Using the Attachment Timeline as a developmental tool, clients can walk along a metaphorical or physical timeline that represents their life, revisiting specific moments or dynamics at different stages of their development. This process can include casting role players to represent themselves or others at various ages. For instance, a client might choose to interact with a younger version of themselves, such as their child or teenage self, while speaking from their current adult perspective. Or they can speak as their teenage self to the parent they had AT THAT POINT IN TIME, thus allowing them to safely explore attachment wounds from the past that may be complicating their interactions with that attachment figure in the present.This dialogue can facilitate deep reflection and healing, providing a way to address unresolved issues, offer comfort, or gain new insights into past experiences.

Role Play Basics

Role plays, often referred to as vignettes, are versatile therapeutic tools that can be used to explore any topic or emotion that emerges during a session. These role plays can take various forms, whether intrapsychic, where the protagonist interacts with themselves at various times from their lives, or interpersonal, where they engage with others. Even pets or an aspect of self, such as their “depression” “anxiety” “hopes” or objects that symbolize something meaningful to them, can be embodied and interacted with.

Structure of Role Plays

Role plays can vary significantly in length and complexity. They can be simple, brief exchanges or longer depending on the material at hand. Even in the simplest scenario, such as speaking to an empty chair, two roles are inherently present: the protagonist and the entity the chair represents.