It’s my birthday month, which means September is officially all about me. After spending August telling the story of how Applied Attachment came to be, it’s time to talk about the person behind it. Who I am, what shaped me, what I believe, where I’ve found belonging, and who I’m still becoming. I’m not entirely sure where this month will take us—but I have a feeling you’ll get to know me a little better along the way. And yes, there may be a birthday candle involved.

After a month of sharing the story behind Applied Attachment, I’m pulling the pieces together—how the idea began, the relationships that shaped it, and why I believe attachment belongs far beyond the therapy room. This is the story of how it all came together, and where I hope it takes us next.

Dolly Parton was an icon in our house—but probably not for the reason you might think. Her books introduced her to my girls long before her music did, and eventually 9 to 5 became our family’s morning anthem. But after hearing of Dolly’s passing, I played it again—and for the first time, I heard the song differently. A reflection on Dolly, ambition, motherhood, and what it means to finally be building a life and a ladder of your own.

Applied Attachment was never supposed to become a therapy practice. Its origins are more complicated than that. In this deeply personal post, I share the experience that changed the direction of Applied Attachment, the grief of leaving behind a future I had imagined, and how attachment helped me understand what my own nervous system was telling me.

Choosing a name for something that means so much to you isn't always easy. Applied Attachment took a few conversations, a few almost-names, a Star Trek reference I couldn't unhear, and one meaningful moment around my kitchen island. But the story of how we landed on the name is really a story about attachment itself: we are shaped, organized, and often clarified through relationship.

For years, attachment theory has been the lens through which I understand relationships, leadership, and the way people connect. I originally imagined Applied Attachment as a consulting company—but the more I lived this work, the more I realized it belonged far beyond the therapy room. This is the story of how a therapy practice became part of a bigger vision: applying attachment science wherever people are in relationship.

I love a theme. Always have. Growing up, every birthday and Christmas had one—and I learned that from my mom. I didn't realize until much later that themes do more for me than make things look pulled together. They help me organize ideas, connect the pieces, and make sense of the bigger story. The more I've learned about attachment, the more I've realized that secure attachment does something very similar for us: it creates coherence. In this post, I share why my lifelong love of themes might be more connected to attachment than I ever realized—and why I'm using this season to go back to the beginning of Applied Attachment.

Because attachment matters everywhere people connect

Why attachment matters

Attachment Isn't Just for Therapy: Why Relationships Matter Everywhere