Express Yourself: A Teen Girl's Guide to Speaking Up and Being Who You Are

Description

If you are like many teen girls, you may feel pressure to be "nice," rather than assert your opinions. You may even fear being called "bossy" or "pushy" when speaking your mind or offering a different point of view. But if you have ever stopped yourself from expressing your opinion, you know how bad it can feel afterward. Don't let yourself fall into that same trap over and over. Your thoughts and feelings matter just as much as everyone else-you just need to find your voice. Using techniques based in proven-effective dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this book will show you how to have positive interactions with others, deal with difficult emotions that can arise from bullying or dealing with "mean girls," and easy-to-use strategies that will boost your self-esteem and confidence. You'll also discover tons of assertive communication skills you can use every day, including how to speak up when you are upset; asking for what you want in a clear, assertive manner; and coping when intense emotions threaten to take over and sabotage your relationships. In the age of social media and texting, strong communication skills are needed more than ever. This book will not only give you the tools needed to speak up in everyday or difficult situations, but it will also provide powerful advice for effectively communicating in the digital world.

Emily Roberts, MA, LPC, is a psychotherapist, parenting consultant, educational speaker, and published author. She created The Guidance Girl as a brand to help empower and educate girls on how to feel confident, build self-esteem, and develop communication skills. Roberts is aware of the challenges faced by both teens and women, and has built a practice by positioning herself as therapeutic mentor and consultant. As a contributing author for HealthyPlace.com, Roberts writes the weekly blog Building Self-Esteem and is also parenting consultant and blogger for the Neurogistics Corporation. Roberts is the cofounder of The Talking Room-a workshop program in Austin,TX, that helps girls ages five to eleven develop self-esteem, confidence, leadership, friendship skills, and stress reduction activities with an emphasis on creating healthy boundaries with technology.

"Emily Roberts has created a manual that can be useful to every adolescent girl. This book fills a void for girls struggling to manage difficult interpersonal relationships, and provides essential strategies for improving these relationships, as well as managing emotions during the challenging transition of adolescence. This is a great resource for adolescents, as well as for parents and professionals." --Dr. Drew Pinsky "Emily Roberts's Express Yourself nails the beauty and complexity of girl's world. This much-needed book is packed full of wisdom to help young women navigate and normalize their teen years with bravery and confidence." --Julia V. Taylor, MA, author of The Body Image Workbook for Teens, Salvaging Sisterhood, and Perfectly You, and coauthor of G.I.R.L.S. (Girls in Real Life Situations) and The Bullying Workbook for Teens "Express Yourself feels like a conversation with someone who really gets you--that wise and compassionate friend whose advice is always on target. It serves as a road map for teens to learn to take up space with their voice. That is a concept society works very hard to get girls to unlearn, but thankfully Roberts created a phenomenal guide to keep them in the practice of speaking their truth. Parents and educators will find this book to be a wonderful resource for the girls they care about as they transition into outspoken, confident young women." --Melissa Atkins Wardy, speaker, consultant, business owner, and author ofRedefining Girly "Express Yourself is exactly what the confidence conversation needs. With its great communication tools, helpful and rewarding exercises, and abundant opportunities for self-reflection, this book offers teens the tools they need to tackle life and all the obstacles that come with it." --Jess Weiner, author and self-esteem expert "Emily Roberts's Express Yourself is the ideal combination of humor, real talk, and research from which every girl can benefit. This book reminds young women of their power and influence, all while providing tried and true strategies for how to be the happiest, healthiest, best versions of themselves. It's fun, practical, and most definitely worth the read." --Lexie Kite, PhD, codirector of Beauty Redefined Foundation "In short, Express Yourself is excellent. Roberts provides practical skills and assertiveness-building exercises for teen girls--an audience who so desperately needs more voices telling them how to effectively stand up for themselves and why it's important to do so. Any girl who reads this will walk away with new positive communication techniques to implement in her life." --Ami Kane, MPA, development director at the Girls Empowerment Network (GENaustin) "Understanding, responding to, and managing social relationships can be complicated for teenagers. In Express Yourself, Emily Roberts breaks down the barriers with actionable tips and advice every teen needs. From e-mail etiquette to social media and dating, Roberts offers sage advice teens can relate to. Written for teens yet valuable for parents, this is a coffee table book to leave around your home in the event your teen needs guidance she is hesitant to seek from you. Confused? Frustrated? Overwhelmed? Afraid? Just ask Emily. Then Express Yourself." --Lynne Kenney, PsyD, mom to two teens, pediatric psychologist, international speaker, and coauthor of Bloom: 50 Things to Say, Think, and Do with Anxious, Angry, and Over-the-Top Kids