
Lecture 1: The Basic Psychological Needs at Birth
Overview of essential human needs, such as safety, connection, and validation.
Discussion of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and how it applies to early life.
How unmet needs can affect development and personality.
Why attachment is a fundamental human need.
The role of caregivers in fulfilling this need during infancy.
How attachment bonds form and their impact on early development.
How a secure environment impacts a child's mental and emotional health.
The psychological impact of consistency and reliability in early care.
The consequences of instability or insecurity in the early years.
Encouraging healthy exploration and independence in childhood.
How boundaries and guidance shape autonomy.
The role of autonomy in building self-confidence and self-esteem.
The psychological consequences of unfulfilled basic needs.
How unmet needs manifest in adulthood (e.g., anxiety, low self-worth).
Practical steps for identifying and healing these unmet needs.
Overview of John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory.
Key components: secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment.
How early relationships with caregivers shape our adult relational patterns.
Characteristics of a securely attached individual.
How secure attachment leads to trust, emotional stability, and healthy boundaries.
Practical steps for cultivating secure attachment in adulthood.
Defining anxious attachment and its signs.
The root causes are inconsistent caregiving or emotional unavailability.
How anxious attachment impacts romantic relationships and friendships.
Understanding avoidant attachment and emotional distancing.
The fear of intimacy and vulnerability in avoidantly attached individuals.
Healing and overcoming avoidant tendencies in relationships.
How disorganized attachment develops from trauma or neglect.
The unpredictable and often chaotic behaviour patterns of disorganized individuals.
Steps toward healing trauma and building healthier relationships.
What are emotions, and why are they essential for our well-being?
The role of emotions in communication, decision-making, and personal growth.
Differentiating between primary and secondary emotions.
What emotional regulation is and why it’s important.
Techniques for self-soothing and managing difficult emotions (e.g., mindfulness, breathing exercises).
The relationship between emotional regulation and mental health.
How emotional dysregulation affects relationships, work, and personal decisions.
Recognizing emotional triggers and patterns.
Tools to navigate emotional highs and lows in a healthy way.
The importance of boundaries in emotional regulation.
How to identify and communicate your personal boundaries.
Dealing with guilt, pushback, and resistance when setting boundaries.
Why having goals matters for personal fulfilment.
The importance of aligning your goals with your core values and passions.
A step-by-step guide to setting achievable, meaningful goals.
How emotional awareness and understanding attachment styles help in goal-setting.
Have you ever wondered how your early relationships shape the way you connect with others? This course is designed to help you understand attachment styles and how they influence your emotions, behaviours, and relationships.
We will explore the foundations of human psychology, from our basic emotional needs at birth to the development of attachment styles—secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganised. You will learn how these patterns affect your personal and professional relationships, self-esteem, and emotional well-being.
Through engaging lectures, practical examples, and self-reflective exercises, this course will guide you in identifying your own attachment style and understanding how it plays out in daily life. We will also cover emotional regulation strategies and how to set meaningful goals aligned with your true self.
By the end of this course, you will have a deeper awareness of your inner world, how early experiences shape your current relationships, and practical tools to foster personal growth. The course will conclude with a summary of key takeaways and exercises to help you apply what you’ve learned beyond the classroom.
Whether you want to improve your relationships, enhance self-awareness, or gain insight into human behaviour, this course will provide valuable knowledge and strategies for lasting personal development.