Securely Attached

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode Dr. Emily Upshur and I talk about...
 
- Why so many parents start questioning their instincts around holding and comforting as their baby becomes a toddler.
- How to tell when your child truly needs comfort versus when they may be ready for a small, supportive stretch.
- What increased clinginess may be communicating and how decoding the root cause can guide what to do next.
- Why soothing and physical closeness do not undermine independence and often play a key role in helping it develop.
- How to move away from rigid parenting rules and make moment-to-moment decisions rooted in attunement and nervous system cues.
- What it looks like to honor your own limits without making your child feel unsafe, rejected, or "too much."
 
If you have ever wondered whether you are helping or hurting your child by picking them up, holding them, or setting boundaries around your availability, this episode will help you navigate those moments with more confidence.
 
 
REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES:
🔗 Donald Winicott
 
👉 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 about confidently parenting your toddler with Transforming Toddlerhood's Devon Kuntzman
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about toddler sleep with Eileen Henry
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about Helping your child feel seen, understood, and validated with the co-authors of the Terrific Toddlers series
 
 
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!

Rebecca Geshuri, therapist and co-author of the new book When Good Moms Feel Bad joins me to talk about why so many "good moms" still feel overwhelmed, reactive, or stuck in cycles of guilt, anger, and self-criticism.
 
Together we explore:
 
- Drawing from Internal Family Systems (IFS) Rebecca breaks down what "parts work" is and how understanding your inner parts can reduce reactivity and shame.
- How polarization between "what my child needs" and "what I need" fuels burnout and emotional overwhelm.
- Why parenting feels hardest when younger, protective parts take over.
- What the "inner mom" is and how learning to access this part of yourself builds calm, confidence, and connection.
- A simple framework to slow down in triggering moments and respond with more compassion.
- How self-compassion and nervous system awareness support secure attachment — for both you and your child.
 
If you've been feeling overwhelmed and burnt out in parenthood, this episode offers validation, language for what you're experiencing, and practical tools to help you feel more grounded, regulated, and connected.
 
 
 
LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUEST:
🔗 Rebecca Geshuri 
🔗 Second Street Collective 
📚 When Good Moms Feel Bad: An Empowering Guide for Transforming Guilt, Anxiety, and Anger into Compassion, Confidence, and Connectedness
🎧 Listen to Rebecca's first Securely Attached interview about her approach combining Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy with maternal mental health
 
LEARN MORE ABOUT ME:
🔗 drsarahbren.com 
📱@drsarahbren
 
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:
🔗 Want to learn more about 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 about why specialized mental healthcare providers matter with Rebecca Geshuri and Paige Bellenbaum
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode to help you learn to lighten the load in pregnancy and parenthood with Dr. Sterling
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about the science of mom-rage Diana Winston
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode exploration of healing trauma through presence, connection, and self-awareness with Dr. Jacob Ham 
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about the science of energy healing with Stephanie Filardi

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Emily Upshur and I talk about...
 
- What body doubling actually is and why your child may focus better simply because someone is nearby.
- Why getting started on tasks (homework, getting dressed, chores) is often harder than the task itself for kids with ADHD.
- How to be intentional about helping reduce procrastination, distraction, and emotional overwhelm for your child.
- How to use body doubling in ways that build independence over time, instead of creating power struggles or burnout.
- Real-life, low-effort examples of body doubling that don't require special systems, tutors, or more on your plate.
 
If your child struggles to get started, loses focus easily, or can only seem to work when someone is sitting with them, this episode offers a strategy to support them in a way that feels sustainable and actually works.
 
 
REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES:
 
👉🏻 Interested in learning more about Upshur Bren Psychology Group's Parenting Your Child with ADHD 8-week virtual workshop series to empower parents of children, adolescents, and young adults with ADHD? Go to upshurbren.com/group-adhd or schedule a free 30-minute consultation call to learn more.
 
 
CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE:
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about with real-life strategies for parenting a child with ADHD with Dr. Eliza Barach
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about  how can I get my child with ADHD go from one activity to the next without a fight?
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how you can prepare for an IEP or 504 meeting after my child receives an ADHD diagnosis
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how you can help your child utilize school supports without feeling embarrassed or self-conscious
 
 
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!

Dr. W. Thomas Boyce, author of The Orchid and the Dandelion, joins me to talk about why some children are biologically more sensitive to their environments and how that sensitivity can become either a challenge or a powerful strength.
 
Together we explore:
- What it means to have either an orchid or a dandelion child and why this exists on a spectrum rather than as a strict either-or.
- Why sensitive children often struggle the most in stressful environments and thrive the most in supportive ones.
- How nervous system reactivity and regulation show up differently across kids and what that means for how you parent.
- The difference between sensitivity and fragility and why sensitive kids can be incredibly resilient when the right supports are in place.
- How parents can support orchid children without overprotecting or pushing them too hard.
 
This episode is designed to help parents better understand their child's sensitivity, feel less afraid of getting it wrong, and walk away with a clearer sense of how to support their child in a way that builds resilience, confidence, and long-term emotional health.
 
 
LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUEST:
📚The Orchid and the Dandelion
 
FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:
📱@theorchidandthedandelion 
📱@drsarahbren
 
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:
👉 Want to get my research-backed framework for increasing cooperation and emotion regulation skills in your sensitive child? Check out Parenting by Design, my guided program to help you parent your unique child in a way that increases cooperation, defuses power struggles, and rebuilds their trust in your authority–all while supporting your child's mental health and your own. 
 
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 parenting a sensitive, "spicy," highly emotional child
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about temperament and personality with Dr. Koraly Pérez-Edgar
 
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about preventing burnout when you're the parent of a highly sensitive child

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!