I’m joined for a compelling conversation on the wisdom offered by indigenous cultures, past and present, and the benefits of attachment parenting by Dr. Darcia Narvaez, Professor Emerita of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame, researches moral development and human flourishing from an interdisciplinary perspective, integrating anthropology, neuroscience, clinical, developmental and educational sciences. Her earlier careers include professional musician, business owner, classroom music teacher, classroom Spanish teacher and seminarian, among other things. She grew up as a bilingual/bicultural Puerto Rican but calls the earth her home.
Dr. Narvaez’s current research explores how early life experience influences wellbeing and moral character in children and adults. She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the American Educational Research Association and former editor of the Journal of Moral Education. She is on the advisory boards of Attachment Parenting International, Your Whole Baby, and the Self Reg Institute. She has numerous publications, including more than 20 books. A recent book, Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality: Evolution, Culture and Wisdom won the 2015 William James Book Award from the American Psychological Association and the 2017 Expanded Reason Award. She is president of KindredWorld.org which fosters flourishing for all. She blogs for Psychology Today (“Moral Landscapes”) and hosts the webpage EvolvedNest.org.
We discuss the nine elements of the Evolved Nest and how early life experiences and attachment parenting set the stage for thriving rather than just surviving throughout life.