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PDF: Sketchnotes on Attunement & Containment

Each download includes the following two images as full-page PDFs, with full-color backgrounds and with print-friendly white backgrounds- for a total of 4 pages contained within the PDF file.

Pink background with the title “Containment.” On the top left of the image, under the title, is a dark pink banner with the word “containment” inside. Underneath the sentence continues, “is key to secure attachments.” There are small circles drawn as a divider, with a bullet pointed list below: “It takes: courage, wisdom, boundaries, self-awareness.” In the top middle of the image is a drawing of a grey cat inside of a tan cardboard box. Underneath is written, “Like cats, we love holding space with boundaries.” An arrow is drawn from this text to the drawing of the cat. Below this is written, “Empathy alone doesn’t contain.” The two words “doesn’t contain” are written inside of a yellow box with black outlining. A third column of text on the right side of the image begins “Containment looks like:” words are highlighted in yellow with a bullet pointed list following, “being able to trust someone: can offer us empathy (word is highlighted in pink), has mental space (word is highlighted in pink) for us, has time (word is highlighted in pink) for us, isn’t distracted (words are highlighted in pink) when they’re with us, and sets and holds clear boundaries (word is highlighted in pink).” At the bottom of the image are two drawings of light-skinned infants, each on a grey circular background. The one on the left is in a pink onesie with arms and legs splayed, crying. The one on the right is wrapped in a yellow sleep sack, sleeping peacefully on a pillow. Between the infants is written “CONTAINMENT comes through attuned care.” An arrow is pointing from the crying infant to the text and from the text to the soothed infant. Image was created by Lindsay Braman with content from The Allender Center. Green background with a lighter green, shadowed bubble letter title that reads, “Attunement.” Underneath is written, “Being attuned to feels like being the center of someone’s attention.” On the right of this is a drawing of two people. The person on the left is light skinned with shoulder-length blond hair, wearing a green shirt and an interested expression. The person on the right is dark skinned with short dark hair, wearing a light green shirt and an engaged expression. There are dotted lines from the person on the right to the person on the left, illustrating that they are the center of that person’s attention. Below this is a vertically striped, dark and light green divider. Below this to the left is written, “Other people’s need can be terrifying, but… we don’t have to MEET needs, just show up and validate.” Amidst this text is a drawing of a bumble bee chasing after a person with a medium skin tone, no hair, and a terrified expression running away with their arms waving in the air. To the right of this is a block of text that reads, “Good attunement requires being able to: read (written inside a yellow box with black outlining), see (written inside a green box with black outlining), and stay present (written inside a brown box with black outlining) to people in conversations. Attuning is a choice (phrase written inside a yellow banner). And it’s hard!” At the bottom of the image is written, “Consistent attunement grows our capacity to feel safe in a relationship.” To the right of this is a drawing of a buzzing black and light green cell phone with the phrase “Bzzz!” on the screen. To the right of this is written, “Distractions prevent attunement.” An arrow is drawn from this text to the phone. Image was created by Lindsay Braman with content from a lecture on attachment by The Allender Center.

For more information on this topic, visit the article: Understanding How Attunement & Containment Help Form Attachments