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Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media
15 “simple but powerful” ( The New York Times Book Review ) strategies for raising emotionally healthy girls, based on cutting-edge science that explains the modern pressures that make it so difficult for adolescent girls to thrive
“This is a brave and important book; the challenging stories—both personal and scientific—will make you think, and, hopefully, act.”—Bruce D. Perry, MD, PhD, New York Times bestselling co-author of What Happened to You?
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE The Washington Post, Mashable
Anyone caring for girls today knows that our daughters, students, and girls next door are more anxious and more prone to depression and self-harming than ever before. The question that no one has yet been able to credibly answer is Why ?
Now we have answers. As award-winning writer Donna Jackson Nakazawa deftly explains in Girls on the Brink, new findings reveal that the crisis facing today’s girls is a biologically rooted the earlier onset of puberty mixes badly with the unchecked bloom of social media and cultural misogyny. When this toxic clash occurs during the critical neurodevelopmental window of adolescence, it can alter the female stress-immune response in ways that derail healthy emotional development.
But our new understanding of the biology of modern girlhood yields good news, too. Though puberty is a particularly critical and vulnerable period, it is also a time during which the female adolescent brain is highly flexible and responsive to certain kinds of support and scaffolding. Indeed, we know now that a girl’s innate sensitivity to her environment can, with the right conditions, become her superpower. Jackson Nakazawa details the common denominators of such support, shedding new light on the keys to preventing mental health concerns in girls as well as helping those who are already struggling. Drawing on insights from both the latest science and interviews with girls about their adolescent experiences, the author carefully guides adults through fifteen “antidote” strategies to help any teenage girl thrive in the face of stress, including how to nurture the parent-child connection through the rollercoaster of adolescence, core ingredients to building a sense of safety and security for your teenage girl at home, and how to foster the foundations of long-term resilience in our girls so they’re ready to face the world.
Neuroprotective and healing, the strategies in Girls on the Brink amount to a new playbook for how we—parents, families, and the human tribe—can secure a healthy emotional inner life for all of our girls.
“This is a brave and important book; the challenging stories—both personal and scientific—will make you think, and, hopefully, act.”—Bruce D. Perry, MD, PhD, New York Times bestselling co-author of What Happened to You?
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE The Washington Post, Mashable
Anyone caring for girls today knows that our daughters, students, and girls next door are more anxious and more prone to depression and self-harming than ever before. The question that no one has yet been able to credibly answer is Why ?
Now we have answers. As award-winning writer Donna Jackson Nakazawa deftly explains in Girls on the Brink, new findings reveal that the crisis facing today’s girls is a biologically rooted the earlier onset of puberty mixes badly with the unchecked bloom of social media and cultural misogyny. When this toxic clash occurs during the critical neurodevelopmental window of adolescence, it can alter the female stress-immune response in ways that derail healthy emotional development.
But our new understanding of the biology of modern girlhood yields good news, too. Though puberty is a particularly critical and vulnerable period, it is also a time during which the female adolescent brain is highly flexible and responsive to certain kinds of support and scaffolding. Indeed, we know now that a girl’s innate sensitivity to her environment can, with the right conditions, become her superpower. Jackson Nakazawa details the common denominators of such support, shedding new light on the keys to preventing mental health concerns in girls as well as helping those who are already struggling. Drawing on insights from both the latest science and interviews with girls about their adolescent experiences, the author carefully guides adults through fifteen “antidote” strategies to help any teenage girl thrive in the face of stress, including how to nurture the parent-child connection through the rollercoaster of adolescence, core ingredients to building a sense of safety and security for your teenage girl at home, and how to foster the foundations of long-term resilience in our girls so they’re ready to face the world.
Neuroprotective and healing, the strategies in Girls on the Brink amount to a new playbook for how we—parents, families, and the human tribe—can secure a healthy emotional inner life for all of our girls.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published September 13, 2022
132 people are currently reading
4327 people want to read
About the author
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
19 books235 followersAward-winning journalist and internationally-recognized speaker Donna Jackson Nakazawa began writing at twelve years old, after her father passed away unexpectedly. Recording her thoughts and feelings in a journal helped her to make sense of a world without him. When she came to the last page of her diary, she wrote, “I think I’m going to be a writer.”
Later, in college, she joined the staff of Duke’s literary journal. After graduating, she attended the Radcliffe Publishing Program and found work in the New York magazine world as a science journalist.
She began writing books. To date, she has authored 8 books exploring the connections between emotion, adversity, and well-being. Her mission is to translate complicated science into actionable information for everyday life.
Her bestselling book, Childhood Disrupted, was a finalist for the Books for a Better Life Award. Her newest book, The Adverse Childhood Experiences Guided Journal (foreword by Nedra Glover Tawwab), offers targeted writing techniques to help readers recognize the effects of childhood adversity and reset their brain's internal stories for neurobiological resilience, and is based on Donna’s popular narrative writing-to-heal program, Your Healing Narrative.
