Dr. Krista Jordan, an expert in Disorganized Attachment and clinical psychologist based in Austin, joins co-host Sue Marriott for an enlightening discussion. They delve into the complexities of disorganized attachment, sharing personal stories and insights on its manifestation in therapy and everyday life. Topics include the critical role of feedback in fostering self-awareness, the intertwined nature of shame and anger, and therapeutic techniques for addressing unresolved trauma. Discover how these dynamics can shape relationships and self-perception in profound ways.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Soothing The Small Shame-Filled Self
Dr. Krista Jordan describes catching shame before it becomes rage and visualizing reassuring a small part of herself.
She says this practice dissolved anger by soothing the vulnerable inner part that felt attacked.
insights INSIGHT
Narratives Can Mask Hidden Defenses
Dr. Krista Jordan discovered she tested disorganized despite expecting preoccupied or earned-secure.
This revealed that conscious narratives can hide deeper, conflicting attachment defenses.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Use Rigorous Assessment To Reveal Defenses
Use validated assessments (like the AAP) to reveal hidden attachment defenses and trauma markers.
Code and examine trauma emergence and whether it shows containment or remains unresolved.
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Exploring Disorganized / Unresolved Attachment with Dr. Krista Jordan
This is a sneak peek of our episode with Dr. Krista Jordan – available only on our Premium Supercast and Patreon platforms. For as little as $5/month you can have access to special releases like this one, first-to-know about upcoming events and discounts and an ad-free feed.
Dr. Krista Jordan & co-host Sue Marriott LCSW CGP dive into the messy, fascinating world of the 4th attachment category – disorganized attachment. Through intimate personal stories, they describe how it shows up in therapy, relationships, and everyday life. They explore the Adult Attachment Projective (AAP) and Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), unpacking what is sometimes called disorganized, unresolved, dysregulated, dissociated attachment that can ripple through generations.
Learn how dismissive strategies work so well they can stop us from growing, why feedback (and a little distress) is crucial for self-awareness, and how shame and anger are often two sides of the same coin.
Time Stamps
06:05 Personal experiences with attachment styles and finding our she was “disorganized”
11:59 Exploring dismissive and disorganized strategies
17:58 Therapeutic approaches to unresolved trauma and inner child work
27:08 Dissociation and adaptive strategies in attachment
35:31 The spectrum of unresolved attachment styles
43:09 Shame and anger: A complex relationship
52:42 PACT Therapy: Addressing disorganization in couples
About our Guest – Dr. Krista Jordan
Dr. Krista Jordan, expert on Disorganized Attachment
Dr. Jordan received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas in 1996. Her training included children and adults and focused on psychodynamic theory in treatment. She went on to establish a private practice in Austin, Texas in 1998 and has been treating clients through individual and couples therapy for the past 26 years. Dr. Jordan trained with Dr. Stan Tatkin, the originator of the Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy from 2008 until 2022 and is a
Certified PACT therapist. Dr. Jordan was also appointed to the Research Faculty at the PACT Institute in 2023 and is the Principle Investigator of the first outcome study being conducted on PACT. She is passionate about treating individuals and couples from an attachment and interpersonal neurobiology approach as well as contributing to research in the field. Throughout her career she has applied these interests in a variety of contexts, including training post-doctoral residents (25 to date!), designing and running outcomes studies for various treatment programs and teaching both high school, undergraduate and graduate students. In 2024 Dr. Jordan became certified to administer the Adult Attachment Projective and continues to train with Dr. Carol George. In her free time Dr. Jordan enjoys hanging out with her husband Russell (of 26 years!) and their two children. She also volunteers with the Blanton Museum and acts as a foster dog mom for Austin Pets Alive.
Featured event: Ann and Sue are deep diving into clinical application of their work at the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium – March 20-23, 2025. It’s an incredible conference – they’d love to see you there!
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