Securely Attached

Clinical psychologist, educational leader, and author of Untethered: Creating Connected Families, Schools and Communities to Raise a Resilient Generation, Dr. Doug Bolton, joins me this week to unpack the rising levels of anxiety, burnout, and overwhelm we're seeing in kids today.   Together we explore:   - How changes in education starting in the 90s have intensified academic pressure for kids of all ages. - Why school avoidance, perfectionism, and burnout are rising, even among high-achieving students. - The neuroscience behind why rigor, overscheduling, and constant output make it harder for kids to access curiosity, regulation, and real learning. - How expectations have shifted, and why many kids simply aren't developmentally ready for what schools now demand. - Realistic, achievable ways to build rest, connection, and resilience into daily family life. - Small shifts parents can make at home to buffer their child's stress, protect their mental health, and restore balance.   If your child is melting down after school, anxious about grades, overwhelmed by homework, or feeling weighed down by pressure to perform, this episode will help you understand what's really going on beneath the surface and give you practical tools to support their wellbeing.     LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUEST: 🔗Dr. Doug Bolton  📚Untethered: Creating Connected Families, Schools, and Communities to Raise a Resilient Generation    FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: 📱@douglasabolton  📱@drsarahbren   ADDITIONAL REFERENCES AND RESOURCES: 🔗 If your child is feeling overwhelmed by school demands, struggling with executive functioning, or showing signs of anxiety or burnout, you don't have to navigate this alone. Visit upshurbren.com to learn more about our therapy and coaching services designed to help kids and families move through these challenges with clarity and support.   CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE: 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about the dangers of an achievement centric approach with Jennifer Breheny Wallace   🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about helping your child feel less academic pressure   🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how to handle school refusal    🎧 Listen to podcast episode about the myths of learning styles with Dr. Dan Willingham   🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about the neuroscience of why boys and girls need different things with Michael Gurian

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode Dr. Emily Upshur and I talk about...   - What is actually happening when your toddler cries over every little thing, from dropped toys to leaving the playground. - Why saying "don't cry" often backfires, and what actually helps shorten the crying instead. - The simple validation strategy that calms big feelings faster, even when every part of you wants the tears to stop. - How to model emotional regulation by moving forward without ignoring your child or shutting their feelings down. - When to offer empathy, when to add a little distraction (and why the order you do this really matters!) for helping toddlers build resilience.   If your child seems to dissolve into tears at the smallest frustration, this episode will help you understand the developmental reasons behind all that emotion and give you practical, real-world tools for supporting their feelings while still keeping your day moving.     REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES:   👉 Want games specifically designed for fostering emotion regulation? Go to drsarahbren.com/games to get my free guide packed with games you can play with kids of all ages!     CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE:   🎧Listen to my podcast episode about helping parents decipher whether you have a child who is anxious or just sensitive 🎧Listen to my podcast episode about understanding toddlerhood with Devon Kuntzman 🎧Listen to my podcast episode about supporting your toddler's sleep with Eileen Henry     WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:   Go to https://drsarahbren.com/question to send us a question or a topic you want to hear us answer on Securely Attached - Beyond the Sessions!

