It's developmentally normal, even typical, for toddlers and young children to bite. But that doesn't mean we just sit back and let it happen. Here to talk about the many reasons children bite and how parents can effectively respond to this behavior is the co-founder of Upshur Bren Psychology Group, Dr. Emily Upshur. In this episode we’ll talk about exactly what to do when your child bites, plan b and c for when that strategy isn’t working, and advice for what to do before and after the bite occu...
Dec 13, 2022•35 min
One of the things that I hear time and time again from parents is that it feels like parenthood is a constant tightrope walk. And knowing how to meet our children’s curiosity about sex without projecting our own (often complicated) feelings onto the conversation is certainly no exception. Here to offer some clarity on how we can set developmentally appropriate expectations of our kids and gentle expectations of ourselves when it comes to talking to them about sex is Dr. Holly Richmond. From lear...
Dec 06, 2022•45 min
When our children feel anxious or afraid, it can be difficult for parents to know exactly how they should respond. Many parents put pressure on themselves to solve or fix this problem for their child, which is often impossible and a less than ideal way to handle this tricky situation. Joining me to talk about childhood anxiety and offer support for parents navigating this in their own family is the author of Goodbye, Anxiety: A Guided Journal for Overcoming Worry, Dr. Terri Bacow. You’ll learn a...
Nov 29, 2022•50 min
As parents, we don’t always get it right. But having the tools and skills to process our own big feelings and navigate emotion regulation in ourselves can have a big impact on how we support our children. Joining me to talk about ways we can establish a healthy relationship to our emotions and teach our children to do the same is the founder of Curious Neuron, Dr. Cindy Hovington. This episode will help you learn the benefit of slowing down, how to cut yourself some slack, and why the best way o...
Nov 22, 2022•1 hr
While it’s wonderful that there is much more talk about postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and other perineal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) than ever before, the flip side of that coin is that sometimes when new parents experience a PMAD after the birth of their child they feel ashamed for not seeing it coming. The reality is there is nothing you did or didn’t do that causes you to have a PMAD. However, there are ways to prepare, and strategies to use during the postpartum period to...
Nov 15, 2022•47 min
We talk a lot about secure attachment on this podcast—which is certainly the best case scenario. But the reality is that not everyone forms a secure attachment bond. So what can we learn about insecure attachment patterns? And are there some forms of insecure attachments that are better than others? Here to answer these questions and discuss the finding of his research on attachment theory is Dr. Or Dagan. Whether you’ve never heard about attachment theory before or you’re deep in the trenches o...
Nov 08, 2022•54 min
RIE, which stands for Resources for Infant Educarers, is a parenting philosophy created by Magda Gerber that has gained a lot of attention in recent years. Yet, there are still some common misconceptions many parents have about this approach. Here to shed some light on the teachings of RIE is the founder of Beech Street Parenting, Courtney Dern. If you are pregnant or a new parent, you won’t want to miss hearing why you actually need way less stuff than you may think, strategies for setting your...
Nov 01, 2022•51 min
Were you uninvited to a birthday party, laughed at by a group of mean girls, or maybe even bullied? If you had some tough times in elementary, middle, or high school, it’s easy to inadvertently be projecting your own experiences onto your child as they develop their own social group. Last week’s Securely Attached episode was all about peer rejection in toddlerhood—how to make space for a dialogue, develop a growth mindset, and help your child build their compassion, empathy, and social awareness...
Oct 25, 2022•41 min
When we hear our children say things like, “I don’t want to play with her” or “that’s my toy” it’s easy for us to feel flooded and want to shut down the situations with comments like, “that’s not very nice” or “you need to share.” But peer rejection is a normal and healthy part of development. While it may take some work for us to calm our own fight or flight response so we can be open to this, it can be helpful to try to lean in and open up a dialogue with our children in these instances so tha...
Oct 18, 2022•30 min
Human evolution is incredible. We come out of the womb knowing that our greatest chance of survival is to attach to a primary caretaker who will keep us safe. And that innate wisdom is what motivates children to seek closeness and connection to their secure base. When children suffer from an anxiety disorder the threat detector in their brain is on overdrive and more and more they rely on their parents to protect and soothe them. And while parents have the best intentions, this interpersonal dan...