Donna’s other books include Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media, named a best book of 2022 by The Washington Post, and The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine, named a best book of 2020 by Wired.
Her writing has appeared in Wired, The Boston Globe, Stat, and The Washington Post. She has appeared on The Today Show and NPR and is a regular speaker at universities and organizations, including the Child Mind Institute, Harvard Science, UCLA Health, Rutgers, Johns Hopkins, Children’s Hospitals, and the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. Learn more at donnajacksonnakazawa.com
Later, in college, she joined the staff of Duke’s literary journal. After graduating, she attended the Radcliffe Publishing Program and found work in the New York magazine world as a science journalist.
She began writing books. To date, she has authored 8 books exploring the connections between emotion, adversity, and well-being. Her mission is to translate complicated science into actionable information for everyday life.
Her bestselling book, Childhood Disrupted, was a finalist for the Books for a Better Life Award. Her newest book, The Adverse Childhood Experiences Guided Journal (foreword by Nedra Glover Tawwab), offers targeted writing techniques to help readers recognize the effects of childhood adversity and reset their brain's internal stories for neurobiological resilience, and is based on Donna’s popular narrative writing-to-heal program, Your Healing Narrative.
Donna’s other books include Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media, named a best book of 2022 by The Washington Post, and The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine, named a best book of 2020 by Wired.
Her writing has appeared in Wired, The Boston Globe, Stat, and The Washington Post. She has appeared on The Today Show and NPR and is a regular speaker at universities and organizations, including the Child Mind Institute, Harvard Science, UCLA Health, Rutgers, Johns Hopkins, Children’s Hospitals, and the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. Learn more at donnajacksonnakazawa.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
August 19, 2022
If you parent a girl, teach a girl, coach a girl, care for a girl - if you KNOW a girl - you need to read this book. Donna Jackson Nakazawa blends the stories of girls who are just like girls you know with powerful science writing that helps us understand why our girls are suffering especially now and how we can ACTUALLY help them.
I am a fan of Jackson Nakazawa's previous work, especially The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine, Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal, and The Last Best Cure: My Quest to Awaken the Healing Parts of My Brain and Get Back My Body, My Joy, and My Life. Girls on the Brink builds on all this previous work, giving us a clear understanding of the most recent science that explains why teenage girls are particularly susceptible to the onslaught of twenty-first-century threats in our hyper-connected world.
I've read all Jackson Nakazawa's books through my mother-teacher lens, looking to build my own understanding, as well as looking for a toolbox I can use. This book does not disappoint. Reading about the experiences of girls who are much like the girls I have taught over the years makes this book relatable and user-friendly. There is an entire section of the book dedicated to 15 "Antidotes," or strategies, we adults can employ to support and help the girls we work with and love. For instance, for me as a teacher, reading that having just one trusted adult a girl feels she can rely on expanded my understanding of the crucial positive role a teacher can play in the life of a girl.
I will be buying copies of this book to share with my colleagues and friends - I think that says a lot about the value of what Jackson Nakazawa has written for us all. Go buy a copy for yourself, and buy copies for anyone you know who works with girls, parents a girl, or loves a girl.
I received an early copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I am a fan of Jackson Nakazawa's previous work, especially The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine, Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal, and The Last Best Cure: My Quest to Awaken the Healing Parts of My Brain and Get Back My Body, My Joy, and My Life. Girls on the Brink builds on all this previous work, giving us a clear understanding of the most recent science that explains why teenage girls are particularly susceptible to the onslaught of twenty-first-century threats in our hyper-connected world.
I've read all Jackson Nakazawa's books through my mother-teacher lens, looking to build my own understanding, as well as looking for a toolbox I can use. This book does not disappoint. Reading about the experiences of girls who are much like the girls I have taught over the years makes this book relatable and user-friendly. There is an entire section of the book dedicated to 15 "Antidotes," or strategies, we adults can employ to support and help the girls we work with and love. For instance, for me as a teacher, reading that having just one trusted adult a girl feels she can rely on expanded my understanding of the crucial positive role a teacher can play in the life of a girl.
I will be buying copies of this book to share with my colleagues and friends - I think that says a lot about the value of what Jackson Nakazawa has written for us all. Go buy a copy for yourself, and buy copies for anyone you know who works with girls, parents a girl, or loves a girl.
I received an early copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
June 7, 2022
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I did find it to be a bit redundant and didn't necessarily agree with all of the author's assumptions, but her intentions are good and some or her advice was helpful. I do feel like she doesn't accurately describe how affected men are by stress as well since it is less socially acceptable for them to express it than females. I tried to overlook that for the sake of the book being about females, but it did still bother me when brought up throughout. I really liked her recommendations on connection and forming strong bonds with daughters while postponing or avoiding their social media use.
