.png)
Holding Space with Dr. Barker
Welcome to Holding Space with Dr. Barker—a podcast dedicated to fostering personal growth, emotional healing, and professional development. Hosted by Dr. Christopher Barker, a seasoned psychologist with over two decades of clinical experience, this podcast offers a thoughtful, compassionate space for meaningful conversations about mental health and psychotherapy.
Whether you're on your own path toward greater self-awareness and well-being, or you're a fellow therapist committed to deepening your clinical skills, you’ll find insightful discussions, evidence-based strategies, and expert guidance to support your journey.
Each week, Dr. Barker draws on his extensive training—including a Ph.D. from Seton Hall University, a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Radford University, and a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from The New School for Social Research—to explore topics like trauma recovery, emotional regulation, therapeutic techniques, and the art of holding space for others.
Join us for educational series, interviews with leading voices in the field, and practical tools designed to inspire personal discovery and professional transformation.
This is your space for reflection, learning, and connection.
Welcome to Holding Space.
Holding Space with Dr. Barker
Understanding Attachment Styles: Secure, Anxious, Avoidant & Disorganized | Holding Space with Dr. Barker
In this insightful episode of Holding Space with Dr. Barker, clinical psychologist Dr. Christopher Barker explores the psychology of attachment styles—a concept rooted in developmental and relationship psychology that's gained significant attention in recent years. Drawing on foundational research by Mary Ainsworth and Bowlby’s attachment theory, Dr. Barker breaks down the four main attachment styles: secure, avoidant, anxious (ambivalent), and disorganized.
This episode takes a deep dive into the origins of attachment styles in early childhood and their impact on adult relationships, emotional availability, intimacy, and relational conflict. Dr. Barker focuses on secure attachment, explaining how it develops, what it looks like in adult partnerships, and why it's essential for building healthy, trusting, and dependable relationships.
You'll also hear about how mismatched attachment styles—like when a securely attached person is in a relationship with someone who is anxious or avoidant—can lead to communication issues, emotional withdrawal, and trust concerns. Dr. Barker provides nuanced reflections and introduces ideas that will be explored further in future episodes.
Whether you're looking to improve your relationship dynamics, better understand your own attachment style, or simply grow in emotional intelligence, this episode is packed with psychological insight and practical takeaways.
Holding Space For You