Attachment  Psychotherapeutic Counselling
Level 5 Diploma (CPCAB)

Online
Awarded by CPCAB – Internationally Transferrable
Deepen Your Clinical Practice with Attachment-Informed Training

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Details

A Level 5 Diploma for psychologists and counsellors who want to move beyond technique-driven therapy and work more confidently with relationship, complexity, and the deeper layers of client experience.

Attachment theory now sits at the heart of contemporary psychotherapy and has become foundational to modern clinical practice. As awareness grows, clients are increasingly seeking attachment-informed therapists who understand how early relational experiences shape emotional regulation, adult relationships, and psychological resilience. Recognising the profound influence of attachment patterns on wellbeing and relational dynamics, this course equips clinicians with the depth of understanding, practical tools, and clinical confidence to integrate attachment theory effectively and transformatively into practice.

Internationally transferable training designed to complement your existing psychological knowledge, evidence-based models, and clinical experience.

When tools and strategies are not quite enough

Driven by a deep curiosity about attachment and developmental trauma

If you’ve found yourself repeatedly drawn to understanding the impact of early relationships on human development and psychological resilience, this course will meet you there—offering a rich, integrated, and clinically grounded exploration of attachment theory across the lifespan.

  • Eager to work more relationally and intuitively.  This programme will help you refine your capacity to work with the relational dynamics beneath the surface—those unconscious patterns shaped by early attachments that drive client struggles with intimacy, identity, shame, and safety.
  • Hungry for depth beyond technical tools.  If you’ve sensed that something deeper lies behind technique—an inner resonance, a therapeutic presence, an empathic “felt sense” of your client’s inner world—this diploma gives language, theory, and structure to those instincts.

Psychologists are highly skilled in assessment, diagnosis, formulation, and intervention. These are essential foundations of effective practice.

But some clients need something deeper.

They may understand their patterns but still feel stuck. They may complete the strategies but continue to feel unseen. They may have had therapy before that helped in practical ways, but still felt surface-level, transactional, or focused on a quick fix.

This is where attachment-informed, relational work can add real depth.

If that sounds like you, this might just be the course of a lifetime.

Watch an overview of the course

Information

Level 5 Diploma in
Attachment-Based Psychotherapy

Online

Participants will gain a good knowledge and understanding of:

  • Classical attachment theory and research
  • Assessment in Private Practice
  • How the particular qualities of early relational experiences influence the developing mind and brain
  • How this is expressed in relationships with other people and with oneself
  • The impact of social, cultural, and historical context on family dynamics
  • Attachment needs throughout the life-cycle: the increasing complexity of attachment behaviours throughout life
  • Working somatically with trauma
  • Understanding Child Development
  • Focusing on Complex Issues
  • Working at Relational Depth
  • How these processes have been expressed in the participant’s own life

This Diploma covers 120 guided learning hours

Attachment Course Content

Attachment CPD offers a unique theoretical understanding of attachment theory, throughout the lifespan and how to integrate it into clinical practice to gain a deep empathic comprehension of our client’s internal world

  • Historical Perspectives of Theory
  • Contemporary Attachment Theory
  • Attachment throughout the lifespan
  • Using an Attachment-Based Psychotherapeutic model
  • Neuroscience – Attachment Body and Brain
  • Biological Survival Responses
  • Attachment Loss and Bereavement
  • Defences and Affect Regulation
  • Mind Mindedness
  • Working with Dismissing Attachment
  • Working with Preoccupied Attachment

Working with Attachment in the Consulting Room in respect of :

  • Depression and Suicide
  • Anxiety
  • Eating Disorders
  • Addiction
  • Trauma

  • Working somatically with Unresolved Trauma and Loss
  • Assessments and Private Practice
  • Attachment and Ethical Practice
  • Attachment in the Therapy Room
  • Attachment and Dreams
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Attachment Course Content

Attachment CPD offers a unique theoretical understanding of attachment theory, throughout the lifespan and how to integrate it into clinical practice to gain a deep empathic comprehension of our client’s internal world