November 21, 2023
I picked up this book believing I wouldn't use the information immediately, since my daughter is only seven. But apparently, I started reading it at precisely the right time, since research shows that middle childhood (ages 6-10) is a pivotal period for the female brain.
While it's cliché to stress about teenagers, adolescent mental health is actually just a progression of patterns that began years earlier, like a row of dominoes that gets set up in middle childhood, tipped over in early adolescence (ages 10-14), and completely collapses in late adolescence. You can catch falling dominoes, but it's far better to prevent them from getting set up in the first place.
That matches what I saw as a teacher at a secondary school, too. By the time kids are teenagers, they're already in deep water: swimming, floundering, or drowning. Intervening with the 'antidotes' in this book at that age can be life-saving, but it's rescue work. It's more effective to intervene earlier, at my daughter's age, and create safe conditions for kids to learn how to swim before they're thrown in the deep end.
In other words, this book is as much for kids in kindergarten as it is for adolescents. It focuses more on mental health than social media, which initially disappointed me, since I was looking for more guidance on how to approach social media as a parent. However, the emphasis on mental health is understandable, given how straightforward the science on social media is: across the board, it's bad for kids.
In fact, social media is so bad, even the companies (looking at their own data!) have admitted they're terrible for kids, particularly girls. They directly contribute to the rise in depression, anxiety, and suicide rates among youth. It's comparable to recreational drugs like alcohol. If you give social media to kids, it'll harm their brain - the more, the worse. That kids are even allowed on social media has nothing to do with their health and everything to do with profit.
Really, looking at the science, only adults with fully-developed brains should be on social media, and even they should exercise caution, moderation, and sometimes sobriety. But since that's difficult in our society, the second-best option to hold off for as long as possible, ideally until late adolescence, when the brain is past the most fragile period of puberty. You can debate and negotiate on many parenting decisions, but the science is incredibly clear on this point. It'd be better for a 12-year-old girl to spend several hours playing violent video games with friends than spend twenty minutes on Instagram. It's that serious.
The fundamental issue at stake is the importance of feeling safe, seen, known, and accepted for who you are, intrinsically, rather than for extrinsic reasons (accomplishments, beauty, fit body, nice clothes, etc.). Social media is the antithesis of that intrinsic safety, since everything is externally-oriented and judged by peers. It erodes a kid's sense of self-worth during a crucial period of their brain development, when they should be free to explore rather than be judged.
Though I was already cautious about posting photos with my daughter's face on Instagram, reading this book has made me take another step back and question whether I should post any photo of her, especially in a sexist society that puts excessive value on a woman's body and clothing. I have an impulse to post pictures about her sometimes because I adore her, but the unintended consequence is that it exposes parts of her identity to public scrutiny and a ruthless algorithm. She doesn't mind it now, but those photos are dominoes I'm setting up that may collapse when she's an adolescent, becoming sources of anxiety instead of joy.
Maybe that's an extreme stance to some people, but according to scientists, shielding children from social media has zero disadvantages. But the opposite - putting kids on an online pedestal that bolsters the adult's identity - is rife with negative effects. Contrary to popular practice, it's not the best way to show kids you value their safety and wellbeing. Maybe it helps with staying connected, but there are better ways to connect children with a community than by making them into social media content that benefits corporations. And besides, no amount of likes can replace face-to-face contact and empathetic listening on a daily basis.
Anyway, this book inspired a lot of reflection about parenting, society, and my own childhood. I considered giving it five stars for that reason, but I settled on four stars because of how frequently the three example cases were referenced. I appreciated the concept, using anecdotes to illustrate the points made, but I would've preferred more variety and less repetition of the same stories. Still, it was an insightful read, and I'd recommend it to anyone who's involved in a (female) child's life, particularly if puberty is on the horizon.
While it's cliché to stress about teenagers, adolescent mental health is actually just a progression of patterns that began years earlier, like a row of dominoes that gets set up in middle childhood, tipped over in early adolescence (ages 10-14), and completely collapses in late adolescence. You can catch falling dominoes, but it's far better to prevent them from getting set up in the first place.
That matches what I saw as a teacher at a secondary school, too. By the time kids are teenagers, they're already in deep water: swimming, floundering, or drowning. Intervening with the 'antidotes' in this book at that age can be life-saving, but it's rescue work. It's more effective to intervene earlier, at my daughter's age, and create safe conditions for kids to learn how to swim before they're thrown in the deep end.
In other words, this book is as much for kids in kindergarten as it is for adolescents. It focuses more on mental health than social media, which initially disappointed me, since I was looking for more guidance on how to approach social media as a parent. However, the emphasis on mental health is understandable, given how straightforward the science on social media is: across the board, it's bad for kids.
In fact, social media is so bad, even the companies (looking at their own data!) have admitted they're terrible for kids, particularly girls. They directly contribute to the rise in depression, anxiety, and suicide rates among youth. It's comparable to recreational drugs like alcohol. If you give social media to kids, it'll harm their brain - the more, the worse. That kids are even allowed on social media has nothing to do with their health and everything to do with profit.
