Examining Counselors' Level Of Professional Experience With Adult Attachment Style And Comfort With Emotional Intimacy / By Kenika Holloway

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine if professional experience influences discussing emotional intimacy with clients as well as counselors’ adult attachment style and comfort with intimacy. This study recruited licensed and unlicensed professional counselors and marriage and family therapists including associate-level, master’s-level, and student/interns in both disciplines. A MANOVA was conducted to analyze the data collected from the Revised Adult Attachment Scale and Fear of Intimacy Scale.

This study bridges the gap in the counseling literature in regard to counselors’ susceptibility to countertransference regarding emotional intimacy, due to their own personal adult attachment style and comfort with emotional intimacy. This study highlights the importance of counselors being more self-aware of the influence of their attachment and intimacy history.