From Codependency to Prodependence: A New Clinical Framework for Attachment and Care

Course overview

In the 1980s, codependency became the term we used to describe people living with alcoholics. The term expanded to anyone viewed as an "enabler" of an addicted person and unintentionally became associated with a negative, blaming view of their efforts to help. The clinical approach to treating codependency was built on this blaming standpoint. That perspective is shifting. Thanks to forward-thinking clinicians and researchers, a new framework called Prodependence has emerged one that approaches the person living with addiction from an attachment-focused perspective with healthy interdependence. Rather than pathologizing their behaviors, prodependence recognizes them as coming from a place of love and caring. This 6-hour training provides the historical foundations of codependency, how it was clinically addressed, and the paradigm shift to prodependence. Learn an alternative approach to working with those previously labeled as codependent one that honors their attachment needs rather than blaming their behaviors. Dr. Patterson will also discuss epigenetics and intergenerational trauma, exploring how inherited behaviors, thoughts, and self-perceptions often manifest in patterns previously labeled as codependency. Designed for mental health professionals who want an attachment-informed framework for working with clients and families affected by addiction.