Securely Attached
Dr. Sarah Bren
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.
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 18, 2022 • 53min
The pressures of motherhood in our society: And how we can come together to feel less alone with Alexis Barad-Cutler
Sacrificing all we have and who we are in our pursuit of being a perfect parent has become a badge of honor in our society. But this isn't a healthy or sustainable model. Joining me today is journalist, community-builder and Not Safe For Mom Group founder, Alexis Barad-Cutler. The pandemic exposed how many of the systems in our society are broken, especially for parents. If you're feeling fed up, angry, and burnt out there is a way to channel that energy into something positive by asking yourself, how can I play a role in changing this? Alexis will offer some potential solutions for ways we can help ourselves on a personal and societal level. Want to get more from Dr. Sarah Bren? ✨ Follow Dr. Sarah on Instagram ✨ Click here to join the weekly newsletter ✨ And check out her website for more free parenting resources
Jan 11, 2022 • 49min
How parents can use music as an emotion regulator with music therapist Vered
Have you ever noticed the way we speak to babies? Our baby-talk voices tend to be a lot more melodic than our natural speech patterns. And there's a good reason for that! Music is more emotional. Joining me today is a music therapist, psychotherapist and the founder of Baby In Tune, Vered. She and I discuss the power of our voice, how music can play an essential role in regulating our child's nervous system, the importance of lullabies, and strategies for how music can defuse tense parenting moments. Want to get more from Dr. Sarah Bren? ✨ Follow Dr. Sarah on Instagram ✨ Click here to join the weekly newsletter ✨ And check out her website for more free parenting resources
Jan 4, 2022 • 43min
Going back to work after baby: Maintaining a healthy and secure attachment bond Q&A with Dr. Emily Upshur
Secure attachment is not that fragile! After all, it's biologically hardwired in our children to connect with us to ensure their greatest likelihood of survival—we have to actively work against our children's and our own biology to mess it up. In this episode, Dr. Emily Upshur is back to help answer a listener's concern about maintaining a secure attachment bond with her baby once she goes back to work. We'll discuss the basics of attachment theory, dispel the myth that you need to be a martyr to be a working parent, offer tips for finding small moments of connection and attunement throughout your day and help you distinguish the difference between your child's feelings versus the feelings you may be projecting onto them. Want to get more from Dr. Sarah Bren? ✨ Follow Dr. Sarah on Instagram ✨ Click here to join the weekly newsletter ✨ And check out her website for more free parenting resources
Dec 28, 2021 • 55min
It's not about me: How to not take your child's behavior so personally with Kim John Payne
As parents, we may want to shield our children from any pain or sadness they may face, but if we're honest with ourselves, we know this is impossible. So rather than fighting the inevitable, our children are better served if we work to help them understand how to weather the storm, to equip them with tools so they're capable of processing and working through the full range of emotions life has in store for them. Joining me today is Kim John Payne, author of several books, including the number 1 Best Seller Simplicity Parenting. This episode is overflowing with Kim's time-honored guidance for raising healthy children who feel confident to explore and create, as well as mindset shifts to make ourselves that can help us to be more present and allow us to truly enjoy the journey. Want to get more from Dr. Sarah Bren? ✨ Follow Dr. Sarah on Instagram ✨ Click here to join the weekly newsletter ✨ And check out her website for more free parenting resources
Dec 21, 2021 • 48min
Preparing your mind and body for pregnancy, birth and postpartum with The Bloom Method's Brooke Cates
It's important for women to feel powerful, capable and confident during their pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey. After all, our bodies have an innate knowledge of how to do this, we just need to tap into that wisdom. Today I am joined by the creator of the online platform The Bloom Method, Brooke Cates. Brooke and I are busting myths and dispelling societal stigmas surrounding what it means to become a mother. We'll talk about ways you can stay connected to who you are during this massive transition, how to let go of some control and trust in yourself and your baby, and strategies for spiritual, mental, emotional and physical healing in the 4th trimester and beyond. Want to get more from Dr. Sarah Bren? ✨ Follow Dr. Sarah on Instagram ✨ Click here to join the weekly newsletter ✨ And check out her website for more free parenting resources
Dec 14, 2021 • 30min
Self-care strategies to reduce stress, increase confidence and prevent burnout in parenthood with Dr. Erin O'Connor