Really, looking at the science, only adults with fully-developed brains should be on social media, and even they should exercise caution, moderation, and sometimes sobriety. But since that's difficult in our society, the second-best option to hold off for as long as possible, ideally until late adolescence, when the brain is past the most fragile period of puberty. You can debate and negotiate on many parenting decisions, but the science is incredibly clear on this point. It'd be better for a 12-year-old girl to spend several hours playing violent video games with friends than spend twenty minutes on Instagram. It's that serious.
The fundamental issue at stake is the importance of feeling safe, seen, known, and accepted for who you are, intrinsically, rather than for extrinsic reasons (accomplishments, beauty, fit body, nice clothes, etc.). Social media is the antithesis of that intrinsic safety, since everything is externally-oriented and judged by peers. It erodes a kid's sense of self-worth during a crucial period of their brain development, when they should be free to explore rather than be judged.
Though I was already cautious about posting photos with my daughter's face on Instagram, reading this book has made me take another step back and question whether I should post any photo of her, especially in a sexist society that puts excessive value on a woman's body and clothing. I have an impulse to post pictures about her sometimes because I adore her, but the unintended consequence is that it exposes parts of her identity to public scrutiny and a ruthless algorithm. She doesn't mind it now, but those photos are dominoes I'm setting up that may collapse when she's an adolescent, becoming sources of anxiety instead of joy.
Maybe that's an extreme stance to some people, but according to scientists, shielding children from social media has zero disadvantages. But the opposite - putting kids on an online pedestal that bolsters the adult's identity - is rife with negative effects. Contrary to popular practice, it's not the best way to show kids you value their safety and wellbeing. Maybe it helps with staying connected, but there are better ways to connect children with a community than by making them into social media content that benefits corporations. And besides, no amount of likes can replace face-to-face contact and empathetic listening on a daily basis.
Anyway, this book inspired a lot of reflection about parenting, society, and my own childhood. I considered giving it five stars for that reason, but I settled on four stars because of how frequently the three example cases were referenced. I appreciated the concept, using anecdotes to illustrate the points made, but I would've preferred more variety and less repetition of the same stories. Still, it was an insightful read, and I'd recommend it to anyone who's involved in a (female) child's life, particularly if puberty is on the horizon.
October 9, 2022
As a high school teacher, I have long seen the signs of increasing anxiety among adolescent girls as they maneuver the gauntlet of modern social and academic pressures. In this amazing book, Donna Jackson Nakazawa helps her readers understand the science of why girls today are prone to depression and self-harm and what we can do to support and nurture them.
Although the problems adolescent girls face today is dire, Girls on the Brink offers practical antidotes parents and the wider community can implement to help them thrive. I read it and felt inspired and empowered to foster the foundations of resilience that can turn sensitivity into a superpower.
Although the problems adolescent girls face today is dire, Girls on the Brink offers practical antidotes parents and the wider community can implement to help them thrive. I read it and felt inspired and empowered to foster the foundations of resilience that can turn sensitivity into a superpower.
July 17, 2024
Some good stuff on how to listen to a teen, sone obvious warnings about social media. It was book length but probably could have been simpler to absorb as a magazine article. Still, I’m glad o read it and hope I’ll put it to use.
July 10, 2023
I think I was expecting something different from this book. I wasn’t expecting to have to wade through so many pages of “not-antidotes” to get to the antidotes, and then the first 12 antidotes were essentially the same parenting advice I’ve read/heard from countless other sources. Which is not to say it isn’t valid advice, but I was expecting something new and/or more specific.
As far as the chapters of not-antidotes, it was interesting to learn about epigenetics. However, I found the constant references to Anna, Deleicea, and Julia to be grating and unconvincing. I’m sure the intention was to provide real-life examples of young women who had Adverse Childhood Experiences and then went on to struggle with anxiety, depression, etc., in order to illustrate the studies and statistics, but it didn’t work for me. It felt like forced anecdotal evidence. Maybe too much airtime was given to those stories. Then I got to the antidotes, and these same three young women, who had previously been depicted as basically worst-case scenarios of girls on the brink, were then again used as examples, but this time as how the antidotes work (so the mom was mostly absent, but there was a very loving and present grandmother…and actually maybe the mom wasn’t that absent; she was just a single parent trying to make ends meet…). That made me feel like the first part of the book had been full of half-truths in service of the narrative, cherrypicking the terrible and leaving out the good in order to paint a catastrophic picture. It also made me question the value of the antidotes. These young women did actually have some protective factors in place: they were cited as examples throughout the antidotes. So did the antidotes not make a dent? (Of course there’s no magic formula, but I would have left the anecdotal evidence out of the antidote section, or used other case studies, instead of sticking with the same three women.)
I liked the last three antidotes (encourage a sense of mastery; help her develop a voice of resistance; and have her write it down), but I think not enough to say it was worth reading the book.
