Q&A: How can I stay connected to my older kids while my baby is in the NICU?
Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about... - How to stay connected to your older children while caring for a baby in the NICU. - Why consistency, rituals, and transitional objects can help kids feel secure when routines are disrupted. - Creative ways to maintain a sense of closeness, even when you can’t physically be present. - How to involve siblings in bonding with the new baby from afar. - Why it’s okay to give yourself grace and lean on support systems during this stressful time. If you’ve ever worried about balancing the needs of multiple children during a family crisis, this episode offers compassionate guidance and practical strategies to help your older kids feel loved, supported, and secure—even when life pulls you in different directions. REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES: 🎧NICU Survival Guide with the founders of NICU Nook, Dr. Stephanie Simon and Amanda Neilan 📚 Growing Families: Helping Children Cope with a New Sibling CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE: 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how "mom brain" can be our greatest strength, not our biggest weakness with Dr. Nicole Pensak 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about processing birth trauma with Dr. Sterling 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about maternal health and Internal Family Systems with Rebecca Geshuri and Paige Bellenbaum 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!
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The science of interoception: How parents can help kids connect body signals to emotions with OT Kelly Mahler
In this episode, OT and interoception expert Kelly Mahler uncovers the 8th sense and dives into how interoception plays such a foundational role in children’s ability to regulate their bodies, emotions, and behaviors. Together, we discuss: - What interoception is and how it impacts everything from toileting and eating to emotional regulation and social connection. - Why some kids struggle to notice or interpret their body’s signals and how this can show up as meltdowns, anxiety, or difficulties with attention. - Practical, relational strategies parents can use at home to help kids strengthen interoceptive awareness through play, modeling, and curiosity. - How occupational therapy can support children’s sensory and emotional development beyond (spoiler: it's more than improving just handwriting or fine motor skills). If you’ve ever wondered why your child seems to go from 0 to 100 in seconds, or why calming strategies don’t always seem to “stick,” this conversation will give you new insights and tools to help your child build lifelong regulation skills from the inside out. LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUEST: 🔗 https://www.kelly-mahler.com/ 📚 The Interoception Curriculum 📱 Join the Interoception: The Eighth Sensory System Facebook Group FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: 📱 @kelly_mahler 📱@drsarahbren ADDITIONAL REFERENCES AND RESOURCES: 👉 Want games specifically designed for fostering emotion regulation? Go to drsarahbren.com/games to get my free guide packed with games you can play with kids of all ages! CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE: 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about emotion regulation during the middle years with Alyssa Blask Campbell 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about sensory sensitivity with The OT Butterfly Laura Petix 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about polyvagal theory with Seth Porges
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Q&A: Is it okay to discipline someone else’s child during a playdate?
Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about... Are there different “rules” when disciplining kids with a neurodiverse condition, like autism, if they act aggressively toward your child? The difference between protecting your child and overstepping another parent’s role. Practical, respectful ways to set boundaries with kids who aren’t yours. How to manage playdates so everyone feels safe, supported, and set up for success. Why parents’ “thresholds” for conflict differ, and how to navigate those differences with compassion. The value of open communication (with other parents and your own child) in tricky social dynamics. If you’ve ever found yourself unsure about intervening when someone else’s child crosses a line, this episode offers clear guidance, empathy, and strategies to help you respond with confidence while keeping all kids safe REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES: 🔗 Want to learn more about therapy and coaching at Upshur Bren Psychology Group? 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. ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE: 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about fostering secure attachment in your child's peer relationships with Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about neurodivergent brains and sleep with Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about treating autism with a strength based approach with Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel 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!
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Video games, phones & family balance: Teaching kids healthy tech habits free of guilt or power struggles with Ash Brandin
Joining me is Ash Brandin, educator and author of Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family. Ash brings a fresh, nonjudgmental perspective to how families can navigate technology with intention and respect. Together we explore: - Why the “less is better” approach to screens often creates guilt and power struggles, plus a strategy that is more effective. - How to use Ash’s “ABCs of screen time” framework (access, behavior, and content) to make intentional choices that meet everyone’s needs. - The importance of respect and collaboration in setting screen boundaries (and boundaries in general) which help kids learn to be active participants, not passive rule-followers. - How video games are a form of play that, used intentionally, can build autonomy, resilience, and connection. - Practical strategies to help kids notice their internal states, regulate emotions, and transfer those skills beyond screens. Whether you’re navigating video games, phones, or family movie nights, this conversation offers practical tools and a compassionate perspective to help your whole family build a healthier relationship with technology. LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUEST: 🔗 https://www.thegamereducator.com/ 📚 Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family 📚 The Gamer Educator Substack FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: 📱@thegamereducator 📱@drsarahbren ADDITIONAL REFERENCES AND RESOURCES: 🔗 I’m so excited to be partnering with PokPok to offer you an exclusive discount. You’ll get 25% off, plus a 7-day free trial to see how it works for your family. Go to drsarahbren.com/pokpok and introduce your child to screen time that feels more like playtime. CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE: 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about regulation and screen time with Alé Duarte 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about EdTech with Andy Liddell 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how smartphones really affect kids’ mental health with Dr. Wendy Rote 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about battling over screen time with The Screentime Consultant Emily Cherkin
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Q&A: What should I do when empathy and connection doesn’t calm my child down?
Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about... Why your child may not calm down, even when you lead with empathy and connection. How to redefine what it means for a strategy to “work” in the heat of the moment. The role of patience and presence when your child’s nervous system just isn’t ready to shift. Why successful co-regulation doesn’t always mean a calm child. How to disengage without disconnecting—and why that can sometimes be the most effective approach. Practical ways to support yourself so you can stay regulated when your child isn’t. If you’ve ever tried "all the right things" and still found yourself stuck with a child who can’t calm down, this episode will help you feel validated, supported, and grounded in what you can (and can’t) control. REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES: 👉 Want games specifically designed for fostering emotion regulation? Go to drsarahbren.com/games to get my free guide packed with games you can play with kids of all ages! ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE: 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about the psychology of dysregulation with Cara Goodwin 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about using coregulation with Dana Rosenbloom 🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about raising emotionally resilient children with Dr. Kristen Lindquist 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!
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.
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