Adolesence Shouldn't be a Pressure Cooker

Having previously read Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Dr. Lisa D'Amour, when I had the opportunity to read her newest book Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls I knew I needed to do so.

Anyone who has teen girls or is around teen girls on a regular basis will immediately connect with this title. Keep in mind we are not saying that teen boys aren't under pressure but that it is intensified with teen girls. Parents and mentors want to find the right thing to say that will encourage girls and help them as well as teach them how to handle things on their own but too often feel that you are stepping on a land mine. Dr. D'Amour takes parents and other adults under her wing and gently shares what we can say and do that will help teen girls learn to handle situations in a mature, adult way. I really enjoy how D'Amour emphasizes teaching and coaching girls through the thought process and having them take the lead on what to do.

D'Amour brings to the book years of experience in clinical psychology and her role at Laurel School for girls and private psychotherapy. Her experience shines through as she brings numerous examples of specific situations that have come up in her practice. D'Amour does write from a secular perspective and not all readers will agree with everything she writes. However, even when I did not agree with her perspective (ie premarital sex), her discussion of the topic raised issues I had not considered when broaching this topic.

Under Pressure is highly recommended for numerous audiences. Parents need to have a copy handy to reference often. Teachers, youth ministers, and anyone else who works with pre-teens on up will also find this resource very useful. Counselors and therapists who work with teens and parents will also desire to have a copy to loan out to parents. This book and D'Amour's previous title Untangled, also belong in every public library.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book Under Pressure from Ballantine via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.