Why Therapy May Be the Puzzle Piece Your Teen Daughter is Missing
One thing is evident every time I get to the sexual assault and molestation portion of my presentation in middle and high schools…
A lot of teen girls are in desperate need of professional therapy.
Why it’s “Irresponsible” to Deny Counseling to Teen Girls
I sat down with clinical psychologist, Dr. Alduan Tartt a few years ago to discuss what I believe is the missing puzzle piece for many teen girls who, for various reasons, are not emotionally whole.
These are the girls who write me letters three-pages long.
Or the ones who stay after class bawling in my arms.
They often reveal secrets their mothers aren’t even aware of.
The kind I’m sometimes mandated to report.
These young ladies come to me seeking counsel.
So, I listen and offer whatever comfort and insight I can.
Then I strongly encourage them to tell their mothers so they can seek professional therapy.
After that it’s up to their moms to pursue it.
Would you?
Don’t Allow Shame to Keep Your Daughter Bound
It breaks my heart when I urge girls to seek counseling, and they tell me their moms don’t believe in it.
In 2021, it’s sad to see there’s still a stigma associated with therapy.
Do these moms (and dads), want their daughters to get the help they need?
Of course, they do!
Unfortunately, shame surrounding the situation and circumstances has a way of forcing the need for counseling to take a backseat.
Especially when the circumstances involve issues such as sexual abuse or pornography.
Watch the video below to hear Dr. Tartt describe why foregoing therapy is “irresponsible.”
You know what I wish?
That the need for therapy wasn’t so great.
But I’ve witnessed time and time again what happens when girls don’t have access to professional counseling.
Far too many are walking around in emotional bondage.
Let’s not allow shame to keep our daughters from getting the help they need.
Not when therapy can help set them free.
Tough Conversations Open the Door to Therapy
You can’t seek therapy for your daughter until you first open-up the lines of communication and engage her in conversation.
How else will you know what help your daughter needs?
For many moms, having these conversations with their daughters is easier said than done.
Some don’t know what to say at all.
Or they’re afraid they’ll mess up and say the wrong thing.
Others haven’t had much success getting their daughters to open-up in the past. And they don’t know how to move past the awkward silence towards meaningful dialogue.
Can you relate?
Imagine if the issue your daughter’s struggling with is rape/molestation or pornography?
Or how would you handle talking to her about abstaining when you didn’t wait yourself?
These are the tough conversations countless moms have asked me to have with their daughters on their behalf, because they didn’t feel equipped to do so themselves.
Are you prepared to have the tough conversations with your daughter?
If your answer is “No,” I’m here to help!
I created the How to Have the Tough Conversations e-course for concerned moms like you, who feel ill-equipped to have these intimate discussions with their daughters.
Just like there’s no shame in seeking therapy for your daughter, there’s also no shame in seeking additional coaching as a parent.
It’s a win-win for you and your daughter!
How will you know if your daughter needs therapy if you don’t have these tough conversations?
Head over to my online academy to get more details about the How to Have the Tough Conversations e-course.
You’ll gain immediate access that will open the door to conversations with your daughter that could provide the help she needs and/or reveal she needs therapy.
If your daughter has benefitted from professional counseling and you don’t mind sharing, I’d love to hear your experience.
Also, when was the last tough conversation you had with your daughter? What was it about?
No matter how difficult discussing these issues may be, the more you practice the more comfortable you and your daughter will become having these heart-to-hearts.
And the more likely she’ll come to you when she needs help instead of carrying around heavy burdens on her own.
Which is ALWAYS a good thing.
Warm Regards,
P.S. If during your tough conversations with your daughter you discover that she’s a survivor of sexual assault/molestation, please don’t allow shame to deter you from seeking professional therapy for her. It’s one of the best ways to take back control of an otherwise helpless situation. So is obtaining additional parental coaching for yourself. You don’t have to struggle over what to say or how to approach these tough conversations with your daughter alone. Let me walk you through it step-by-step, word-by-word with the How to Have the Tough Conversations e-course. No shame. No judgements. Only patience, understanding and guidance.
P.P.S. Please share this post with every parent of a tween or teen daughter you know to help spread awareness of sexual assault, and the importance of seeking professional therapy for our girls should they need it. Thank you!