As far as the chapters of not-antidotes, it was interesting to learn about epigenetics. However, I found the constant references to Anna, Deleicea, and Julia to be grating and unconvincing. I’m sure the intention was to provide real-life examples of young women who had Adverse Childhood Experiences and then went on to struggle with anxiety, depression, etc., in order to illustrate the studies and statistics, but it didn’t work for me. It felt like forced anecdotal evidence. Maybe too much airtime was given to those stories. Then I got to the antidotes, and these same three young women, who had previously been depicted as basically worst-case scenarios of girls on the brink, were then again used as examples, but this time as how the antidotes work (so the mom was mostly absent, but there was a very loving and present grandmother…and actually maybe the mom wasn’t that absent; she was just a single parent trying to make ends meet…). That made me feel like the first part of the book had been full of half-truths in service of the narrative, cherrypicking the terrible and leaving out the good in order to paint a catastrophic picture. It also made me question the value of the antidotes. These young women did actually have some protective factors in place: they were cited as examples throughout the antidotes. So did the antidotes not make a dent? (Of course there’s no magic formula, but I would have left the anecdotal evidence out of the antidote section, or used other case studies, instead of sticking with the same three women.)
I liked the last three antidotes (encourage a sense of mastery; help her develop a voice of resistance; and have her write it down), but I think not enough to say it was worth reading the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2022
As the mother of a teenage son and a preteen son, I devoured an advance copy of Girls on the Brink. This book provides adults with a mirror and tools to understand our own childhood/teen trauma and adversity and the challenges that followed. Further, and more specifically, this book is a must-read for parents - particularly for parents of girls. It's vital reading for anyone who knows girls. Donna Jackson Nakazawa tackles the pressing question: "What is going on with our girls?" She highlights research, studies, and interviews. She probes the question scientifically and personally - interviewing girls, young women, and a wide range of specialists, including scientists, professors, doctors, and more. After painting a vivid and complete picture of the issues facing girls, Donna Jackson Nakazawa devotes the largest portion of her book to fifteen antidotes: fifteen ways we can help and support girls, so they may thrive in these challenging times. I can't recommend this book highly enough. I have already purchased 4 copies to share with friends, and I'll be purchasing more soon. Thank you to Donna Jackson Nakazawa for writing this compelling, urgent, and life-blessing book.
September 12, 2022
Another tough book to rate. There is a lot of good information here but it also often feels overwhelming. Statistics, epigenetics, psychological theories, etc. the first half of the book also has a unrelenting sense of catastrophe. Sexism, racism , climate change, mass shooting; it’s as if young people are living in a dystopian world. No mention of the fact that, in important ways, America is safer than practically any country in history. And no real discussion of how the media catastrophizes so much of our lives. How is a culture dominated by progressives so toxic?
The chief argument of the book however is important. Basically, girls are particularly susceptible to long term stressors when young with serious consequences as they age. Our social media saturated culture amplifies these stressors in dangerous ways. As a result rates for anxiety and depression are exploding. This is biological not simply psychological.
For me, the strongest part of the book was the second half where the author offers antidotes to help girls flourish. I think these sections are very helpful in thinking about protecting girls from a hostile world.
Maybe those with a background in science would find the first half more compelling and those without a suspicion of progressivism could get past the constant mantra of sexism, racism, climate crisis, etc. take that for what it is worth.
The chief argument of the book however is important. Basically, girls are particularly susceptible to long term stressors when young with serious consequences as they age. Our social media saturated culture amplifies these stressors in dangerous ways. As a result rates for anxiety and depression are exploding. This is biological not simply psychological.
For me, the strongest part of the book was the second half where the author offers antidotes to help girls flourish. I think these sections are very helpful in thinking about protecting girls from a hostile world.
Maybe those with a background in science would find the first half more compelling and those without a suspicion of progressivism could get past the constant mantra of sexism, racism, climate crisis, etc. take that for what it is worth.
September 8, 2022
As a mother of two preteens, I needed this book and found it to be a great resource. Donna Jackson Nakazawa artfully blends cutting edge science with real experiences to create an eye opening and impactful book with antidotes/strategies that we can use in our day to day life. I will be recommending this book to anyone that cares for or has a girl in their life.
August 7, 2022
Originally published on my book blog, TheBibliophage.com.
Donna Jackson Nakazawa does it again with her upcoming book, Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media. She blends real-life situations with scientific knowledge and analysis. And concluding the book with strong antidotes goes a long way to helping parents and mentors counter the toxicity of girls’ everyday lives.
Jackson Nakazawa breaks the content into three distinct sections: explaining the situation, exploring the science, and offering fifteen achievable antidotes. Through it all, she uses the lives of three young women to illustrate her points and balance science with reality.
