The Eye Movement–Somatic Attachment Protocol: A Neuro-Somatic Model of Attachment Repair and Autonomic Regulation
This paper introduces the Eye Movement–Somatic Attachment Protocol (SAP), a neuro-somatic framework that conceptualizes attachment trauma primarily as a disturbance of autonomic regulation rather than memory content alone. SAP integrates eye-movement–based neural interruption, somatic tracking, and regulation-first sequencing to stabilize autonomic states and facilitate adaptive reorganization of implicit attachment patterns. Grounded in affective neuroscience, polyvagal theory, and memory reconsolidation research, SAP emphasizes bottom-up sensory processing and bilateral stimulation without relying on prolonged exposure or cathartic emotional processing.
The paper formalizes SAP as a theoretical framework, outlines its proposed mechanisms of change, and distinguishes it from exposure-based eye-movement, somatic, and emotion-focused approaches. By reframing attachment repair as autonomic re-patterning supported by neuro-somatic integration, SAP proposes a regulation-centered approach for clients with attachment-related dysregulation and limited tolerance for exposure-based interventions.
© The Author(s) 2026. Published by RITHA Publishing. This article is distributed under the terms of the license CC-BY 4.0., which permits any further distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited maintaining attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
Article’s history: Received 21st January, 2025; Revised 27th of February, 2025; Accepted: 14th of March, 2025; Available online: 24th of March, 2025; Published as research article in Volume IV, Issue 4, 2026.
Tang, S. Y. N. (2026). The Eye Movement–Somatic Attachment Protocol: A Neuro-Somatic Model of Attachment Repair and Autonomic Regulation. Journal of Contemporary Approaches in Psychology and Psychotherapy, Volume IV, Issue 4, 19 – 33. https://doi.org/10.57017/jcapp.v4.i4.02
Credit Authorship Contribution Statement: Tang S Y N: Conceptualisation, Methodology, Investigation, Writing – Original Draft, Writing – Review & Editing, Visualisation. As sole author, the corresponding author confirms this description is accurate.
Acknowledgments: The author declares that this research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Founding: N/A
Conflict of Interest Statement:The author declares no other conflicts of interest.
Data Availability Statement: The data that support the findings of this study are not publicly available due to confidentiality obligations to the client described in the clinical illustration, but de-identified case material is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request, subject to client consent.
Ethical Approval Statement: Formal ethics committee approval was not required for private-practice case material under the author's registering body Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC). Documented written client consent for publication was obtained, and all identifying client details have been fully anonymised.
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