Pediatrician and bestselling author Dr. Golly (aka Dr. Daniel Golshevsky) joins me this week to help new parents make sense of the early weeks with a newborn and feel more grounded, confident, and connected along the way.   Together we explore:   - How to understand newborn behavior and cues so you can respond with more confidence. - What really matters in the first four weeks — and what you can let go of. - Why some babies struggle to settle, and how to support their developing nervous system. - How to create flexible, supportive routines without slipping into rigidity or pressure. - The powerful role of partners and non-breastfeeding caregivers in bonding and soothing. - How parents can tune out the noise, trust their instincts, and feel less overwhelmed by conflicting advice.   Whether you're navigating confusing cues, unpredictable sleep, feeding challenges, colic, or the general overwhelm of early parenthood, this episode offers clarity and reassurance during one of the most intense transitions of your life.     LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUEST: 🔗Learn more about Dr. Golly and use code securelyattachedVIP15 for 15% off all Dr Golly courses at www.drgolly.com 🔗Get Dr. Golly's free Sleeping Tips checklists 📚Your Baby Doesn't Come with a Book: Dr Golly's Guide to the First Four Weeks of Parenthood  📚Dr Golly's Guide to Family Illness: Sneezes, Wheezes and Common Diseases   📚Our Baby, Our Baby, What Do You Need?: A Dr Golly Lift-the-Flap book  📚Our Baby, Our Baby, What Did You Say?: A Dr Golly Lift-the-Flap book      FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: 📱@drgolly  📱@drsarahbren   ADDITIONAL REFERENCES AND RESOURCES: 🔗 Go to drsarahbren.com/secure to download my free guide, The Four Pillars of Fostering Secure Attachment, helping you parent with a focus on attunement and trust.   WANT TO TAKE YOUR LEARNING EVEN FURTHER? Join me in The Authentic Parent, my comprehensive self-paced course that takes my workshop to the next level and teaches you everything you need to know (that no one tells you ahead of time) for how to confidently move through your first year of parenthood.     CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE: 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about lightening the load in pregnancy and parenthood with Dr. Sterling   🎧 Listen to my podcast episode with a realistic look at postpartum and early parenthood with Dr. Jessica Vernon   🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about movement in pregnancy and postpartum with Dr. Megan Roche   🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how "mom-brain" can be our greatest strength with Dr. Nicole Pensak

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode Dr. Emily Upshur and I talk about...   - What actually happens in a group therapy session for kids and how it differs from one-on-one therapy. - How group therapy can help children practice social skills, build confidence, and feel less alone in their struggles. - The fears many parents have about group therapy, including concerns about negative peer influence, comparison, or awkwardness. - The different types of groups therapists run, including skills-based groups, process groups, and hybrid formats, and how to know which one fits your child best. - Why peer support can be uniquely powerful for kids with anxiety or low self-esteem and how group leaders create a safe, supportive environment. - What to ask a group leader before signing up so you can feel confident it will be the right match for your child.   If you've been curious whether group therapy might help your child feel supported, connected, and more capable in whatever challenges they are facing, this episode will give you a clear picture of what group work really looks like and how to decide if it could be a good fit for your kid.     REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES:   🔗 Want to learn more about group therapy and coaching resources at Upshur Bren Psychology Group? Visit upshurbren.com to explore our services and schedule a free 30-minute consultation call to find the support that's right for your family.     CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE:   🎧 Listen to my podcast episode determine the fine line  between supporting your child versus feeding their anxiety   🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about the different forms of therapy with Dr. Katie C. Lewis   🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about why parenting 6-12 year olds is more important now than ever with Dr. Sheryl Ziegler   🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about the difference between executive function coaching and tutoring     WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:   Go to https://drsarahbren.com/question to send us a question or a topic you want to hear us answer on Securely Attached - Beyond the Sessions!

Pediatrician Dr. Caity Gilman joins me this week to unpack breath-holding spells, those frightening moments when a child turns blue or pale, goes limp, or briefly loses consciousness during intense emotion or dysregulation or pain.   Together we explore:   - The two types of breath-holding spells and what triggers each of them. - Are certain children more prone to these episodes based on genetics, temperament, or other factors? - What should parents do in the moment to keep their child safe, and how to know when it's time to call their pediatrician. - What parents can do after a spell to comfort their child. - Do these spells cause any long-term harm, or are they truly benign? - How to support your child's emotion regulation and frustration tolerance between episodes.   If you're currently navigating breath-holding spells, or you simply want to feel more prepared for the unexpected moments that come with raising little ones, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and practical guidance from both a pediatrician and a fellow parent who has lived this experience firsthand.     LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUEST: 🔗 Dr. Caity Gilman  🎧 Listen to Caity's first episode about vaccine safety      LEARN MORE ABOUT ME: 🔗 drsarahbren.com   📱 @drsarahbren     CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE: 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about what to do if your child is afraid of going to the doctor 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about temperament, personality, and parenting with Dr. Koraly Pérez-Edgar 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about helping "Big Reactors" learn to regulate and manage their intense emotions with Claire Lerner