NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - An urgently needed guide to the alarming
increase in anxiety and stress experienced by girls from elementary
school through college, from the author of Untangled
"An invaluable read for anyone who has girls, works with girls, or
cares about girls--for everyone!"--Claire Shipman, author of The
Confidence Code and The Confidence Code for Girls
Though anxiety has risen among young people overall, studies confirm
that it has skyrocketed in girls. Research finds that the number of
girls who said that they often felt nervous, worried, or fearful jumped
55 percent from 2009 to 2014, while the comparable number for adolescent
boys has remained unchanged. As a clinical psychologist who specializes
in working with girls, Lisa Damour, Ph.D., has witnessed this rising
tide of stress and anxiety in her own research, in private practice, and
in the all-girls' school where she consults. She knew this had to be the
topic of her new book.
In the engaging, anecdotal style and reassuring tone that won over
thousands of readers of her first book, Untangled, Damour starts by
addressing the facts about psychological pressure. She explains the
surprising and underappreciated value of stress and anxiety: that
stress can helpfully stretch us beyond our comfort zones, and anxiety
can play a key role in keeping girls safe. When we emphasize the
benefits of stress and anxiety, we can help our daughters take them in
stride.
But no parents want their daughter to suffer from emotional overload, so
Damour then turns to the many facets of girls' lives where tension takes
hold: their interactions at home, pressures at school, social anxiety
among other girls and among boys, and their lives online. As readers
move through the layers of girls' lives, they'll learn about the
critical steps that adults can take to shield their daughters from the
toxic pressures to which our culture--including we, as parents--subjects
girls.
Readers who know Damour from Untangled or the New York Times, or
from her regular appearances on CBS News, will be drawn to this
important new contribution to understanding and supporting today's
girls.
Praise for Under Pressure
"Truly a must-read for parents, teachers, coaches, and mentors wanting
to help girls along the path to adulthood."--Julie Lythcott-Haims,
New York Times bestselling author of How to Raise an Adult