  • Historical Perspectives of Theory
  • Contemporary Attachment Theory
  • Attachment throughout the lifespan
  • Using an Attachment-Based Psychotherapeutic model
  • Neuroscience – Attachment Body and Brain
  • Biological Survival Responses
  • Attachment Loss and Bereavement
  • Defences and Affect Regulation
  • Mind Mindedness
  • Working with Dismissing Attachment
  • Working with Preoccupied Attachment

Working with Attachment in the Consulting Room in respect of :

  • Depression and Suicide
  • Anxiety
  • Eating Disorders
  • Addiction
  • Trauma

  • Working somatically with Unresolved Trauma and Loss
  • Assessments and Private Practice
  • Attachment and Ethical Practice
  • Attachment in the Therapy Room
  • Attachment and Dreams
Apply Now
Request Prospectus

All of the above for: £2750 – Interest Free monthly payment plan available

You can pay upfront or in monthly instalments. We believe transparency is key, and we’re proud to offer this unique, award winning, accredited training at exceptional value.

This includes:

  • 32 Weeks of in-person training – 120 GLH
  • All assessment and CPCAB registration fees
  • Tutor feedback and ongoing support
  • Membership to our private online community

See full breakdown below 👇

What Am I Paying For?

  • Tutor expertise
  • Extensive resources and course materials
  • Certification
  • Support between sessions
  • Tutor support and feedback

Additional Costs

In addition to the course fees, 20 hours of personal therapy as a minimum is required and of course monthly supervision.

Meet the Tutors

APPLICATIONS FOR 2027 INTAKE
ARE NOW OPEN!

Dates:


From January 2027 – December 2027

Meet your Tutors

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Delegate Commitment

– Attending weekly online training sessions.
– Maintaining a reflective journal of progress and self-awareness.
– Attending tutorials.
– Completing three assignments including:- An Attachment and Loss Assignment,  a Case Presentation
   based on a Case Study and your own Attachment Story.
– Reading from the required reading list.
– Completion of a portfolio of written work.
– Completion of a minimum of 20 hours of supervised clinical practice, with an Attachment Trained Supervisor
– Completion of 20 hours of Attachment-Based personal counselling.
– A commitment of approximately 4 – 6 hours per week for study, reading, research and written work
   in addition to the training sessions.
– Membership of a professional counselling body

Course Requirements

  • Classical attachment theory and research
  • Prior completion of a recognised Level 4 Counselling Diploma course or higher
  • Currently in clinical practice
  • Full completion of the course application form (available on request)
  • Write a pre-course essay on your clinical experience and your motivation for applying for this course. (approx. 1000 words)
  • You will be invited to attend a pre-course interview

Diversity and Inclusion

Throughout the Level 5 pathway, diversity, identity, and inclusive practice are thoughtfully woven into teaching, case material, skills development, and reflective learning. The programme is culturally attuned, neurodiversity-informed, and aligned with the BACP Ethical Framework, creating learning spaces that are respectful, curious, and ethically grounded. Attention is given to difference, culture, power, and social context as essential parts of counselling practice, rather than something added on or treated separately.

As a student, you will be gently supported to explore your developing professional identity alongside your own values, assumptions, and lived experience. Through reflection, discussion, and relational learning, you will begin to notice how issues of power, difference, and positionality can show up in counselling relationships and in your work with clients. The course encourages thoughtful, compassionate engagement with complexity and difference, helping you to grow in confidence as an ethical, inclusive practitioner who can work with care, sensitivity, and respect within your scope of practice.

Progression



Onto our CPCAB Level 7 Qualification – click Here! for more information

What our students say!  

  • “Thank you, Jo. The skills I am learning are informing my practice and making me an all-round better therapist”.

  • This course is mind-blowingly Excellent”!

  • “Excellent! It has been a great mix of theory and its practical application of it. The tutor, Jo has been brilliant in the way she has put the course together, her skills as a tutor and her interactions with me have been the best I have experienced, and I have done loads of courses”!

  • “I am pleased that the theory links to clinical practice and there is a lot of discussion about how to relate it to client work. Packed full of useful applicable theories”.

