A Light in Dark Places: The Power of Earned Security in Attachment
- Speaker:
- Clair Mellenthin, PhD, LCSW, RPT-S™
- Duration:
- 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Format:
- Audio and Video
- Copyright:
-
Mar 27, 2026
- Product Code:
- POS150628
- Media Type:
- Digital Seminar
Description
Earned Security is often overlooked in attachment training – yet it holds powerful potential for healing and transformation. This workshop explores how individuals with insecure beginnings can develop secure functioning across the lifespan through resilience, insight, and corrective relational experiences.
You’ll discover how to:
- Recognize the markers of earned security
- Integrate this understanding into assessment and treatment planning
- Support clients in strengthening secure patterns within therapy and personal relationships
- Apply practical strategies and clinical tools through real case examples
By the end, you’ll be equipped to honor the challenges of insecure attachment while celebrating the hope and possibility of earning security.
Credit
Handouts/Brochure
| File type | File name | Number of pages | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual - A Light in Dark Places (7.4 MB) | 17 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Transcript - A Light in Dark Places (1004.8 KB) | 20 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - A Light in Dark Places - French (7.4 MB) | 17 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Transcript - A Light in Dark Places - French (1004.8 KB) | 20 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - A Light in Dark Places - Italian (7.4 MB) | 17 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Transcript - A Light in Dark Places - Italian (1004.8 KB) | 20 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - A Light in Dark Places - German (7.4 MB) | 17 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Transcript - A Light in Dark Places - German (1004.8 KB) | 20 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - A Light in Dark Places - Spanish (7.4 MB) | 17 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Transcript - A Light in Dark Places - Spanish (1004.8 KB) | 20 Pages | Available after Purchase |
Speaker
Clair Mellenthin, PhD, LCSW, RPT-S™ Related seminars and products
Clair Mellenthin, LLC
Clair Mellenthin, PhD, LCSW, RPT-S™, is an international speaker, author, psychologist, and Registered Play Therapist Supervisor. Throughout her career, she has specialized in providing play therapy to children, teens, and their families. She is currently the Director of Child & Adolescents at Wasatch Family Therapy. Ms. Mellenthin frequently presents professional play therapy and family therapy trainings on Attachment-Centered Play Therapy, Family, and Trauma issues both nationally and internationally.
Ms. Mellenthin is a sought-after supervisor, training graduate students and interns in play therapy, and an adjunct faculty member at the University of Southern California MSW program. She is the past-president of the Utah Association for Play Therapy and remains an active member on the Board of Directors. She is the author of the books Attachment Centered Play Therapy; Play Therapy: Engaging & Powerful Techniques for the Treatment of Childhood Disorders; My Many Colors of Me Workbookand has authored several chapters and articles. In addition to being an experienced play therapist and professor, Ms. Mellenthin also appears on local and national TV and radio as an expert on children and family issues. She holds a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Clair Mellenthin has an employment relationship with Wasatch Family Therapy. She is a published author and receives royalties. Clair Mellenthin receives a speaking honorarium, recording royalties, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Clair Mellenthin is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the American Psychological Association, and the Association for Play Therapy.
Additional Info
Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)Access never expires for this product.
For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepepesi.com
Questions?
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Objectives
- Define earned security and describe how it differs from secure and insecure attachment patterns.
- Select therapeutic interventions that support the development of earned security across the lifespan.
- Integrate case examples and evidence-informed practices to strengthen attachment security within treatment planning.
Outline
The Overlooked Key: Understanding Earned Security
- Define earned security and how it differs from secure and insecure attachment
- Explore research highlighting the resilience and growth potential in earned security
- Understand the importance of outside adult relationships, and how this creates security in insecure attachment
- Risks and limitations of research and techniques
Shifting Family and Couple Dynamics: Applying Earned Security in Systems Work
- Explore how earned security impacts parenting, co-parenting, and couple relationships
- Integrate earned security concepts into family-based treatment plans
Building Secure Foundations: Strategies for Fostering Earned Security
- Leverage therapeutic alliance as a corrective relational experience
- Introduce mindfulness, reflection, and expressive arts approaches to strengthen secure functioning
Case in Point: Real-World Applications and Clinical Stories
- Examine case examples illustrating the journey toward earned security
- Practice applying strategies in small-group discussion or role play
Hope in Action: Honoring the Possibility of Change
- Reframe insecure attachment histories with a strengths-based lens
- Emphasize resilience, growth, and healing as attainable outcomes
Risks and Limitations of Research and Techniques
- Information from this program may not be applicable to professionals outside of mental health disciplines
Target Audience
- Counselors
- Social Workers
- Marriage & Family Therapists
- Physicians
- Psychologists
- Other Mental Health Professionals
Reviews
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