Raising emotionally healthy boys: How to protect connection, vulnerability, and their authentic selves with Dr. Adam McCormick

Dr. Adam McCormick, professor, social worker, and author joins me to explore what happens to boys' emotional worlds as they grow up, and how parents can help their sons stay connected to the parts of themselves they may otherwise learn to hide.

Together we explore:

Why so many boys gradually disconnect from emotions they once expressed freely.
The powerful role shame can play beneath anger, withdrawal, and challenging behavior, and why boys often don't have the language to recognize it.
How even well-intentioned parents may respond differently to their sons' emotions without realizing it.
Why trying to fix a boy's feelings can sometimes get in the way of the connection he actually needs.
What boys learn when they feel valued for who they are, rather than for how they perform.
Why small moments of delight, attention, play, and connection can have a much bigger impact than we realize.
A simple shift that can make it easier for boys to open up about the things that matter most.
How we can hold boys accountable for their behavior while still staying curious about what that behavior may be communicating.
Why helping boys stay connected to their inner worlds now may shape the friendships, romantic relationships, and emotional lives they build later.

Whether you're raising a toddler, a teenager, or somewhere in between, this conversation offers a hopeful reminder that boys don't need us to teach them how to feel. They need us to help protect the emotional capacities they already have, so they don't have to lose connection with themselves in order to feel like they belong.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUEST:

🔗Adam McCormick

📚Healing the Helping Professional: The Unfinished Business of Childhood Trauma

📱LinkedIn: Adam McCormick

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:

🎧 444. The connection crisis: Why kids are struggling with friendship and what parents can do with Dr. Niobe Way

👉 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 raising emotionally intelligent sons with Ruth Whippman

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about why boys and girls need different things with Michael Gurian

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how to support your child's secure attachment even if you didn't grow up with it with Dr. Miriam Steele

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(453)

The surprising link between your child's vision, behavior, and screen time with Dr. Meenal Agarwal

What if your child's difficulty focusing, struggles with reading, or even some of their behavioral challenges had something to do with their vision, even if they can see perfectly well? In this episod...

10 Marras 59min

Q&A: How to know if my child may have depression?

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg and I talk about what to do when your young child seems sad all the time, how to know when it's some...

3 Marras 24min

How stress affects your child's brain and body: The science of co-regulation, resilience, and healing with Dr. Nicki Bush

Developmental psychologist and UCSF professor, Dr. Nicki Bush, joins me this week to explore stress and how it affects our children and what parents can do to help protect their child's developing bra...

27 Loka 59min

Beyond chores: How to teach kids to notice what needs to be done and share the mental load with Sam Kelly

Sam Kelly, author of Notice and Do, and I talk about why simply assigning chores may not be enough. While chores can teach responsibility, they often overlook an important first step. Before kids can ...

20 Loka 45min

Q&A: Am I wrong...or did my doctor give bad parenting advice?

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about... What to make of advice that tells you not to comfort your ...

6 Loka 11min

The neuroscience of resonance: How to use language to strengthen attachment with your child with Sarah Peyton

Author, speaker, and neuroscience educator Sarah Peyton joins me to explore what happens when attachment theory, Nonviolent Communication, and the science of resonance come together. Together we exp...

29 Syys 59min

The connection crisis: Why kids are struggling with friendship and what parents can do with Dr. Niobe Way

Dr. Niobe Way, developmental psychologist and bestselling author, sits down with me to explore why meaningful connection is so essential for our children, and what may be getting in the way of their n...

22 Syys 1h 6min