Securely Attached

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Emily Upshur and I talk about...   Whether parents should wait to address anxiety or OCD symptoms while their child is in a PANS or PANDAS flare. How to tell the difference between supporting your child and unintentionally strengthening anxiety. Why the SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) approa...

As part of our 5-Year Anniversary Summer Series, we're bringing back one of the most popular and foundational episodes in Securely Attached history.   When children are overwhelmed by big feelings, many parents wonder how to help them calm down, listen, or use the coping skills they've been taught. But before children can regulate themselves, they first need to experience regulation through relati...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Emily Upshur and I talk about...   - The best way parents can tell their children that they are planning to separate or get divorced. - How to approach this conversation in a way that helps children feel safe, supported, and loved. - What parents should share, what they should avoid sharing, and why it's important to f...

Debbie Reber, founder of Tilt Parenting and author of Differently Wired , joins me for a deeply honest conversation about what it really means to raise a neurodivergent child and why supporting these children begins with changing the way we understand them, not trying to change who they are.   Together we explore:   What it really means to be "differently wired" and why that shift in language matt...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...   - How to support a child who struggles with separation anxiety, even at home. - Why some kids follow their parents from room to room and constantly want to stay close. - How to respond when your child says "I miss you" without accidentally reinforcing anxiety....

Dr. Jacob Ham , licensed clinical psychologist and Director of the Center for Trauma and Resilience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, joins me for a profound conversation about trauma, attachment, presence, and the relational experiences that help us heal.   Together we explore:   - Why trauma is not defined solely by what happened to us, but by how those experiences continue to shap...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Emily Upshur and I talk about...   - How to prepare young children for a big move without overwhelming them. - Why moving can feel surprisingly emotional and disorienting for kids, even when the change is positive. - Simple ways to help children understand what's changing, what's staying the same, and what they can exp...

Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, clinical psychologist, researcher, and author of Future Tense: Why Anxiety Is Good for You (Even Though It Feels Bad) , joins me to talk about why anxiety is one of the most misunderstood emotions in parenting.   Together we explore:   The surprising difference between anxiety that helps us grow and anxiety that gets in the way. Why anxiety may be helping your child (and y...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...   Why it is completely normal for young children to explore their bodies and engage in self-soothing behaviors. How parents can respond to self-touching in a calm, shame-free, developmentally appropriate way. The difference between setting healthy boundaries and...

Collaborative divorce attorney and positive psychology practitioner Andrea Vacca joins me to talk about something many families don't realize is possible: a way to move through divorce without escalating conflict or damaging long-term relationships.   For many people, divorce is synonymous with battle. It's something to survive, something to win, or something to endure at all costs. But as Andrea...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...   How to support a sensitive, gentle child in becoming more confident using his voice with peers. The difference between helping your child build self-advocacy skills and trying to change their temperament. How to teach kids simple, effective boundary-setting too...

In this deep dive episode, I explore how secure attachment evolves across development and what children are really needing from us emotionally at each stage of childhood and adolescence. Using Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development as a framework, we look at the core emotional tasks kids are navigating from infancy through young adulthood, and how our role as parents shifts alongside th...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Emily Upshur and I talk about...   Whether co-sleeping is actually a problem, or simply a parenting choice that works for some families. How to tell the difference between connection-based co-sleeping and anxiety-driven sleep struggles. Why independent sleep is a skill that develops over time through practice, not pres...

Jennifer Wallace joins the podcast to explore a powerful but often overlooked foundation of mental health and resilience: the human need to feel like we matter. While so much of parenting focuses on what we do for our kids, this conversation invites us to look inward, because a child's sense of mattering is deeply shaped by how much their parents feel valued, seen, and significant in their own liv...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Emily Upshur and I talk about...   Why it's important to tell your child that they are starting therapy (and why many parents avoid it). How to explain therapy in simple, developmentally appropriate language your child will actually understand. Why using your child's own words for their struggles, like "worry" or "big...

Dr. Jay Belsky joins the podcast to explore one of the most important and often misunderstood truths in parenting: the same environment does not affect every child the same way. Drawing from decades of research on nature and nurture, this conversation looks at how biology and experience work together to shape development, and why some kids are more sensitive to their environments while others are...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...   What the research actually says about attachment and why one strong, secure relationship is enough for healthy development. Why your child asking for the other parent may actually be a sign of a secure attachment, not a problem. How toddler development (around...

Rachel Melvald joins the podcast to explore a powerful but often overlooked influence on our children's behavior, mood, and regulation: the spaces they live in. Drawing from her work in Neurodesign, this conversation looks at how our home environment shapes the nervous system and impacts how both kids and parents feel and function.   Together, we explore:   How clutter and visual overwhelm increas...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg and I talk about...   What to do when your toddler refuses the potty and fights diaper changes, leaving you stuck in a frustrating in-between stage. Why diaper changes and potty training resistance is often less about the potty and more about control and autonomy. Common ways power struggles often sho...

Catherine Price returns to the podcast to talk about one of the biggest challenges facing parents today: how to help kids build a healthier relationship with screens. Drawing from her new book, The Amazing Generation (co-authored with Jonathan Haidt), this conversation explores how to move from power struggles and fear-based messaging to approaches that build insight, agency, and real buy-in from...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg and I talk about how to support a child who is struggling to communicate with their peers.   Together we explore:   The difference between scaffolding and helicopter parenting, and how to find the right balance. How your goals for a playdate can shape how much you step in. The role of context, includi...

Nurse and founder of My Lice Advice, Theresa, joins me to talk about one of the most common (and surprisingly emotional) parenting challenges: lice. While lice is something most families will encounter at some point, it often brings a wave of panic, shame, and overwhelm. But as Theresa explains, it doesn't have to.   Together, we explore:   Why lice has become so stigmatized and what's actually dr...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg and I talk about what to do when your child goes from calm to meltdown in what feels like seconds, especially during everyday moments like turning off the TV, leaving the park, or cleaning up.   Together we explore:   Why going from "0 to 60" is actually more common than you think, especially for sens...

Katherine Miller, author of The Emotionally Savvy Divorce and collaborative law professional, joins me to talk about what it actually means to navigate divorce in a way that reduces conflict, supports your well-being, and protects your children.   Together, we explore:   The difference between reacting and responding, and how this shift can change the outcome of conflict. Why most divorce conflict...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg and I talk about...   Why many parents worry that using the word "autism" might make their child feel different or labeled, and how to think about that fear. What research and clinical experience suggest about telling your child sooner rather than later. How giving a diagnosis a name can actually feel...