Synopses & Reviews
Teenage girls today are struggling more than ever to live up to enormous, unprecedented expectations to excelbut at what cost?
In Stressed-out Girls, bestselling author and clinical psychologist Roni Cohen-Sandler provides an inside look at how the achievement frenzy is hurting this generation of girls. Trying desperately to shine academically, juggle hectic extracurricular activities, become popular, look great, and get into elite colleges, teenage girls feel compelled to hide their distress from the teachers and families they want to please and often become disconnected from their true selves in the process. The pressure to "do it all" becomes debilitating diminishing girls' self-esteem and motivation, their health, and ultimately, undermining their ability to actually be successful.
Stressed-out Girls pinpoints the early warning signs of chronic stress and offers strategies to help boost girls' resilience and confidence before they become vulnerable to serious problems like depression, eating disorders, and substance abuse. Based on her clinical work, interviews, and a comprehensive survey of thousands of teens, Roni Cohen-Sandler offers a clear framework for understanding:
- What is really going on with girls when they underachieve or seem bored by school
- Why teen girls think being "good" means being "extraordinary"
- What makes them quit their extracurricular activities
- Why teen girls feel more stressed-out than boys
- The five most common at-risk groups: girls in transition, "square pegs," insecure girls, perfectionistic girls, and girls distracted by personal or family problems
- Why parents and teachers' well-intentioned efforts to help often backfire, and what they can really do to relieve stress and facilitate success
Written with authority and passion, and filled with eye-opening, real-life stories, this groundbreaking book provides a rare and candid glimpse into the inner lives of girls today. Essential reading for girls, parents, educators, and therapists,
Stressed-out Girls illuminates an important and timely issue facing this generation, arming anyone who is concerned about a teenage girl with the tools to help her flourish.
Review
"...Cohen-Sandler writes in clear, encouraging, straightforward language....An eye-opening, up-to-the-minute resource for all adults who work with teen girls." Booklist
Review
"[O]ne of the best additions to the literature [on teenage girls]..." Library Journal
Synopsis
When the pressure to succeed hurts, this book is an inside look at the acnievement frenzy and how parents and teachers can come to the rescue.
Synopsis
When the pressure to succeed hurts: an inside look at the achievement frenzy and how parents and teachers can come to the rescue
We constantly read about it in the news: achievement standards across the country are at an all-time high, and competition in schools is fierce. Teenagers today face an enormous, unprecedented expectation to excel but at what cost?
In Stressed-out Girls, Roni Cohen-Sandler, a clinical psychologist and expert on adolescent girls, illustrates why girls feel more intensely pressured than boys to succeed academically and socially with detrimental effects to their performance, self-esteem, and well-being. While trying to shine academically, juggle hectic extracurricular activities, and navigate complex social situations, teenage girls often feel disconnected from their true selves and yet feel compelled to hide their distress from the teachers and families they want to please. Based on her clinical work, interviews, and a comprehensive survey of three thousand teens, Cohen-Sandler identifies five at-risk groups of girls and gives parents and educators practical strategies to reduce their stress, build resiliency, and bolster their confidence.
Filled with eye-opening firsthand stories from real girls, this groundbreaking book gives a rare and candid glimpse into the secret struggles of teenage girls today in their quest for success.
About the Author
Roni Cohen-Sandler, Ph.D., has written for numerous national publications, including Girls' Life and Seventeen magazines. Her numerous television and radio appearances include the Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, Today, the Early Show, Montel, CBS News with Dan Rather, and NPR. She is a frequent speaker for schools and professional audiences.
Table of Contents
Part One: The At-Risk Generation
One: Rising Nervous Energy The Toll of Hidden Stress
Two: Walking Tightropes Cultural Pressures
Three: Proving Themselves Family Dynamics
Part Two: Vulnerabilities to Stress
Four: Challenged by Transitions Adapting Girls
Five: Square Peg Dilemmas Undervalued Girls
Six: Desperate for Acceptance Insecure Girls
Seven: Lamps Turned Too High Perfectionistic Girls
Eight: Minds Elsewhere Distracted Girls
Part Three: Fostering Resiliency
Nine: Building Confidence Knowing Herself
Ten: Creating Connections Empowering Relationships
Eleven: Taking the Next Step Troubleshooting