Do you want to foster a deeper layer of connection with your daughter and create an environment in which she thrives?

The single most important ingredient in a girl’s mental health is feeling safe, seen, known, valued, and connected to parents and primary caregivers.

But how can we, as parents, create this crucial sense of parent-child connection and attunement which is so important for our girls’ wellbeing? Parenting through the teenage years is a rewarding and fulfilling experience, but it also comes with its own set of challenges.

In my talks with girls around the country, I often ask them what they wish the adults in their lives would do differently. The top things girls tell me?

We, the adults, are not listening to them. We often jump in with advice or questions before they’ve had a chance to fully express what they’re feeling.

Girls have resilience fatigue. They worry the adults in their lives want them to push through, be brave, be resilient, all the time. They want us to stop expecting them to bounce back from everything.

They want to tell you that they are struggling. They may tell you “Everything is fine” because that’s what they think you want to hear. Why? When they try to tell us about their distress, we often react in ways that make them feel they aren’t being heard.

They want, most of all, for you to up your game in how you talk, listen, and connect with them, and to better manage your own reactions, so they feel safe coming to talk to you about anything, anytime.

They want you to focus less on their extrinsic qualities (school, activities, appearance) and notice more of their positive behaviors and intrinsic qualities, even when (especially when) they’re struggling.

Bottom line: it’s paramount for your daughter’s well-being to create a neuroprotective environment in which your daughter feels safe, heard, connected, and understood.

Ultimately, this is what ensures that each girl feels safe within herself.

The good news is that there are dozens of ways we can up our game, so that we create the supportive environment girls need.

When we learn the skills to create this deep sense of parent-child attunement, we not only enhance our parent-child bond, we ensure that our daughter feels safe coming to us with any worry or problem, now or in the future—no matter how difficult the topic or situation. And this really matters! Studies show teen girls who feel they can safely turn to a parent with really hard things are significantly more likely to flourish throughout their lives.

This is especially true as girls enter puberty. Puberty is a crucial developmental window during which the brain and nervous system rewire themselves in sticky and long-lasting ways.

The strategies and exercises you'll learn in this first course will help you build a deep connection with your daughter and create a neuroprotective environment where she can grow and thrive.