PACT

Developed by Stan Tatkin. Combines attachment theory with interpersonal neuroscience. The key concept is **secure functioning** — two people who explicitly commit to operating as a team, prioritizing the relationship and each other's well-being above all else.

Tatkin's three attachment styles: - **Anchors** — Securely attached. Can use the other person as a resource and be used as one. - **Islands** — Avoidant. Self-reliant to a fault; prefers to manage alone. - **Waves** — Anxious. Highly relational, but mood-dependent and unpredictable.

PACT emphasizes the body's role: facial expressions, vocal tone, physiological states, and proximity all drive the felt sense of safety or threat in a relationship. Partners are each other's primary regulators.

Origin

Stan Tatkin, 2000s