Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find—and Keep—Love

Attached (2010) by Dr. Amir Levine and Rachel Heller explores the origins and application of attachment theory to facilitating adult relationships. It is a collaboration between psychiatrist and neuroscientist Levine and writer and psychologist Heller. Interspersed with interactive exercises for the reader, Attached explores the importance of identifying one’s attachment style and the ability to transform into a more secure partner.

Attached maintains a high ranking on Amazon and has been translated into 20 languages. More than a decade after its publication, its influence continues to expand in popular culture as rates of readership continue to rise. Its popularity can be partially attributed to critical acclaim from fellow therapists and social scientists. Some attribute the book’s continued success in recent years to the advent of TikTok, a popular social media platform where users frequently share recommendations. Videos using the hashtag #AttachmentStyle to refer to the book have amassed over 189 million views. Despite the book’s popularity, some therapists believe the discussions featured in the book lack nuance; they warn clients to use the text as a broad tool and engage with it in collaboration with a therapist.  

This guide was written using the TarcherPerigee eBook edition of Attached.