Erin Leonard: Secure Attachment Explained, With Practical Parenting Tips | Raising Parents #97
Fri Jan 30 2026
The secure attachment style has been known to shape a child’s confidence, resilience, and relationship skills, creating a foundation for lifelong well-being. Yet, it can seem mysterious and overwhelming in the hustle of everyday parenting. So, this week on Raising Parents: The Parenting Science Insights Podcast, host Marie Stella interviews psychotherapist Erin Leonard to learn more about what it takes to inspire a secure attachment style in a child.
With 20 years of experience as a psychotherapist, Erin Leonard is an author for several media outlets by the likes of The Huffington Post and ParentCo, and additionally, has appeared on WGN and FOX affiliates. Impressively, Erin Leonard has received numerous awards, from the Shaw Research Award for her time at Children’s Memorial Medical Center, to the Bronze Living Now Award for her book ‘Loving Well: The Key to Satisfying and Joyful Relationships’. But above all, Erin Leonard’s favorite title is ‘mom’ of two silly and sassy 12-year-olds who have taught her the most about life.
In this episode, Erin Leonard addresses the biggest misconceptions about attachment styles, and sheds light on the most common parenting mistakes made when it comes to helping a child develop a secure attachment style. In addition, Erin Leonard shares examples of key stages, milestones, and interactions in a child’s life that are particularly crucial for encouraging a secure attachment.
Together, Marie and Erin Leonard delve into the parental challenges of stress, work-life balance, and mental health issues, and explore practical habits for fostering secure attachments in children. So, whether you’re a new parent or looking to strengthen your connection with an older child, tune in to this episode for science-backed tips for encouraging confidence and security as a parent!
Follow Erin Leonard’s work:
PsychologyToday: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/erin-leonard-phd
How to Outsmart a Narcissist: https://www.amazon.com.au/How-Outsmart-Narcissist-Emotional-Intelligence-ebook/dp/B0CM63197Z
Connect with Erin Leonard via the following platforms:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-leonard-400672b0
Email: drerinleonard@outlook.com
Produced by the Parenting Science Labs, a division of LMSL, the Life Management Science Labs.
Explore LMSL https://lifemanagementsciencelabs.com/ and visit http://pa.lmsl.net/ for further information about Parenting Science Labs.
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The secure attachment style has been known to shape a child’s confidence, resilience, and relationship skills, creating a foundation for lifelong well-being. Yet, it can seem mysterious and overwhelming in the hustle of everyday parenting. So, this week on Raising Parents: The Parenting Science Insights Podcast, host Marie Stella interviews psychotherapist Erin Leonard to learn more about what it takes to inspire a secure attachment style in a child. With 20 years of experience as a psychotherapist, Erin Leonard is an author for several media outlets by the likes of The Huffington Post and ParentCo, and additionally, has appeared on WGN and FOX affiliates. Impressively, Erin Leonard has received numerous awards, from the Shaw Research Award for her time at Children’s Memorial Medical Center, to the Bronze Living Now Award for her book ‘Loving Well: The Key to Satisfying and Joyful Relationships’. But above all, Erin Leonard’s favorite title is ‘mom’ of two silly and sassy 12-year-olds who have taught her the most about life. In this episode, Erin Leonard addresses the biggest misconceptions about attachment styles, and sheds light on the most common parenting mistakes made when it comes to helping a child develop a secure attachment style. In addition, Erin Leonard shares examples of key stages, milestones, and interactions in a child’s life that are particularly crucial for encouraging a secure attachment. Together, Marie and Erin Leonard delve into the parental challenges of stress, work-life balance, and mental health issues, and explore practical habits for fostering secure attachments in children. So, whether you’re a new parent or looking to strengthen your connection with an older child, tune in to this episode for science-backed tips for encouraging confidence and security as a parent! Follow Erin Leonard’s work: PsychologyToday: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/erin-leonard-phd How to Outsmart a Narcissist: https://www.amazon.com.au/How-Outsmart-Narcissist-Emotional-Intelligence-ebook/dp/B0CM63197Z Connect with Erin Leonard via the following platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-leonard-400672b0 Email: drerinleonard@outlook.com Produced by the Parenting Science Labs, a division of LMSL, the Life Management Science Labs. Explore LMSL https://lifemanagementsciencelabs.com/ and visit http://pa.lmsl.net/ for further information about Parenting Science Labs. Follow us on social media to stay updated: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingsciencelabs Facebook: http://facebook.com/parenting.science.labs.1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parenting.science.labs/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaScienceLabs LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/parenting-science-labs/ TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@parenting.science.labs You can also subscribe and listen to the show on your preferred podcasting platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-parents-the-parenting-science-insights-podcast/id1648316813 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6m3aSJRG63DGU224r5UHdX Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6012aa2c-375d-4ca9-b6b7-985ca461b214/raising-parents-the-parenting-science-insights-podcast iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/338-raising-parents-the-parent-102799992/ Podbean: https://parentingscienceinsights.podbean.com/ PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/3402014 Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/raising-parents-the-parenting-4912287