Helping Children and Families Heal Attachment Wounds: Introducing M-MAT

Children who have experienced trauma, especially trauma related to a caregiver leaving them suddenly, can be faced with many related challenges throughout their lives. But, there is hope. New research and types of therapies are beginning to show some promise in helping these children and their families heal.

This type of trauma is known as an attachment wound, or disrupted or injured attachment. Some examples may include a child whose caregiver died, was incarcerated, or abandoned them at a young age. People who have experienced attachment injury may struggle with anxiety, and depression, and often push away the love and connection they need the most. Victims of this type of trauma can also be hurtful to themselves and others. 

Traditional child mental health therapies have been minimally successful, if at all, in treating these types of attachment trauma. Professionals and parents have long struggled with addressing these wounds, but perhaps there is another way. 

A new therapy model developed by Catherine Young, LMFT, may offer a treatment solution—M-MAT or Multi-Modal Attachment Therapy.  The counselors and therapists at CW Psychological Services in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, have agreed to try it and contribute to Young’s research on the effectiveness of the therapy. CW counselors are currently training with Young and her team and will begin offering M-MAT as a treatment to clients shortly. Clients who agree to try M-MAT will be monitored closely and results will be shared in research. Participation is 100% voluntary. 

“The Purpose of M-MAT, Multi-Modal Attachment Therapy, is to heal attachment and other trauma to allow children to develop to their full potential,” says Young. “I first developed M-MAT to better help the children and families with whom I worked. I then wrote books and developed trainings to help therapists help more children and families. I am now embarking on this collaborative research project, and the goal remains the same: To help more children and families.” 

What is M-MAT?

M-MAT is a whole-brain strategy. It combines various therapeutic modalities to target the precise areas of the brain impacted by the attachment injury. These are the areas of the brain focused on attachment and connection with others, self-concept, worldview, and coping skills. The result is a therapy that can be powerful, cohesive, and comprehensive. 

The M-MAT therapeutic process integrates talk and play therapies and structured adult/child interactions. During the play portion, the child and counselor will interact using a lot of non-verbal, bottom-up (child sharing with a counselor how certain things feel, desires, etc.), and sensorimotor communication. There will also be elements of connection and nurturing, including mirroring, rhythm, touch, and eye contact. 

During the talk portion, the child will be engaged through language. The counselor will explore the child’s thoughts by addressing any biased patterns contributing to how the child sees themselves, their life, relationships, daily situations, and others. The talk component will also address things like responsibility and, concept of self through re-storying, skill building, and educating loved ones on how best to approach things moving forward. 

Ultimately the M-MAT is helping the child to create a new narrative about their life, their existence, their past, and their future. It is designed to help the child organize thoughts and make sense of their experiences in a healthy, adaptive way.  The play and talk therapies work together to reinforce these new thought patterns and allow for deeper integration into their lives and more successful healing. They are far more powerful together than alone—allowing access to many parts of the brain for ultimate healing.

Other Uses 

The M-MAT is not only helpful in treating children with attachment challenges but it has also been used to treat child victims of physical and sexual abuse. 

In situations where a reasonably secure attachment has been established with a parent or caregiver, the child can leverage the power of that relationship to promote healing. Children who have been receptive to the play and talk structure of M-MAT have gained skills to regulate emotions and turn to relational resources to assist in their healing. Ultimately, the child has been able to develop new meanings of their past experiences and reduce overall shame.

Getting Started

If you are interested in learning more about the M-MAT method, you can visit the M-MAT Training Institute website here. 

If you believe you or someone close to you may benefit from receiving M-MAT, we strongly encourage you to reach out to us at CW Psychological Services. We would love to determine if you or a loved one would be a good fit. You can contact us here. 

Ready to begin counseling in Pennsylvania? 

Counselors and associate-level clinicians at CW Psychological Services are professionally trained. We have openings for online, or telehealth, therapy appointments. Email us at [email protected] or call (610) 308-7575. We are here for you.