachment-Based Psychotherapy Without Classifications | Or Dagan, PhD

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭? Attachment "styles" (secure, anxious, avoidant, disorganized) are everywhere now. In this keynote, I argue that this vocabulary risks losing two things: the simplicity of the relational process that organizes attachment, and the depth of the history behind it. I introduce a secure-base script approach to psychotherapy, which focuses on how people seek, receive, and make sense of support in their close relationships. Drawing on attachment research and clinical demonstrations, I explore how this framework can inform psychotherapy with individuals and couples. Recorded at Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile, September 25, 2026. With gratitude to Jaime Silva Concha, Teresita Serrano, and the Facultad de Psicología at Universidad del Desarrollo for the invitation. Chapters 0:00 Introduction 0:33 The fish parable: "What is water?" 1:37 Attachment theory beyond pop psychology 4:16 Why move beyond attachment classifications 6:44 Two key questions: Will you be available? Will your support be effective? 7:52 A new consensus in attachment research 10:06 What is a secure-base script? 13:00 Measuring scripts: the Attachment Script Assessment 13:53 What secure-base script knowledge sounds like 15:52 Closer to psychotherapy: the Adult Attachment Interview 17:30 Why it doesn't matter if it "really happened" 21:00 Research: where scripts come from and what they predict 24:20 A secure-base script approach: identify, update, practice 26:04 Clinical demonstration 1: Identifying the script* 29:26 Clinical demonstration 2: Imagery rescripting* 32:19 Clinical demonstration 3: Experiencing support in the session* 34:22 Closing thoughts: "What is water?" About the speaker Or Dagan, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, researcher, and Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at Long Island University in New York, where he directs the Attachment Research and Relational Thinking Lab. *Clinical demonstration disclosure: The client featured in the simulated clinical demonstration is portrayed by an actress. The demonstration is fictional and does not depict an actual therapy session. Website: ordagan.com Instagram: @dr.daganor LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/drordagan/ #AttachmentTheory #Psychotherapy #ClinicalPsychology