kirshenbaum phd

The latest research in neuroscience and parenting come together in this groundbreaking book, which brings to light new realizations about the power of nurture for our children’s mental and physical health outcomes.

Greer Kirshenbaum, PhD. is a neuroscientist, doula, and parent. Her work began with the goal of developing new treatments for poor mental health; she dreamed of creating a new medication to address conditions like anxiety, depression, addiction, and chronic stress. Over time, she realized that science had already uncovered a powerful medicine for alleviating mental health struggles, but the answer wasn’t a pill. It was a preventative approach: when babies’ receive nurturing care in the first three years of life, it builds strong, resilient brains -- brains that are less susceptible to poor mental health.

How can parents best set their children up for success? In this revelatory book, Dr. Kirshenbaum makes plain that nurture is a preventative medicine against mental health issues. She challenges the idea that the way to cultivate independence is through letting babies cry it out or sleep alone; instead, the way to raise a confident, securely attached child is to lean in to nurture, to hold your infant as much as you want, support their emotions, engage in back-and-forth conversations, be present and compassionate when your baby is stressed, and share sleep. Research has proven that nurturing experiences transform lives. Nurturing is a gift of resilience and health parents can give the next generation simply by following their instincts to care for their young.

Greer Kirshenbaum, PhD, is a neuroscientist, doula and educator who empowers nurtured parenting, disrupts modern parenting practices to begin new cycles of intergenerational wellness. She is on a mission to revolutionize the future of health and it all begins at the beginning of life. Greer spent many years studying the brain in a lab and many years using her knowledge while supporting families as a doula. She wants families and perinatal practitioners to understand how caregivers can boost success, thriving, and flourishing, and diminish depression, anxiety, and addiction in adulthood by shaping babies’ brains through simple intuitive enriching experiences in pregnancy, birth, and infancy.