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Securely Attached

Securely Attached

By: Dr. Sarah Bren
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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.© 2021-2026 Dr. Sarah Bren Hygiene & Healthy Living Parenting & Families Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Relationships
Episodes
  • Q&A: How can I help my child adjust to a big move?

    Q&A: How can I help my child adjust to a big move?
    Jun 18 2026

    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 expect in their new home.

    - Why visual supports, transitional objects, and goodbye rituals can help kids feel more grounded during major transitions.

    - How to help children stay connected to important relationships after moving away from friends, teachers, and familiar places.

    - Why making new friends can feel especially stressful for some kids, and how parents can help them feel more confident socially.

    - Practical ways parents can create emotional continuity, safety, and connection before, during, and after a move.

    This episode will help you better understand how children experience major transitions and give you thoughtful, practical ways to support your child emotionally through a move.

    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 using design and organization to support your child's nervous system with Rachel Melvald

    🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about the neuroscience of raising emotionally resilient kids with Dr. Kristen Lindquist

    🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about helping our children form strong friendship bonds with Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore

    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!
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • Why anxiety can be good for us: Helping your child handle fear, uncertainty, and discomfort with Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary

    Why anxiety can be good for us: Helping your child handle fear, uncertainty, and discomfort with Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary
    Jun 16 2026

    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 you!) more than you realize.
    • How to tell when anxiety is healthy and when it's becoming a problem.
    • Why some of the most common responses to childhood anxiety can backfire.
    • The surprising connection between anxiety, hope, and resilience.
    • How parents can become a source of calm without dismissing or fixing their child's feelings.
    • The simple shift that can help you stop seeing anxiety as the enemy.
    • Dr. Dennis-Tiwary's three-step framework for responding to anxiety in yourself and your child.

    This conversation offers a powerful reframe for parents who want to support their children through anxiety without reinforcing fear or avoidance. It is about learning to see anxiety not as an enemy, but as a normal part of being human, and helping our children develop the confidence to face uncertainty, navigate discomfort, and trust their ability to handle life's challenges.

    LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUEST:

    🔗https://www.tracydennistiwary.com/

    📚Future Tense: Why Anxiety Is Good for You (Even Though It Feels Bad) – A Psychologist's Paradigm Shift for Understanding and Hope

    📱@dr.tracyphd

    LEARN MORE ABOUT ME:

    🔗 Dr. Sarah Bren

    🔗 Check out my group practice, Upshur Bren Psychology Group, offering therapy and coaching for individuals, children, parents, and families

    📱IG: @drsarahbren

    ADDITIONAL REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:

    👉 Looking for support for a child struggling with anxiety or OCD? If your child is struggling with anxiety or OCD, Upshur Bren Psychology Group offers SPACE-based parent support through both a virtual group and individualized care. Go to upshurbren.com/space to learn more or book a free 30-minute consultation with our care team, who will listen carefully and help you determine the best support for your family.

    🎧 The mattering gap: Why so many parents feel invisible, overwhelmed, and disconnected with Jennifer Wallace

    CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE:

    🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) with Dr. Eli Lebowitz of the Yale Child Study Center

    🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how to find the line between supporting your child and feeding their anxiety

    🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how parents can know when their child's anxiety may require a mental health intervention
    Show More Show Less
    52 mins
  • Q&A: How should I respond when my child touches herself?

    Q&A: How should I respond when my child touches herself?
    Jun 11 2026

    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 unintentionally communicating shame around bodies or pleasure.
    • Why some children may use self-touching as a form of sensory input, comfort, or emotional regulation, especially at bedtime.
    • How to teach children about privacy and body boundaries using neutral, age-appropriate language.
    • What to do when self-touching is happening in a shared bedroom or around siblings.
    • Ways to help children expand their self-soothing toolbox with other calming sensory and bedtime supports.
    • Why parents' own discomfort or cultural messaging around sexuality can sometimes shape how these moments feel.
    • How to navigate sibling questions or reactions without making the behavior feel scary or secretive.
    • The importance of helping children feel safe, accepted, and connected to their bodies while still maintaining appropriate boundaries.

    This episode will help you feel more confident responding to common childhood self-soothing and body exploration behaviors with calm, clarity, and compassion.

    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 what to do when your son always has his hands down his pants

    🎧 Listen to my podcast episode with how developmentally appropriate expectations, boundaries, body autonomy, and consent with sex therapist Dr. Holly Richmond

    🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how to get your 3-year-old to do things they don't want to do

    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!
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
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