Securely Attached
Securely Attached is your go-to parenting podcast, supporting moms and dads from pregnancy all the way through their child's adolescence and every stage in between.
Join us every Tuesday as clinical psychologist and mom of two Dr. Sarah Bren shares her expertise and interviews top experts in the field, simplifying complicated concepts and pulling back the curtain on the brain science and psychology that drives and shapes the parent-child relationship.
And now, every Thursday, Dr. Sarah Bren is joined by Dr. Emily Upshur and Dr. Rebecca Hershberg for a special segment, Beyond The Sessions. We’re answering YOUR parenting questions from the perspective of clinical psychologists highly trained in developmental science and real-life moms who get that parenting is messy, and sometimes we have to laugh, cry, and throw out the “rules.”
From toddler tantrums, to effective discipline strategies, to leaning into the principles of respectful parenting, and to managing your own mental wellness as a parent—this podcast is your ultimate resource for judgment-free, research-backed information you know you can trust.
About Sarah Bren, PhD
Dr. Sarah Bren is a licensed clinical psychologist and mom of two who helps parents understand the building blocks of child development and how secure relationships form and thrive. Her work is focused on helping parents find their inner confidence so they can respond to any parenting problem that comes along and raise kids who are healthy, resilient, and kind.
- Update frequency
- every 3 days
- Average duration
- 41 minutes
- Episodes
- 342
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
120. Breaking the silence: A comprehensive breakdown of selective mutism with Dr. Carmen Tumialan Lynas
How do you know whether your child has selective mutism or is just shy in certain situations?
Joining me today to discuss selective mutism—an anxiety disorder that is characterized by the inability…
119. Q&A: How can I keep my child from being spoiled?
Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...
3:30 - The importance of mindfulness and pausing long enough…
118. How nurturing shapes our child's brain and sets them up for lifelong mental health with Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum
How does the way we treat our children affect the makeup of their brains? And how can we use this knowledge to raise children in a style that optimizes their physical, emotional, and mental health?
…
117. Q&A: Is it okay to let my daughter play with Barbies?
Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...
2:07 - Does playing with Barbies cause children to have an u…
116. Transform mealtimes: Expert tips for raising healthy eaters with Amelia Sherry
When it comes to healthy eating habits, it's essential to focus on balance and trust rather than strict rules or restrictions - which for many of us, is the exact opposite of the way we were raised.
…
115. Q&A: Can you get stuck in a state of fight-or-flight?
Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...
1:11 - What actually is the proper scientific definition of …
114. NICU survival guide: Establishing a secure attachment even when your child is in the hospital with the founders of NICU Nook
Having a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) comes with a wide range of emotions and experiences that can be challenging for new parents to navigate. And many feel like they’re facing …
113. Q&A: Do you need enrichment classes for baby's healthy brain development?
Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...
3:38 - What is serve and return and how does it impact our b…
112. Hustle culture is changing the way we parent: Why slowing down is the key to finding balance with Joe Sanok
The constant pressure to do it all (and do it all perfectly, I might add) is just one of the reasons parents are finding themselves so burnt out.
We are so go, go, go that we often forget to stop a…
111. Q&A: Is my kid ready for a sleepover?
Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...
3:05 - The guidelines we use and the questions we ask …
110. Is my child insecurely attached? Unraveling common misconceptions about attachment styles with Dr. Tanya Cotler
Secure and insecure attachment styles aren't good or bad, they simply are. It can be tempting to label these things, but with that can come shame, guilt, and anxiety.
Here to help dispel some myths…
109. Q&A: When and how should we pull the pacifier?
Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...
2:48 - What to think about and how to decide when it’s time …
108. How to talk so your teen will listen (plus lay the groundwork for this when they’re little) with Elizabeth Bennett
Big kids can mean big problems. As tweens and teens start to find their independence and exert their autonomy, parents may feel a little lost as they face new challenges.
One of the best ways to br…
107. A parenting playbook for new dads: What it means to be a father with Kendall Smith
New parenthood is full of challenges, twists, and turns. But particularly for men who were raised by single mothers, becoming a father can sometimes feel like they are forced to forge a new path with…
106. Recognizing and overcoming codependency in parenthood with Alana Carvalho
Whether you are in a fully codependent relationship or not, there can be subtle things people do in romantic relationships, with friends, and within a parent-child relationship that can heighten aspe…
105. How RIE can evolve into lifelong respectful parenting: Growing your parenting approach as your child grows with Janet Lansbury
Janet Lansbury was talking and blogging about respectful parenting long before it became a buzzword.
Informed by her mentor and RIE creator Magda Gerber, Janet has spent decades encouraging parents…
104. Becoming a grandparent: Embracing the complicated identity shifts that come when your baby has a baby with Carol Merle-Fishman
Becoming a grandparent is typically embraced by society as a joyous event filled with all the love and much less of the responsibility that comes with parenthood. However, in reality, the identity sh…
103. Secure attachment vs. social media: Navigating their effects on body image from early childhood to teen years with Dr. Miriam Steele
Does attachment security impact our perception of our appearance and whether or not we have a positive or negative body image? Are mothers, consciously or unconsciously, passing down their own intern…
102. Breaking the cycle of insecure attachment: How to support your child's secure attachment even if you didn't grow up with it, with Dr. Miriam Steele
Understanding attachment theory can give parents an amazing insight into why things are happening in their relationship with their child. But simply knowing this information is one thing—learning …
101. How to improve your newborn’s sleep without sleep training or crying it out with Eva Klein
Getting proper sleep as a new parent can have a huge impact on your mental health and subsequently the health of your infant. But in order for you to get good stretches of sleep, you need your lit…