In this episode I speak with Dr. Emma Svanberg, an award-winning clinical psychologist and author of the recently released, "Parenting For Humans." Dr. Emma is the founder of The Psychology Co-operative and co-founder of Make Birth Better CIC. She also facilitates a vibrant parenting community on Facebook called The Village – A Parenting Community For Humans. I ask Dr Emma about the key themes from her book, exploring the beautiful analogy she uses of understanding children as ‘mapmakers’ whose maps are shaped by their temperaments, environments, context, and how we as parents can guide and connect with our children - through understanding our own stories. We talk about the role of play in connection with our children, as well as boundaries in the context of technology. Dr Emma reflects on the pressures parents face today in an information-rich and distracted society, and how we can try to navigate these contexts drawing on a sense of agency and power, and calling in opportunities for presence both for ourselves and our children. You’ll hear us reflect on the role of disappointment and the ruptures that inevitably occur between us and our children, and reflect on ‘good enough’ and Winnicott’s work as part of our parenting practice in fostering connection and growth. 

Website - https://dremmasvanberg.com/
Email - emma@dremmasvanberg.com 
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mumologist
Buy Emma’s Book: https://ebury.lnk.to/ParentingForHumans
Show notes page: https://drsophiebrock.com/podcast106

106. Understanding Ourselves & Our Children as Mapmakers: Parenting for Humans with Dr Emma Svanberg

The role of being a Mother offers us the potential for incredible expansion, growth, and power, while also being one of – if not THE – most challenging, undervalued, and taken for granted roles in the world. Motherhood Studies Sociologist, researcher, and single Mother, Dr Sophie Brock hosts The Good Enough Mother (TGEM) podcast with an aim to change how Motherhood is culturally defined and individually experienced. TGEM draws its name from a theorist and pediatrician Winnicott, who highlighted the ways ‘good enough’ parenting is actually what is best for our children – not perfectionism. The podcast centres the Mother as the starting point for conversations with experts and change-makers who are passionate about seeing social, cultural, and institutional change to better support Mothers and therefore our families, and communities.