Untangled : Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour

Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood is written by clinical psychologist Lisa Damour. It is presented as an accessible and comprehensive guide to parenting teenage girls, structured around seven key phases of development.

Key details

• Author: Lisa Damour
• Focuses on seven recognisable transitions from childhood through adolescence to adulthood
• Chapter-by-chapter structure, with each chapter covering a specific phase
• Includes practical hints and tips for parents and daughters
• Features a ‘when to worry’ section in each chapter

Synopsis

Lisa Damour outlines seven phases that mark the journey from girlhood to womanhood, offering practical advice for those raising teenage girls. She addresses the pressures placed on teenagers, including the messages they receive about appearance, behaviour and success, and challenges the idea that adolescence is simply something to be endured.

Damour describes a predictable blueprint for how girls grow, while noting that development happens at different rates and can progress on more than one front at once. Each chapter explores a particular transition, including areas such as contending with adult authority and entering the romantic world, alongside guidance and clear signposts for when concerns may be warranted.