June Recommended Reading: The Emotional Lives of Teenagers

June’s Recommended Reading is The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents by Lisa Damour, Ph.D.

I chose this book because I think it’s an excellent resource for parents or really anyone seeking to understand the teenagers in their lives. The teenage years can be a time of really strong emotions, and this book is a great guide to understanding why that is, how to help and support them through it, and when to be concerned.

While the book doesn’t necessarily deal with grief, per se, when we can understand our teens better and how they individually operate on an emotional level, we can help them deal with the big feelings that come with grief, loss, and change and stay connected through those challenging times.

One of the principles Dr. Damour teaches that I really appreciated was the idea that mental health does not equal feeling good all the time. It’s having feelings that are appropriate for the situation at hand. That’s so important to remember.

The valuable insight, tools, and advice this book offers make it a valuable part of your parenting library.