  • “It’s been amazing to use this knowledge in my practice, and to hear from the other therapists how they are applying the theory in their own practice and the benefits this has had for clients. I’m loving how the knowledge and discussion are developing me both professionally and personally.
    Viewing relationships through an attachment lens has been so insightful for my client work and life-changing in my personal life.

  • I’ve learnt so much and it compliments much of what I had already learnt with more structure and rationale which has helped my confidence, especially as a private practitioner. The reflective questions are always so good.
    One note has been easy to use.

  • “Incredibly insightful, information and theories that resonate absolutely. Lots of theoretical knowledge is shared through lectures and reinforced with lots of additional reading (if you choose to read it, it’s not an expectation). Lots of chances to connect with peers and explore learning in breakout sessions, which is an incredible learning experience.

  • “This course is complemented by the insight of how attachment theory is used in therapy with real-life examples, beautifully explained and explored.”

  • “The amount of personal growth this course has given me is immense”!

  • “I am genuinely loving this course, it’s pushing me out of my comfort zone both professionally and personally, and it’s clarifying so many things that never sat right but couldn’t pinpoint. “

  • Thank you Jo 💫
    Everyone should do this course – what a different world it would be♥️

  • “I have thoroughly enjoyed this course and it has helped me both personally and in my therapeutic work far more than I anticipated. I have felt both supported and challenged in my studies alongside my work and would highly recommend this course to any colleague who has an interest in attachment psychotherapy.”

  • I thoroughly enjoyed this course and believe it to be the best I have undertaken so far – and I have completed many over the years! The learning was challenging and in-depth, offering valuable insights that significantly deepened my understanding of attachment in the therapy room.

  • Integrating Attachment-Based Psychotherapy into Clinical Practice has been life-changing. I have gained an understanding of my attachment styles, my attachment needs and defences. When working with clients it has enabled a deeper understanding of their attachment wounds and how this has impacted their future relationships. The course is well structured, and I have felt supported throughout. I recommend it to any professional seeking to deepen their understanding of attachment and its application within the therapeutic alliance.

  • I’m on this level 5 attachment and loss course with Jo and it’s one of the best courses I’ve ever had the pleasure of being on, for so many reasons. Firstly the topic is incredibly detailed and fascinating, but it also builds self-awareness to another level, testing your own attachment style and how it plays out with others. It’s changed the way I see all relationships and how I present with all my clients and how I help clients manage their grief and loss.
    On top of that, Jo and my tutor Joanne, are brilliant, caring, efficient and well organised. I feel secure and safe and have a wonderful group of students alongside me. I’ll be honestly sad to end this course. I can not recommend this enough! It should be a prerequisite for every single therapist and coach!
    Thank you Jo! You are amazing! 😊

  • I highly recommend Jo’s Level 5 Attachment-Based Psychotherapy course at Optima Health Services. The first term of theory was challenging yet incredibly rewarding, offering me invaluable insights and knowledge to enhance my clinical practice. Case studies and self-reflective work integrate and consolidate the theory, connecting it to practice.
    Jo is a brilliant tutor. She is knowledgeable, experienced, and truly passionate about the subject. Her enthusiasm and expertise shine through in every session, making complex concepts accessible and engaging. She fosters a learning environment that encourages self-awareness, which has been pivotal in my personal and professional growth.
    This course is profoundly influencing my practice. By integrating theory into clinical applications, I have refined my approach and developed greater self-awareness, which I believe enhances the therapeutic experience for clients in my clinical practice.
    If you are aiming to deepen your understanding of attachment-based psychotherapy and enhance your clinical practice, I wholeheartedly recommend this course and Jo as a tutor. It has been a transformative experience!

  • I had the privilege of training under Jo as my Level 5 Counselling Tutor, and her guidance has been truly transformative. Her ability to simplify complex concepts, combined with her warmth and genuine care, made learning a deeply enriching experience.
    Jo not only helped me learn about the Attachment Based Psychotherapeutic model but in the process supported me in launching my private practice. Her encouragement and mentorship sparked my passion for teaching, and I’m now proud to be a qualified CPCAB tutor myself.
    Her expertise, dedication, and unwavering belief in her students make her an outstanding tutor and mentor. I couldn’t recommend her highly enough to anyone looking to grow both professionally and personally.

