{"id":{"repo_id":"loma-linda","oai_identifier":"oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-1021"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/loma-linda/oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-1021","repository":{"repo_id":"loma-linda","name":"Loma Linda University","base_url":"https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Yearnings: Stories of Insecure Attachment and the Journey to Connect to God","abstract":"Utilizing grounded theory and the semi-structured interviews of25 participants, this study sought to understand how an insecure attachment affects one's relationship with God. Participants' stories suggested that: I) one's struggle to connect with God was a part of their struggle to connect with others; 2) that experiencing others as safe and responsive contributed to building a more secure attachment with God; and 3) that attachment is less a fixed style and more of an ongoing process: defined as gradual changes made by the participants towards the set-goal of feeling safe and secure. Four major processes were identified: I) finding what works; 2) a safe community; 3) significant time and energy given to creating secure relationships; and 4) being able to distinguish feelings about God and critical parent. Participants' stories appeared to suggest that a safe community may facilitate a more secure attachment to God and others and provide a potential means of affect regulation during times of distress. Community is suggested to mediate affective responses of participants during times of distress by: I) providing a bridging function between insecure participants and God through helping participants feel safer and more secure as they seek a closer relationship with God; 2) soothing participants' fears as they begin to experience intimacy; and 3) helping to create new safe images of God. Implications for clinical practice included suggestions for: I) incorporating attachment or relational language to help bridge the gap between client therapist religious background differences while tapping into the strengths and resources of a client's religious beliefs and heritage; 2) utilizing small groups within a client's faith community as another potential solution for developing healthy relationships and personal resources; and 3) helping clients create a positive image of God through experiencing others as caring and responsive as a therapeutic intervention in developing a more secure attachment. Limitations and directions for future research were also discussed.","abstract_html":"Utilizing grounded theory and the semi-structured interviews of25 participants, this study sought to understand how an insecure attachment affects one's relationship with God. Participants' stories suggested that: I) one's struggle to connect with God was a part of their struggle to connect with others; 2) that experiencing others as safe and responsive contributed to building a more secure attachment with God; and 3) that attachment is less a fixed style and more of an ongoing process: defined as gradual changes made by the participants towards the set-goal of feeling safe and secure. Four major processes were identified: I) finding what works; 2) a safe community; 3) significant time and energy given to creating secure relationships; and 4) being able to distinguish feelings about God and critical parent. Participants' stories appeared to suggest that a safe community may facilitate a more secure attachment to God and others and provide a potential means of affect regulation during times of distress. Community is suggested to mediate affective responses of participants during times of distress by: I) providing a bridging function between insecure participants and God through helping participants feel safer and more secure as they seek a closer relationship with God; 2) soothing participants' fears as they begin to experience intimacy; and 3) helping to create new safe images of God. Implications for clinical practice included suggestions for: I) incorporating attachment or relational language to help bridge the gap between client therapist religious background differences while tapping into the strengths and resources of a client's religious beliefs and heritage; 2) utilizing small groups within a client's faith community as another potential solution for developing healthy relationships and personal resources; and 3) helping clients create a positive image of God through experiencing others as caring and responsive as a therapeutic intervention in developing a more secure attachment. Limitations and directions for future research were also discussed.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Bracy, John"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Marriage and Family Therapy","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Knudson-Martin, Carmen"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:08Z","subjects":["Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling","Attachment behavior; Spiritual life;","Insecure Attachment","Connecting to God"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/22","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Knudson-Martin, Carmen"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Bracy, John"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Marriage and Family Therapy"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling","Attachment behavior; Spiritual life;","Insecure Attachment","Connecting to God"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/22"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Utilizing grounded theory and the semi-structured interviews of25 participants, this study sought to understand how an insecure attachment affects one's relationship with God. Participants' stories suggested that: I) one's struggle to connect with God was a part of their struggle to connect with others; 2) that experiencing others as safe and responsive contributed to building a more secure attachment with God; and 3) that attachment is less a fixed style and more of an ongoing process: defined as gradual changes made by the participants towards the set-goal of feeling safe and secure. Four major processes were identified: I) finding what works; 2) a safe community; 3) significant time and energy given to creating secure relationships; and 4) being able to distinguish feelings about God and critical parent. Participants' stories appeared to suggest that a safe community may facilitate a more secure attachment to God and others and provide a potential means of affect regulation during times of distress. Community is suggested to mediate affective responses of participants during times of distress by: I) providing a bridging function between insecure participants and God through helping participants feel safer and more secure as they seek a closer relationship with God; 2) soothing participants' fears as they begin to experience intimacy; and 3) helping to create new safe images of God. Implications for clinical practice included suggestions for: I) incorporating attachment or relational language to help bridge the gap between client therapist religious background differences while tapping into the strengths and resources of a client's religious beliefs and heritage; 2) utilizing small groups within a client's faith community as another potential solution for developing healthy relationships and personal resources; and 3) helping clients create a positive image of God through experiencing others as caring and responsive as a therapeutic intervention in developing a more secure attachment. Limitations and directions for future research were also discussed."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Yearnings: Stories of Insecure Attachment and the Journey to Connect to God"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Knudson-Martin, Carmen"],"dc:creator":["Bracy, John"],"dc:description.abstract":["Utilizing grounded theory and the semi-structured interviews of25 participants, this study sought to understand how an insecure attachment affects one's relationship with God. Participants' stories suggested that: I) one's struggle to connect with God was a part of their struggle to connect with others; 2) that experiencing others as safe and responsive contributed to building a more secure attachment with God; and 3) that attachment is less a fixed style and more of an ongoing process: defined as gradual changes made by the participants towards the set-goal of feeling safe and secure. Four major processes were identified: I) finding what works; 2) a safe community; 3) significant time and energy given to creating secure relationships; and 4) being able to distinguish feelings about God and critical parent. Participants' stories appeared to suggest that a safe community may facilitate a more secure attachment to God and others and provide a potential means of affect regulation during times of distress. Community is suggested to mediate affective responses of participants during times of distress by: I) providing a bridging function between insecure participants and God through helping participants feel safer and more secure as they seek a closer relationship with God; 2) soothing participants' fears as they begin to experience intimacy; and 3) helping to create new safe images of God. Implications for clinical practice included suggestions for: I) incorporating attachment or relational language to help bridge the gap between client therapist religious background differences while tapping into the strengths and resources of a client's religious beliefs and heritage; 2) utilizing small groups within a client's faith community as another potential solution for developing healthy relationships and personal resources; and 3) helping clients create a positive image of God through experiencing others as caring and responsive as a therapeutic intervention in developing a more secure attachment. Limitations and directions for future research were also discussed."],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/22"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"dc:subject":["Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling","Attachment behavior; Spiritual life;","Insecure Attachment","Connecting to God"],"dc:title":["Yearnings: Stories of Insecure Attachment and the Journey to Connect to God"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Marriage and Family Therapy"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:08Z"}