Oct 11, 2022•51 min
When we teach our young children to slow down, to notice their emotions, then equip them with tools for navigating their tricky feelings like disappointment, impatience, boredom, sadness, or anger, we lay the foundation for a kinder and more empathetic society. It was an honor to speak to Dr. Dan Siegel, a pioneer in the field of psychology and the study of mindfulness. It all starts with us! We’ll talk about mindset shifts parents can make to foster self-compassion and ways we can aid in develo...
Oct 04, 2022•37 min
It can be difficult and scary to talk about death as adults, so having to do so with our kids can cause us to freeze up and shut down. But by being open and honest about death, an inevitable part of life, we lay the groundwork our children need to develop the tools to process loss and work through feelings of grief and pain. Here to help us unpack our own anxiety, so we may break cycles of avoidance and fear, is death doula Heather Hogan. If you’ve never heard of a death doula, don’t worry, we’l...
Sep 27, 2022•1 hr 4 min
There can be many reasons why children may experience prolonged separations from a parent. From planned separations like for military families or when one parent must take a job far away, to unplanned situations in the case of mental illness, substance abuse or abandonment. I’ve received several listener questions asking for guidance on how to best help their child process and work through their parental abandonment issues, so here to offer insight on this subject is Dr. Emily Upshur. What we kn...
Sep 20, 2022•38 min
When we become parents for the second or third time, one of the most common experiences (that people often don't talk about) is the grief parents feel for their big kiddo and the changes that are about to rock their world. That is just one of the many emotions, challenges and joys that come with expanding our families. Here to talk about what it was like for her to transition from one child to two, is model, mom and co-founder of Wander Beauty, Lindsay Ellingson. From growing her family, navigat...
Sep 13, 2022•56 min
During the pandemic, "burnout" became a trendy buzzword getting thrown around social media, blogs, and moms groups. But what is the actual medical definition of burnout and how can learning about what it is help us to move out of the never ending state of exhaustion many parents are faced with today? Joining me to clear the confusion and offer strategies for finding balance is Board Certified Physician Assistant and the founder of Run Tell Mom, Shelley Kemmerer. The cure to burnout is not about ...
Sep 06, 2022•48 min
The stereotypes surrounding fatherhood often revolve around a disengaged father figure described as “baby-sitting” their own child, lacking deep emotions, and blindly following their wife’s advice. But that is far from the reality for most modern-day fathers. Here to give us that often elusive real dad perspective is father of two and therapist, Eli Weinstein. Eli will give us a peek into the mind of a dad, discuss the importance of men finding their own community of support, and share the strat...
Aug 30, 2022•51 min
In preschool, learning is far less about the ABC’s and 1,2,3’s and far more about developing an awareness of yourself and the world around you. Knowing how to best support your child and help them feel more comfortable transitioning to a school environment can be instrumental in setting them up for success. Joining me this week to help parents learn how to guide their children through this transition is the co-director of the Downtown Little School, Meredith Gary. From strategies for dealing wit...
Aug 23, 2022•57 min
Science has shown that the best way to help our kids become independent, confident, kind, empathetic, and happy is by talking with them. But while we may know that what we say to our children matters, we may not know exactly how to get started or what to do to encourage honest, open and thoughtful communication. Here to help parents learn the secrets of effective communication is speech pathologist, Rebecca Rolland. This episode will help you to understand just how powerful language can be and t...
Aug 16, 2022•43 min
Whether potty training isn’t going as planned, or you’re just nervous about gearing up to undertake your child’s’ transition out of diapers, that added pressure, frustration and anxiety can create a vicious cycle, making potty learning more difficult— for you and your child. Here to offer a podcast style “potty class” for parents so they can identify potential problem areas (physically and emotionally), and avoid potty training pitfalls, is the owner of Aloha Integrative Therapy, Occupational Th...
Aug 09, 2022•51 min
Moms are overwhelmed, exhausted and burnt out. There is a major lacking in systems to support new, working and stay-at-home moms… so basically, that's every mother. It is important for us to fight for change, but the weight of that constant battle and stream of seemingly never-ending bad news can feel too heavy to carry at times. Joining me to discuss the advocacy work The Chamber of Mothers is doing, ways you can get involved, and how to find joy in an often turbulent world is the founder of Wo...