Joining me today is developmental psychologist Erin O'Connor, co-creator of Scientific Mommy and co-host of the podcast Parenting Understood. Last week Erin had me on her podcast, and we discussed all the factors that made parents particularly vulnerable to stress, anxiety and burnout during the pandemic in part one of this two part episode. And now, in part two, we're talking all about strategies we can implement right now, in our daily lives to reduce our stress and build support systems around ourselves and our families that enable us to find acceptance and to thrive as we begin looking toward a post-pandemic future. I want to hear from you! Send me a topic you want me to cover or a question you want answered on the show! ✨ DM me on Instagram at @securelyattachedpodcast or @drsarahbren ✨ Send an email to info@drsarahbren.com ✨ And check out drsarahbren.com for more parenting resources
Dec 7, 2021 • 38min
An honest look at respectful parenting: The 5 parenting "rules" I break as a mom
While I am a follower of RIE (resources for infant educarers) and use responsive parenting principles in the way I choose to raise my own children, that doesn't mean I 100% follow these prescriptive practices to a tee. In this episode, I am opening up and revealing 5 so called "parenting rules" that I break as a mom. Understanding the framework behind your own rules can help you identify and feel comfortable breaking some of them from time to time. It can be incredibly liberating to give yourself permission to be flexible in your parenting and prioritize your relationships, attunement and connection over always getting it "right." I want to hear from you! Send me a topic you want me to cover or a question you want answered on the show! ✨ DM me on Instagram at @securelyattachedpodcast or @drsarahbren ✨ Send an email to info@drsarahbren.com ✨ And check out drsarahbren.com for more parenting resources
Nov 30, 2021 • 40min
What do you do when your child says "I'm stupid," "I hate myself," "I'm a bad kid," or worse with Dr. Emily Upshur
Dr. Emily Upshur joins me again this week to help a mom whose son is getting frustrated and calling himself "stupid" and "bad." If you've been there, you may have felt yourself start to panic when you hear your son or daughter say similar words. We'll offer you tools to help you regulate your own nervous system in these stressful moments, allowing you to stay calm (or at least calmer) so you can more effectively help your child navigate their big emotions. Next, we review different approaches based on a child's age and how frequently this behavior occurs, and discuss ways that parents can use scaffolding and a growth mindset to build your child's resilience and distress tolerance. I want to hear from you! Send me a topic you want me to cover or a question you want answered on the show! ✨ DM me on Instagram at @securelyattachedpodcast or @drsarahbren ✨ Send an email to info@drsarahbren.com ✨ And check out drsarahbren.com for more parenting resources
Nov 23, 2021 • 54min
Redefining trauma informed parenting: How parents can utilize this framework for all children with Robyn Gobbel
In this episode, therapist Robyn Gobbel joins me to discuss the lessons we've garnered from our knowledge of treating trauma, the principles of attachment theory and our understanding of how the human brain and body functions to allow you to unlock an effective, yet underutilized parenting strategy. We'll discuss the advantages of addressing the root cause of your child's behavior, rather than focusing on the behavior itself. This process starts with you - understanding yourself, your triggers and doing the work to re-parent your inner child. We'll offer strategies for getting started and tools you can use - at any stage of your journey - to help you intentionally rewire your own brain and nervous system and help you bring yourself back to center. I want to hear from you! Send me a topic you want me to cover or a question you want answered on the show! ✨ DM me on Instagram at @securelyattachedpodcast or @drsarahbren ✨ Send an email to info@drsarahbren.com ✨ And check out drsarahbren.com for more parenting resources
Nov 16, 2021 • 45min
Why COVID pushed parents to the brink and what we can do about it with Julia Dennison
It takes a village, but what happens when it's suddenly unsafe to be a part of that supportive village? Parents learned the hard way when COVID-19 hit and we were forced into isolation. Now, as we begin to see the other side of this tunnel, we're allowed a unique opportunity to build back, ideally better than before. Joining me today is Digital Content Director for Parents, Julia Dennison. Julia and I discuss the struggles we personally faced parenting during the pandemic, ways we can all adjust now that hybrid work situations are becoming our new normal and the importance of allocating time for guilt-free self-care into your routine. You'll hopefully find this to be an empowering conversation and a show of solidarity that every parent, no matter who they are, is struggling to juggle it all. I want to hear from you! Send me a topic you want me to cover or a question you want answered on the show! ✨ DM me on Instagram at @securelyattachedpodcast or @drsarahbren ✨ Send an email to info@drsarahbren.com ✨ And check out drsarahbren.com for more parenting resources