This is a must-read for every parent, teacher, and health care professional. Jackson Nakazawa has already published several books about science, medicine, and brain health using women’s experiences and perspectives. Now she turns her eyes to the next generation. Considering the prominence of cyberbullying, among other concerns, the choice makes perfect sense.
Adverse versus Positive Childhood Experiences
Jackson Nakazawa previously wrote about the science behind adverse childhood experiences (ACES) in Childhood Disrupted. Significant ACES affect our lifelong health. But, here she revisits that information as it happens rather than decades down the line. By describing the lives of those three young women, the author illustrates the short-term impact of absentee parents, poverty, childhood sexual abuse, as well as other situations.
Conversely, Jackson Nakazawa also discusses the impact of positive mentors and community, such as teachers and nurturing social situations. Hopefully, seeing girls’ lives from this perspective will inspire more adults to truly listen to and support the young women in their lives.
Puberty and Hormones
Girls’ early teen years are made more complicated by the hormonal changes they experience. And girls experience puberty even earlier now. This means that the time between childhood and the teen years accelerates. Coping with the change is a struggle for girls and their families. Jackson Nakazawa shines the light of information and antidotes into this space.
It’s also worth noting that social media and popular culture over-sexualize girls and teens. The back-to-school styles are more provocative than ever. Girls judge themselves against adult influencers on TikTok and every other platform. Jackson Nakazawa explains why this is concerning and offers better ways to approach it with our girls.
My Conclusions
This book is full to the brim with information and ideas. Attempting to summarize every point would only do it a disservice. But as I worked my way through it, Jackson Nakazawa offered invaluable insights. Most importantly, she reminds us to listen to girls and provide them a safe space to talk out their challenges.
Jackson Nakazawa’s other books tell her own story, which also illustrates an important point. She repeatedly encourages parents, especially mothers, to deal with their ACES and trauma. Not only does it model positive behavior for girls, but it also helps keep the temperature down when girls’ teenage issues heat up.
It’s also worth saying that the author’s perspective is a feminist one. She reminds us that girls’ rights are human rights. And we as adults made this world, which challenges kids today, especially girls. That attitude resonates with my own and enhances Girls on the Brink.
Jackson Nakazawa is a mom as well as an author, so she’s got skin in the game. That adds to her nuanced understanding of 21st-century girls and teen life. This book is essential reading for moms, dads, grandparents, favorite aunts, and anyone who influences a girl’s life. Pick up a few extra to give as holiday gifts—I know I am.
Pair with The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine, Jackson Nakazawa’s 2019 book. Or try some fiction with female teenage protagonists, like Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and the author for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review. The expected publication date for this book is September 13, 2022.
Donna Jackson Nakazawa does it again with her upcoming book, Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media. She blends real-life situations with scientific knowledge and analysis. And concluding the book with strong antidotes goes a long way to helping parents and mentors counter the toxicity of girls’ everyday lives.
Jackson Nakazawa breaks the content into three distinct sections: explaining the situation, exploring the science, and offering fifteen achievable antidotes. Through it all, she uses the lives of three young women to illustrate her points and balance science with reality.
This is a must-read for every parent, teacher, and health care professional. Jackson Nakazawa has already published several books about science, medicine, and brain health using women’s experiences and perspectives. Now she turns her eyes to the next generation. Considering the prominence of cyberbullying, among other concerns, the choice makes perfect sense.
Adverse versus Positive Childhood Experiences
Jackson Nakazawa previously wrote about the science behind adverse childhood experiences (ACES) in Childhood Disrupted. Significant ACES affect our lifelong health. But, here she revisits that information as it happens rather than decades down the line. By describing the lives of those three young women, the author illustrates the short-term impact of absentee parents, poverty, childhood sexual abuse, as well as other situations.
Conversely, Jackson Nakazawa also discusses the impact of positive mentors and community, such as teachers and nurturing social situations. Hopefully, seeing girls’ lives from this perspective will inspire more adults to truly listen to and support the young women in their lives.
Puberty and Hormones
Girls’ early teen years are made more complicated by the hormonal changes they experience. And girls experience puberty even earlier now. This means that the time between childhood and the teen years accelerates. Coping with the change is a struggle for girls and their families. Jackson Nakazawa shines the light of information and antidotes into this space.
It’s also worth noting that social media and popular culture over-sexualize girls and teens. The back-to-school styles are more provocative than ever. Girls judge themselves against adult influencers on TikTok and every other platform. Jackson Nakazawa explains why this is concerning and offers better ways to approach it with our girls.
My Conclusions
This book is full to the brim with information and ideas. Attempting to summarize every point would only do it a disservice. But as I worked my way through it, Jackson Nakazawa offered invaluable insights. Most importantly, she reminds us to listen to girls and provide them a safe space to talk out their challenges.
Jackson Nakazawa’s other books tell her own story, which also illustrates an important point. She repeatedly encourages parents, especially mothers, to deal with their ACES and trauma. Not only does it model positive behavior for girls, but it also helps keep the temperature down when girls’ teenage issues heat up.