  • Amazing and challenging course both at the same time! The content packs a punch and is so content-rich and super organised! One of the best online courses I’ve ever been on. I can’t recommend this enough. It has changed me personally, transformed my clinical practice, and binds so many theories together. It also provides cutting-edge evidence that helps practitioners offer some psychoeducation that is invaluable to clients from an evidence-based perspective. I had a wonderful group of cohorts, too! Thanks, Jo and Joanne. Very supportive and genuinely caring and helpful in every way. I’ll miss my group and my tutor.

  • This course has been such a blessing and it has really helped me progress as a therapist. I feel like the work I do now with existing clients is so much deeper than what I could offer before. I believe that this is because I can offer so much more of myself now to my clients as I am slowly learning how to become more secure in myself. I did not realise how much I had to work on my attachment wounds before this course and how much this has been affecting me in my client work either. I still have a long way to go but I am really proud of myself for pushing through this and feel extremely humbled for the opportunity to be a part of the training and learn so much more about myself and my history. I feel like I have been able to develop more compassion for who I am too, rather than see my insecurities as weaknesses. It has helped me to slowly drop part of that critical voice inside my head saying I am not good enough and learn how to parent and nurture myself in a way. I think the saying is true that you can only take your clients as far as you have taken yourself and this training is proof of that. It is without a doubt the best course I have ever done for both personal and professional growth, so I am truly grateful. I will be recommending it for years to come. I believe that every therapist should do this course.

  • The Attachment course run by Jo is incredible! Jo has so much knowledge to share, and she supports her student’s journey throughout. I highly recommend Jo as a tutor and the course, especially if you want to learn more about yourself and help your clients.

  • I am very grateful to Jo for delivering this course and feel that it is just what I needed to tie the threads of all of my studies over the years to become an integrated therapist. I truly can feel the saying, ‘trust the process’

  • The course is well facilitated. Jo is warm, helpful, extremely knowledgeable and goes out of her way to sort out issues should they arise. She also goes above and beyond to dig out research and information for those who want to do background reading. We have time during the weekly sessions to work with and get to know our peers and there is time to discuss client work and receive guidance and insight.

  • Hi Jo,
    I just wanted to reach out and say thank you so very much for this course, and your way of being in it.
    The content is resonating with me on a very deep level. What is more important for me is that you have restored my faith in the profession – my last educational experience was horrific and, in some ways, quite traumatising so I just wanted to say thank you for the time, effort and energy you have put into this course.

  • This course has been the most impactful learning I have ever undertaken both personally and professionally. I have found a theory that I understand and relate to and provides a clear map for interventions.

  • The experience of the course and delivery was therapeutic in itself. I found the sessions incredibly interesting, with an amazing cohort of people. Jo and all the other students bought a rich wealth of knowledge and experience which has been invaluable to my development. Each session was insightful and interesting with room for everyone to contribute, keeping the sessions fresh and engaging. Even the session on ethics was really interesting!

  • Jo did a brilliant job of keeping the sessions emotionally safe and contained, holding space for each student and ensuring they felt valued. I felt privileged to hear each student’s attachment journey and share mine in such a safe, supportive environment.

  • The workload has been difficult to manage at times and more than I expected it to be. I found completing the journals, learning reviews difficult to manage alongside writing assignments. For someone who had never done a CPCAB course before, this came as quite a shock. I also found mapping criteria difficult at first.
    During breakout rooms, I never once made it to the last question, although I suspect this was because I was often too engaged in rich discussions.
    II would wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of theory and of self. I can honestly say the course has transformed the relationships in my life, not only with my loved ones, but with my clients and most importantly myself.
Watch an overview of the course

Investment: £2750 EARLY BIRD OFFER TILL 31st Jan 26 £2,499 — spread the cost with our flexible interest free payment plan, and get all of the above included.

For the full course prospectus and more information please complete the Form Below

ADD us to your safe senders so you get all the goodies we want to send you!  jo.oxley@optimahealthservices.co.uk

Apply Now
Request Prospectus
Apply Now
Request Prospectus