What is it about?

This conference reflects an ongoing commitment to learning from and thinking alongside groups who have historically been underrepresented in psychotherapy, as we explore how attachment theory can be brought into dialogue with the realities of lived and relational experiences.

Attachment theory is widely used in research and underpins many approaches to trauma-informed care. Yet it remains less widely applied in clinical work for those with learning disabilities. However, many of the pioneers of disability psychotherapy have been deeply influenced by attachment theory and trauma-informed approaches.

In partnership with International Psychotherapy and Disability (IPD), the conference brings together clinicians, researchers, and practitioners working at the intersection of psychotherapy and intellectual disability. Through a combination of presentations and workshops, our international speakers will draw on clinical experience, theory, and research to explore how therapeutic thinking can be both grounded and creatively extended in this field.

Not all of the workshops were recorded on due to the interactive nature or clinical work material shared. 

Talks Recorded: Dr Valerie Sinason, Tamsin Cottis, Dr Allan Skelly, Mark Linington, Chaired by David O’Driscoll
Workshop Leaders:  Dr Lisa Greenspan, Dr Joy Gravestock, Dr Georgina Parkes, Dr. Eimir McGrath, and Dr Angelina Veiga.

Who is this conference for? This conference is open to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of learning disability through a relational and attachment-informed lens. We aim to bring together people who work with or support people with learning disabilities and psychotherapists who may not have previously considered working with this client group.

We would particularly encourage you to join us if you do not already work directly with people with intellectual disabilities. Learning from the day can enrich clinical practice and deepen our understanding of attachment across a wider range of human experiences.

Why attend if you do not work with people with learning disabilities? You do not need to work directly with people with learning disabilities to benefit from this conference. Thinking about psychotherapy in the context of learning disability invites us to question some of our assumptions about communication, dependency, autonomy, development and what it means to be in a therapeutic relationship. These questions are relevant to all psychotherapists. The day offers an opportunity to encounter different perspectives, learn from clinical practice and consider how attachment theory can deepen our understanding of emotional and relational experience across a much wider range of human lives.

What does attachment theory have to offer? People with Learning disabilities are more likely to depend on others for significant periods, and sometimes for much of their lives. As a society, we struggle to think about disability, dependency and the complex relationships that develop around care. Attachment theory provides a valuable language for thinking about safety, regulation and contexts where relationships may be fragile, disrupted, or shaped by long-standing systemic and social factors.

The conference will consider how attachment-informed thinking can be used clinically in ways that remain sensitive to difference, avoiding assumptions about developmental norms while holding onto the importance of relational safety and continuity. It will also explore how therapists can think about containment, consistency and responsiveness when traditional talking therapy frameworks may need to be adapted.

Date: Saturday 10th October 2026

Cost: Tickets £125 | Bowlby Members and Supervision and Certificate Students £100 | Bowlby ABPP & APL Students Free