Join us for a Webinar and Live Q&A on Abandonment + Complex Trauma
Sunday, October 18, 2026 at 4:00 PM PT / 6:00 PM CT (Americas).
Abandonment does not always look like someone walking out the door. For many people with Complex Trauma, it looked like a parent who was physically present but emotionally checked out, a caregiver who was warm one day and cold the next, or a childhood where love felt like something that could be taken away without warning.
A child's deepest need in those early years is to attach. When that need goes unmet, the child draws a conclusion about why. "Something must be wrong with me." "If I need too much, people leave." That is where shame and low self-worth take root, long before there are words for it.
Those conclusions follow people into adulthood. They show up as constant scanning for signs that someone is pulling away. They show up as holding on too tightly, or pulling back first so nobody gets the chance to leave. Some people find themselves drawn to partners and friends who cannot stay. Others become so good at pleasing and fixing that they lose track of what they actually want. Add in the loneliness, the fear of being a burden, the trouble trusting anyone, and the habit of abandoning yourself to keep others close, and it can feel like this is just who you are.
These patterns were built to prevent being left again. The heartbreaking part is how often they create the very distance they were meant to protect against. Seeing that clearly is where healing begins, and working directly on the wound is what makes real change possible.
This 1-hour webinar looks at how Complex Trauma can give rise to the fear of abandonment, how self-abandonment often runs alongside it, and what it actually takes to build a steadier, more trusting way to stay connected, to others and to yourself.
We'll also leave time for a live Q&A at the end so you can bring your own questions and experiences into the conversation.
If you've ever wondered why closeness always seems to come with the fear that it will end, this is a good place to start. See you there!
Can’t make it but still want to watch?
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Once you've registered via Zoom, you will receive an email that includes the virtual meeting link (keep an eye on your junk mail folder!).
When you join the meeting, you’ll be in a waiting room for a few minutes until our team lets you in.
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We will meet for 1 hour.
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Yes. We will be recording this session. After the session (within 1-3 business days), we'll email all registrants a link to the recording.
If you can’t make it to the live event, we welcome you to register anyway so you can watch later.
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This webinar is hosted by one of our most experienced LIFT Coaches, Morag Clark. Morag has been working with Tim Fletcher Co. and the 12 Basic Needs for a long time. Morag is very passionate about teaching on the topic of Complex Trauma!
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