Securely Attached

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode Dr. Emily Upshur and I talk about...
 
- How to understand what is really happening when a young child becomes intensely frustrated or self critical.
- Why perfectionistic behaviors in early childhood are often developmentally normal and when they may begin to impact confidence or emotional well being.
- What to do in the moment when your child is dysregulated and why reassurance, praise, or growth mindset language often does not land when emotions are running high.
- How staying curious about your child's negative self talk can actually support resilience and self awareness over time.
- Ways to protect your child's inner voice and self esteem without trying to rush her out of uncomfortable feelings.
 
If your child gets stuck in frustration, takes mistakes personally, or is hard on themself, this episode will help you learn how to support their long term emotional growth.
 
 
REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES:
 
👉 Want extra support in your parenting journey? Upshur Bren Psychology Group offers therapy and coaching to give parents the tools to feel more grounded and confident as they navigate parenthood and learn how to most effectively support their child. 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.
 
 
ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE:
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode: Self-compassion, critical thinking, and connection: What the research reveals about raising capable kids with Melinda Wenner Moyer
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode: Secure attachment and growth mindset: The science behind raising well-adjusted kids with Melinda Wenner Moyer
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode: Helping sensitive kids build self-esteem and get out of a cycle of self-criticism with Dr. Blaise Aguirre
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode: Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) with Dr. Eli Lebowitz
 
 
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!

Somatic practitioner and founder of Circle of Nurture, Lisa Rombach, joins me for a deeply grounding conversation about motherhood, the nervous system, and why mothers need support just as much as the children they care for.
 
Together, we explore:
 
- What somatic work actually is, in everyday language, and why it's not as abstract as it may sound.
- How motherhood changes our relationship with our bodies and sense of self.
- Why self-care often falls short and what truly helps mothers feel replenished.
- The role of community, presence, and being witnessed in reducing burnout.
- How being held and supported as a mother quietly shapes how our children feel safe and secure.
 
This episode will help mothers feel less alone, more understood, and more grounded in their own experience. You don't need to fix yourself or try harder, sometimes the most powerful shift comes from being supported and held.
 
 
LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUEST:
🔗 Circle of Nurture 
🔗 Register for Lisa's live master class: Mother Glue
🔗 Join the next online Mother's Circle 
 
FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:
📱@circleofnurture 
📱@drsarahbren
 
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:
🔗 Feeling weighed down by mom-guilt, identity shifts, or the mental load of parenting? Upshur Bren Psychology Group specializes in maternal mental health and offers therapy and coaching to help you feel more grounded and supported. Visit upshurbren.com to learn more about support options or schedule a free consultation call so we can share recommendations for a personalized plan to meet your unique needs.
 
🔗 Feldenkrais Method 
🔗 Somatic Experiencing (SE™) from Dr. Peter A. Levine
🔗 Kimberly Ann Johnson 
🔗 Mother Circle: Mothering through adoption 
🔗 Lucy Rowett 
🔗 The Mother Circle 
 
 
CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE:
 
🎧 Listen to my episode on parental burnout: What it is, why it happens, and how to overcome it
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how tuning into your child's natural rhythms can completely transform the way you understand their emotions and reactions with somatic therapist Alé Duarte
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about the science of energy healing with Stephanie Filardi
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about using Internal Family Systems to emotionally support mothers with Rebecca Geshuri and Jessica Sorci

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...
 
- Whether lying is a normal part of child development or a sign of a deeper issue.
- What kids are actually trying to solve when they lie and how understanding that can change the way we respond as parents.
- How lying can function as a stress response, similar to fight, flight, or freeze, especially for kids with still-developing executive functioning skills.
- Why pushing for confessions, lectures, or punishments often backfires, leading to more power struggles and less honesty — and what to say in the moment instead.
- How to teach honesty over time without making your child feel unsafe bringing you the big stuff later on.
 
If your child has started lying and you find yourself wondering whether this is "normal," whether you should be worried, or how to handle it without condoning the behavior, this episode will help you respond with more calm, clarity, and confidence.
 
 
REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES:
🗞️ Fight, Flight, Freeze… or Fib?
 
 
ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE:
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about whether encouraging imagination will lead to lying in the future
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about getting your child to cooperate without using threats
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about why parenting 6-12 year olds is more important now than ever with Dr. Sheryl Ziegler
 
 
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!

Independent play expert Lizzie Assa is back on Securely Attached to talk about how play is one of the most powerful ways children can build confidence, creativity, frustration tolerance, and resilience (while parents get a little breathing room back too.)
 
Together we explore:
 
- What independent play actually looks like for kids of all ages and what is realistic at each stage.
- Why independent play does not just happen, and how parents can teach it without guilt or power struggles.
- How to create simple "play pockets" in your home that make independent play more likely.
- Signs your child may have too many toys and why toy overload can shut play down.
- Specific phrases, routines, and timing cues that make independent play more successful.
- How to decode what your child's play reveals about their emotional experience and where they might need extra support.
- How independent play might look different for only children versus those playing with siblings.
 
This episode is designed to leave you with specific ideas you can put into practice immediately, from how to set up play to what to say when you step back, so independent play becomes something that actually works in your day-to-day life.
 
 
LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUEST:
🔗 The Workspace for Children 
🔗 Substack - The Workplace for Children 
📚 But I'm Bored!: Discover the Power of Independent Play to Raise Confident, Resilient Kids
🎧 Listen to Lizzie's first interview on the Securely Attached podcast
 
 
FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:
📱@theworkspaceforchildren
📱@drsarahbren
 
 
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES AND 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 the best toys to encourage independent play
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about whether fun is the antidote to burnout with Mike Rucker
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode answering if there is a wrong way to encourage independent play 
🎧Listen to podcast episode about teaching kids healthy tech habits free of guilt or power struggles with Ash Brandin

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...
 
- Why some children are more sensitive to teasing, how temperament plays a role, and why those kids are often more likely to be targeted by peers.
- How all three hosts, as therapists and parents of sensitive boys, handle teasing and social stress with their own children, including what has helped and what we had to learn the hard way.
- What kids mean when they talk about "rage baiting," how this behavior shows up in friendships, and why it is especially dysregulating for sensitive children.
- Whether a "toughen up" approach ever helps sensitive kids, and what Dr. Sarah learned when her husband's advice to their son worked better than her own.
- How children can learn coping skills for teasing, including when to walk away, when it might be okay to engage, and how to tell the difference.
 
If your child takes teasing to heart and you worry about how to help without minimizing their feelings, this episode will help you support your sensitive child with more confidence, clarity, and connection.
 
 
REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES:
 
👉 Want extra support in your parenting journey? Upshur Bren Psychology Group offers therapy and coaching to give parents the tools to feel more grounded and confident as they navigate parenthood and learn how to most effectively support their child. 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 about helping "Big Reactors" learn to regulate and manage their intense emotions with Claire Lerner
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about raising sensitive, "spicy," or highly emotional children
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about navigating peer rejection in early adolescence
 
 
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!