Aug 02, 2022•49 min
Being intentional about the way we parent our young children now can help lay critical groundwork that will allow them to flourish in adulthood. Lessons like independence, self-confidence, and resilience can all be fostered through helping to build emotional intelligence in our kids. Joining me to discuss how you can help prepare your own children to tackle life in the real world is mother of 4 and Family Life & Leadership Coach, Nellie Harden. We’ll talk about why and how you can use your p...
Jul 26, 2022•47 min
Parenting in an age of ever changing technology—battling over screen time use, deciding when to allow your child to have a smart phone, and understanding how much screen time is too much—can be confusing for parents of children of all ages. Joining me today to help parents learn to cut through the confusion and successfully navigate parenting in the digital age is The Screentime Consultant, Emily Cherkin. If you want to understand why screens are so addictive, how to help our children establish ...
Jul 19, 2022•1 hr 2 min
A few weeks ago I recorded an amazing episode on sex and intimacy after baby with The WTF Trimester creator, Chelsea Skaggs. And it seemed to hit a nerve, because I received tons of feedback from that episode! For some of you, learning how to communicate your needs to your partner in a way they would be able to hear you was just what you needed. But I also got some DMs from moms who are facing a different problem when it comes to sex in early parenthood… Whether after the birth of a child, or a ...
Jul 12, 2022•37 min
There is no shortage of doctor visits and wellness checks during your child’s first few years. And that can cause some apprehension and anxiety for both parents and children. I am so excited to welcome my family’s own pediatrician, Dr. Rachel Geronemus, onto the podcast to fill us all in on what pediatricians want parents to know! This conversation is chalk full of helpful tips, like what you can expect at your child’s next doctor's appointment, developmentally appropriate expectations to set, a...
Jul 05, 2022•43 min
For many couples, the birth of a child can bring with it a shift in their intimate relationship. Having a child triggers such a sudden and massive transition to our identity, our body and sometimes even our sex drive, so it makes perfect sense that new parents can often find themselves on different pages when it comes to intimacy and sex. And that is just one of the reasons I am so excited to talk about ways couples can rebuild connection and intimacy in their relationship with life coach and th...
Jun 28, 2022•45 min
Executive functioning skills are the systems, structures and routines we establish in our daily life that make us successful. Do you always put the mail on the end table when you walk in the door? That’s a perfect example of this. These skills are housed within the prefrontal cortex and that part of the brain isn’t fully developed until we are in our 20s! So all children, whether they are neurotypical or struggle with an executive functioning skills deficit like ADHD, can benefit from exercising...
Jun 21, 2022•48 min
Raising children today in a world saturated with guns, active shooter drills at school and mass shootings on the news can leave parents feeling overwhelmed and unsure. I wanted to talk directly to you about the psychology and developmental aspect of aggression and the impact of both toy and real guns on our children and society at large. This isn’t about me telling you what is right or wrong, good or bad, what you should or shouldn’t do with your own child, but simply about arming you with some ...
Jun 14, 2022•32 min
As our children grow into the people they will be, so too do we grow into the parents we become. Alexis Barad-Cutler, the founder of Not Safe For Mom Group, found herself in that very situation when her youngest child, Gavi, expressed the need to be the “real Gavi” at 3-years-old. In this episode Alexis shares her raw and powerful story of leaning in and learning how to support her gender nonconforming child in a way that makes them feel seen, accepted and loved. Whether you are finding yourself...
Jun 07, 2022•51 min
If you're listening to this podcast, you're probably already at least somewhat versed in the styles of positive, gentle, respectful or responsive parenting. But whatever you call it, there are many societal misconceptions about what these styles are. Here to help me bust some myths and dig into the research and brain science behind why we're shifting past behaviorism is Sarah R. Moore. From intergenerational transmission of parenting styles, redefining our goals, and the importance of strengthen...
May 31, 2022•48 min
Establishing and holding boundaries can be challenging, especially when those limits need to be set within family units. Dr. Emily Upshur, my partner from our group practice Upshur Bren Psychology Group in Westchester, NY is back to help one mom who writes in looking for help establishing boundaries with her in-laws. We’ll talk about strategies for engaging grandparents while also maintaining appropriate boundaries, the difference between internal and external boundaries and how you can integrat...
May 24, 2022•44 min
