February 2026 Houston Chapter Meeting

Networking and CE

“Cultivating Secure Attachements in Recovery”

Presenter: Dr. Kerry Horrel

Classrooms 5130 & 5132

Attachment wounds are at the heart of many struggles faced by individuals in addiction recovery—shaping how people relate to themselves, substances, and others. Cultivate Secure Attachments in Recovery explores addiction through an attachment-informed lens, reframing substance use as an adaptive response to unmet relational needs rather than a failure of willpower.

Participants will gain a practical understanding of attachment theory and the four attachment styles, with a focus on how insecure attachment patterns commonly show up in recovery settings. The presentation highlights how substances often function as “stand-in” attachments and how recovery offers powerful opportunities for relational healing.

Attendees will learn concrete, trauma-informed strategies for cultivating secure attachment at both the individual and relational levels. Emphasis is placed on consistency, attunement, boundaries, and repair—skills that professionals and peer support workers can model to create corrective emotional experiences. Participants will leave with actionable tools they can immediately apply to support emotional safety, connection, and long-term recovery.