Securely Attached

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...

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...

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 ow...

Author of Indistractable, Nir Eyal, is here to reshape the way we think about attention, willpower, and the forces that pull our minds in a thousand different directions.   Together we explore:   - The surprising science showing that internal triggers (not technology) drive most of our daily distractions. - How stress, boredom, overwhelm, and discomfort quietly shape our habits (and our kids'). -...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...   - Why toddlers often get intensely attached to a single outfit and why this kind of rigidity is usually a totally normal part of development. - How to understand the difference between a sensory preference, a sensory processing challenge, and everyday toddler s...

Dr. Saumya Dave, psychiatrist, mental health advocate, and author of the new novel The Guilt Pill , joins me this week for a conversation about the emotional load so many mothers carry that can shape our choices, our identity, and even how we see ourselves as parents.   Together we explore:   - The surprising truth that guilt isn't always bad and how to recognize when it's actually trying to tell...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode Dr. Rebecca Hershberg and I talk about...   - Why the fear that no one will come to your child's birthday party feels so intense for parents and why that reaction is rooted in real neuroscience. - Ways to ground yourself so you can support your child with clarity instead of panic. - Strategies for planning a birthday celebr...

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 o...

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...

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 l...

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 c...

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,...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...   - How to start holiday traditions when you have a toddler and a new baby (without adding more pressure and stress to your plate!) - Setting realistic expectations so you don't feel disappointed if the picture in your head and the reality with your kids look ver...

Joining me this week are Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson, co-authors of the bestselling book The Self-Driven Child and leading experts on the neuroscience of stress, motivation, and autonomy.   Together we explore:   - Why a child's sense of control is one of the strongest predictors of resilience, mental health, and stress tolerance. - How play, rest, and unstructured time uniquely support he...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...   - If it's normal for a toddlers to say "I'm sorry" constantly, even when they haven't done anything wrong. - Breaking down child development: How repetition and "theory of mind" shape early empathy and build social awareness. - How to know when frequent apologizing is just a normal de...

Alé Duarte, somatic therapist and creator of KidSoma joins me this week to explore how tuning into your child's natural rhythms can completely transform the way you understand their emotions and reactions.   Together we unpack:   - Why play isn't a break from learning, it is the learning. - What it means to help your child "complete a cycle" so their nervous system can settle and grow. - How "unfi...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode Dr. Emily Upshur and I talk about...   - Why kids often say "this is boring" when something actually feels too hard or frustrating. - How to tell whether your child's struggle with schoolwork might be about motivation, confidence, or a deeper learning challenge. - What to do when tutoring or extra practice starts leading to...

Joining me this week is therapist and the author of the new book Millennial Menopause: Preparing for Perimenopause, Menopause, and Life's Next Period, Lauren A. Tetenbaum.   Together we explore:   - The perimenopause symptoms that often begin in your 30s and 40s, long before your period stops. - How hormonal changes affect your mood, identity, relationships, and sense of self — and why understandi...

We're doing something a little different on Beyond the Sessions this week! Instead of answering a listener question, Dr. Emily Upshur, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, and I are unpacking a fascinating (and slightly unsettling) study about how media exposure to traumatic events can affect our mental health—and what it means for us and our kids.   In this episode, we talk about:   - A study that found people...

High-conflict divorce doesn't just end a marriage, it can shake your identity, your parenting, and your ability to feel grounded. Joining me to share guidance for parents at the beginning, in the thick of it, or still processing the aftermath is divorce coach Karen McMahon.   Together we explore:   - What defines a high-conflict parent and how this dynamic impacts families. - Why trying to change...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...   - Why potty regressions can happen even years after a child is toilet trained. -Why getting to the root of your child's challenges — whether accidents stem from a medical issue or a psychological struggle — is key to finding the right approach and intervention. - What to do (and what...

Joining me this week is Dr. Peter Vermeulen, psychologist, author, and founder of Autism in Context. Peter has spent more than 35 years helping families, educators, and clinicians better understand autism and what it truly means to live a happy, meaningful life.   Together we explore:   - Why happiness and well-being deserve as much attention as therapies or interventions for autistic individuals...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode I talk about...   How to handle Halloween candy without guilt, power struggles, or micromanaging. Strategies for finding that balance between restricting sweets while also allowing your child to enjoy the fun of the holiday. Why your own food anxieties might be showing up more than you realize — and how not to pass them on....

Joining me this week is Jessica Baum, licensed mental health counselor, relationship expert, and author of the new book SAFE: Coming Home to Yourself and Others.   Together we explore:   - How insecure attachment patterns form in childhood and continue to shape how we show up as adults and parents. - Why parents with a history of insecure attachment may find themselves more easily triggered by the...

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode Dr. Emily Upshur and I talk about...   - Why some kids, especially sensitive kids, get dysregulated all over again when parents calmly try to talk about what happened later. - How shame can get triggered in your child, even when you're trying to be gentle and supportive. - What to do when "teaching moments" keep turning int...