The Secret Lives of Teen Girls: What Your Mother Wouldn't Talk about but Your Daughter Needs to Know

Description

In The Secret Lives of Teen Girls, Evelyn Resh, the mother of a teenage daughter and a certified nurse-midwife specializing in the treatment of teenage girls, explores the mysterious world of female, adolescent sexuality and how parents-especially mothers-can help their daughters through this tumultuous time. Secrets divulged by teenage girls during consultation have made Resh realize that most adolescents are left to develop a sexual identity without any adult guidance and often without the most basic knowledge of what is happening to them physically and emotionally. She also realised that many girls are frequently subject to criticism and shaming about their normal, adolescent behaviour. Resh believes these issues are what underlie many of the problems teens face during this crucial step into becoming a fully developed adult woman capable of making good, sound, safe, and independent decisions throughout life. Through compelling, frank, and sometimes humorous stories from both Resh and her patients, The Secret Lives of Teenage Girls explains to parents just want is going on with their teenage daughters during this essential phase of their development. She discusses many of the complicated problems she's seen in practice, including not just sexual activity but also eating disorders, substance abuse, mental illness, unplanned pregnancies, violence, and STDs. She also looks at less serious but still troubling issues like under-achievement, battles with parents, and lack of emotional and social support. In this insightful book, Resh provides parents with the tools to help their teen daughters negotiate the waters of their sexual development and emerge with their strength, their sexuality, and their self-image intact.

Evelyn Resh CNM, MPH, the Director of Sexual Health Services and Programming for Canyon Ranch Health Resorts, has been in practice as a certified nurse-midwife for more than 15 years. In her role at Canyon Ranch, she creates and implements programming focused on the integration of sensuality into daily living.Resh holds a Master of Public Health degree and undergraduate degrees in nursing, psychology, and medical anthropology. She practices integrative midwifery and gynecology with women of all ages and lectures frequently throughout the nation to professional and lay audiences on the topics of women's health and sexual satisfaction.Ms. Resh lives in western Massachusetts with her family where she also maintains a small private practice as a sexuality counselor.

"The Secret Lives of Teen Girls is a bold and much needed perspective on teen sexuality and should be a must read for all parents of teens. Evelyn's patient stories and personal experiences provide real-world examples that help readers to relate to the challenges mothers and daughters face during adolescence. I have been a women's health care provider for over 25 years and plan to recommend this book to parents seeking guidance during the teen years." - Carrie Klima, PhD, CNM, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing