For Fear of Being Left
Abandonment Therapy for Women
You brace for people to leave, even when nothing suggests they will. Or you keep everyone at a slight distance, just in case. Abandonment therapy is where you find out why, and what to do about it.
Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, Broomfield & Longmont • In-Person & Online
Schedule a Therapist Match Call
Why This Matters
The Fear Is Usually Older Than the Relationship.
Abandonment fear is one of the most primal fears there is, the fear of being left alone. It often traces back to early experiences, losing a parent to death or divorce, or simply not getting the physical or emotional care you needed as a child. This work sits within our broader relationship therapy practice. You are not overreacting to it.
Because those early experiences shape how you bond as an adult, attachment therapy often runs alongside this work. When the fear of being left has led you to over-give or lose yourself in a relationship, codependency therapy addresses that pattern directly.
Our Promise to You
We Guarantee Our Therapist Matching
Trusting someone new, including a new therapist, can feel like its own risk when this is what you’re working on. We know that. If your first therapist isn’t the right fit, we’ll match you with another at no additional cost. You will not have to start over and rebuild that trust from nothing.
Request a Free ConsultationWhat It Can Look Like
Abandonment Fear Shows Up in More Than One Way.
Most women recognize themselves in a few of these at once, not just one. You are probably no exception.
Fear of Intimacy
Getting close feels risky, so part of you avoids it before it can go wrong.
Emotional Distress
You feel the anxiety, sadness, or anger before you can name what triggered it.
Clinging and Pushing Away
You want people close, then you put distance between you, sometimes in the same conversation.
Low Self-Esteem
Somewhere in this, you started doubting whether you’re actually worth staying for.
Fear of Being Left Behind
Even in a stable relationship, part of you is waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Difficulty Trusting Others
Opening up feels risky, even with people who have given you no real reason to doubt them.
Intense Reactions to Rejection
An unanswered text or a canceled plan, and you feel a reaction that is bigger than the moment calls for.
Difficulty Being Alone
Even a short stretch on your own can feel unbearable, not just inconvenient.
Our Approach
Starting Abandonment Therapy for Women.
The fear took years to build. Understanding it does not have to take that long.
The Match Call Comes First
You talk with a Wellness Coordinator about what you’re noticing. She matches you with a therapist who works with abandonment fears specifically.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Your therapist may draw on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to work with the emotion underneath the fear, not just the behavior it produces.
Rebuilding What the Fear Has Worn Down
Fear of abandonment tends to erode how you see yourself over time, so self-esteem work is often part of this too.
In One of Our Offices, or Online
Sessions are available at our Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, Broomfield, or Longmont offices, or online anywhere in Colorado, seven days a week.
Common Questions
Questions About Abandonment Therapy for Women.
Do I need a diagnosis to start this kind of therapy?
No. You do not need a formal diagnosis, just a sense that this fear keeps shaping your relationships and you want to understand it.
Can this help even if I am not in a relationship right now?
Yes. Much of this work is about understanding the fear itself, which you can do whether or not you are currently dating or partnered.
How is this different from attachment therapy?
The two overlap closely. Abandonment therapy focuses on the fear of being left specifically, while attachment therapy looks at the broader pattern it grew out of. Your therapist can help you sort out which framing fits, or work with both at once.
Is what I share confidential?
Yes. What you tell your therapist at Colorado Women's Center is confidential and protected under HIPAA. It is not shared with anyone else without your written consent, apart from the narrow situations the law requires, such as an immediate safety concern.
How soon can I start?
Usually within about a week. Match Calls are usually available within 48 hours and often within 24. Call 720.810.2355 or use the form on this page to set one up.
Can I do sessions online?
Yes. Online sessions are available anywhere in Colorado. Sessions are available seven days a week, 8am to 8pm, in person or online.
Related Support
Attachment Work Often Goes Hand in Hand With This.
Fear of abandonment rarely shows up in isolation from the patterns around it.
Attachment Therapy
For the broader pattern this fear grew out of →
Relationship Therapy
See every kind of relationship support we offer →
Therapists Supporting Abandonment Issues
Juliana Vergaray, LCSW
Lauren Mehrhoff, LPCC
Shannon Martin, MFT
Yazmine Greco, MSW, LCSW
Start with a Therapist Match Call
Schedule a Free Consultation Today.
New clients often are able to have first appointment within a week of contacting us.
Call 720.810.2355 or Fill Out The Form Below
We do not bill Medicare or Health First Colorado, and we are not able to see clients enrolled in Health First Colorado.
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