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Good Enough Shrink

We are child psychiatrists practicing in the Los Angeles area on a mission to demystify psychiatry and mental health. The title of this podcast is a tribute to the psychoanalyst, Donald Winnicott, and his concept of the "Good Enough Parent.” This is the idea that the imperfect but sufficient provisions of a parent will build a resilient child in an imperfect world. We want to empower children and parents to embrace their strengths and flaws, and know that you are good enough.

We want to emphasize the power of holding difficult emotions from the lens of attachment theory. Attachment theory is based on the idea that humans need a social bond with another to survive. This bond, when it is “good enough”, serves as a secure base from which a child can explore the world. When this attachment is disrupted, it can lead to emotional issues, and sometimes full-blown psychiatric disorders. This is where therapists and psychiatrists come in.

This podcast is for the curious adults, parents, family members, mental health professionals and trainees. So we hope you join us in this adventure to explore science and mental health from a developmental perspective.

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Good Enough Shrink

Attachment Theory II: The Early Years into Adulthood

August 06, 2024 • Dr. Jenna Cheng, Dr. Patrick Kelly • Season 1 • Episode 2

Welcome back! In this episode, we discuss the significance of the humanistic approach to psychiatry, and the importance of relationships and the environment in child development. We talk about core concepts in attachment theory, such as the Strange Situation by Mary Ainsworth, adult attachment interview by Mary Main, and mentalization by Peter Fonagy. We emphasize that attachment serves as its own biological and motivational system, and that attachment trauma can be healed through exploring your internal and external worlds with another.

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