It’s also worth saying that the author’s perspective is a feminist one. She reminds us that girls’ rights are human rights. And we as adults made this world, which challenges kids today, especially girls. That attitude resonates with my own and enhances Girls on the Brink.
Jackson Nakazawa is a mom as well as an author, so she’s got skin in the game. That adds to her nuanced understanding of 21st-century girls and teen life. This book is essential reading for moms, dads, grandparents, favorite aunts, and anyone who influences a girl’s life. Pick up a few extra to give as holiday gifts—I know I am.
Pair with The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine, Jackson Nakazawa’s 2019 book. Or try some fiction with female teenage protagonists, like Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and the author for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review. The expected publication date for this book is September 13, 2022.
March 27, 2024
Textbook and very dry.
October 27, 2022
This is a must read, not just for parents of girls, but for anyone who knows and loves a girl. Girls and young women are fairing worse than boys and worse than recent generations. The research and stories presented in this book help us understand why and what we can do to help.
December 29, 2023
This is an essential book to read for anyone going into the mental health field. I’ve definitely been aware of the impact of social media but I appreciate everything being laid out as one to see how all of the components of society are adding up to have a huge impact on girls. Despite this, I do have hope and look forward to reading more by Jackson Nakazawa!
April 17, 2023
I feel like this is a must read for everyone interested in raising mentally and emotionally healthy girls (and boys). Highly recommend!
September 9, 2022
"Girls on the Brink" has been extensively researched and is practically required reading for parents trying to maintain a healthy self image for their teenage daughters.
I plan to send a hardback copy to my sister to use as a reference for guiding her teenage daughter through high school to adulthood.
I thought it was interesting that the first advice to parents was to look back at your own childhood and remember how you reacted to a trauma you may have had, and to realize you should try not to react that way now to a trauma your child may have.
The book states that girls suffer more from poor self image, anxiety and depression than boys. As a mother of a son, I do not think this is entirely true. However, this book provides many ways to empathize and empower your teen, which can be applied to both sexes.
I plan to send a hardback copy to my sister to use as a reference for guiding her teenage daughter through high school to adulthood.
I thought it was interesting that the first advice to parents was to look back at your own childhood and remember how you reacted to a trauma you may have had, and to realize you should try not to react that way now to a trauma your child may have.
The book states that girls suffer more from poor self image, anxiety and depression than boys. As a mother of a son, I do not think this is entirely true. However, this book provides many ways to empathize and empower your teen, which can be applied to both sexes.
August 27, 2022
I’m a big fan of Donna Jackson Nakazawa’s work. As a holistic psychotherapist, I routinely recommend her books to clients and friends and am excited about Girls on the Brink. Donna has a straightforward and warm writing style and a knack for translating scientific concepts into accessible language. Drawing from cutting edge neuroscience, she reveals the biological and emotional effects of the the many stressors girls face in our society. These stressors have led to an increase in anxiety, depression, and self-harm. Donna shares examples and, with thoughtful sensitivity, walks us through the many emotional challenges our girls struggle with in a society not often supportive of, and that at times undermines, girls’ healthy development. In this hopeful book, Donna offers 15 powerful and simple strategies that parents, relatives, and professionals can immediately put into practice to counteract the effects of stress and help girls foster strong self-worth, emotional connectedness with self and others, and feelings of inner and outer safety. If you’re a parent or have girls in your life, buy this book and buy it for other parents! It’s an essential resource for your girls’ wellbeing.
September 4, 2022
If you are in search of an excellent book club choice or looking for a fascinating read, here is a suggestion for your next book! Science journalist and brilliant author Donna Jackson Nakazawa has delivered another beautifully written book, this time focused on our girls. Donna has a gift for scientific storytelling, steeped in research and evidence, but written with a flow that takes the reader on a journey of discovery.
Girls on the Brink faces the enormous challenges of raising daughters but also provides a roadmap, steeped in evidence, to enable our girls to flourish, in spite of extreme societal conditions. Donna has a gift for digging deeply into the science of being human and unearths stories that reframe the complexities of life, like raising girls, into focus through a new lens.
For my school nurse colleagues, Girls on the Brink is highly recommended to understand how we can help our students thrive in turbulent times. I can envision sharing this book with girls' parents and hosting a book club! What an important topic to share with parents, especially of our prepubescent girls.
Girls on the Brink faces the enormous challenges of raising daughters but also provides a roadmap, steeped in evidence, to enable our girls to flourish, in spite of extreme societal conditions. Donna has a gift for digging deeply into the science of being human and unearths stories that reframe the complexities of life, like raising girls, into focus through a new lens.
For my school nurse colleagues, Girls on the Brink is highly recommended to understand how we can help our students thrive in turbulent times. I can envision sharing this book with girls' parents and hosting a book club! What an important topic to share with parents, especially of our prepubescent girls.
