“IPNB has profoundly shaped my understanding of what it means to be human. I approach the study of adolescence and spiritual practices from an IPNB lens, emphasizing integration, differentiation and connection.”
Rev. Dr. Sarah Ann Bixler, PhD is Assistant Professor of Formation and Practical Theology and Associate Dean of the Seminary at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA. She holds a PhD in practical theology and MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a BA in English education from Eastern Mennonite University. Before entering higher education, she worked in congregational youth ministry, secondary education and ecclesial administration. Sarah incorporates IPNB into her teaching and research on adolescent wellbeing and attachment, and is interested in the intersections of IPNB and spirituality. Her current scholarship includes a book on utilizing attachment theory to understand and respond to the paradox of adolescent happiness without belonging in religious communities, and an interdisciplinary collaboration to support caregivers in contextualized Christian practices that foster faith formation and attachment security.