October 8, 2022
I really liked the blend of real-life stories and scientific knowledge and background. As a mother of a teenage daughter who has been struggling with anxiety and panic attacks since 2020, this book was exactly what I needed. It both helped me better process some of my childhood trauma as well as provides ways I can help my own daughter thrive. I also love when a book includes action-oriented steps you can take to work through these challenging times.
I received an early copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received an early copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
April 22, 2025
An important book I will need to reread if I have a daughter!
September 6, 2022
I highly recommend Girls on the Brink, a new title by brilliant science journalist, author, and teacher Donna Jackson Nakazawa. This book is especially relevant for parents of pre-school to college-age daughters, as well as teachers, coaches, guidance counselors, therapists, and all of us who care about helping girls in coping with the challenges relating to living in our world today.
In this book, Jackson Nakazawa potently connects the dots to underscore an unfortunate reality: while the increasing stressors and adversity of growing up today has brought us a never-ending mental health crisis for kids in general, it is especially harmful to girls.
In the first half of the book, Jackson Nakazawa lays out the scientific facts and shares the key factors as to why the stressors of life today are having an exceedingly negative impact on girls. In the second half, the author shifts from explaining the situation and related problems to offering actionable solutions. She lays out a framework and tools in the form of fifteen antidotes designed to help our girls overcome the daunting adversity and find a sense of wellbeing.
Jackson Nakazawa elegantly weaves together scientific data, research insights, and anecdotal stories to create a compelling work on the urgent need to mitigate the damage from toxic stressors on our girls. While deep enough in the science, Jackson Nakazawa is also very relatable on an emotional level as she shares her paradoxical feelings of deep concern with her hope for the future and concludes by making a very compelling case that we need to act now.
Girls on the Brink gives non-scientists and “regular people like me” a solid understanding of the potential impacts of traumatic childhood experiences on our health and wellness in adulthood – and specifically, to girls and women. It belongs on the bookshelf next to two other notable works on these complex subjects: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van der Kolk, M.D. and The Deepest Well by Nadine Burke-Harris, M.D.
In my work as a trauma-informed mindfulness teacher and coach, I often work with teenagers and young adults. I’ve seen the challenges of “growing up today” through the tears in their eyes. For the sake of all of us, and especially our girls and young women, I hope that the information in this provocative new book reaches as many people as possible, as soon as possible.
In this book, Jackson Nakazawa potently connects the dots to underscore an unfortunate reality: while the increasing stressors and adversity of growing up today has brought us a never-ending mental health crisis for kids in general, it is especially harmful to girls.
In the first half of the book, Jackson Nakazawa lays out the scientific facts and shares the key factors as to why the stressors of life today are having an exceedingly negative impact on girls. In the second half, the author shifts from explaining the situation and related problems to offering actionable solutions. She lays out a framework and tools in the form of fifteen antidotes designed to help our girls overcome the daunting adversity and find a sense of wellbeing.
Jackson Nakazawa elegantly weaves together scientific data, research insights, and anecdotal stories to create a compelling work on the urgent need to mitigate the damage from toxic stressors on our girls. While deep enough in the science, Jackson Nakazawa is also very relatable on an emotional level as she shares her paradoxical feelings of deep concern with her hope for the future and concludes by making a very compelling case that we need to act now.
Girls on the Brink gives non-scientists and “regular people like me” a solid understanding of the potential impacts of traumatic childhood experiences on our health and wellness in adulthood – and specifically, to girls and women. It belongs on the bookshelf next to two other notable works on these complex subjects: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van der Kolk, M.D. and The Deepest Well by Nadine Burke-Harris, M.D.
In my work as a trauma-informed mindfulness teacher and coach, I often work with teenagers and young adults. I’ve seen the challenges of “growing up today” through the tears in their eyes. For the sake of all of us, and especially our girls and young women, I hope that the information in this provocative new book reaches as many people as possible, as soon as possible.
December 14, 2022
It seems to be a universal truth that anyone with a teenage daughter has the best intentions of being able to successfully communicate with them, but often things don't go as well as we would like. Part of the reason for any communication gaps, no matter what the age, is a lack of understanding of what the other person is experiencing. That lack of understanding is magnified when it comes to young girls navigating teen years that are fundamentally different than ours, the parents or caregivers, who simply did not have the same 24/7 pressurized exposure to social media platforms in our own era.
Let's face it, when we were in middle/high school, a bad day at school ended at 3pm and we would have a break before dealing with the next day's drama. Now there is no reprieve and whatever inter-personal challenges that are going in school only intensify in the out of school hours via the social platforms that are intertwined in the teenage life. This critical difference results in foundational changes to how girls' brains and thought processes are being developed, with lifelong implications.
What I found so compelling about 'Girls on the Brink' was the deep dive research and analysis of what the present day (2022) landscape looks like from the viewpoint of what our daughters are experiencing. The included extensive interviews, along with the facts and data to paint a full picture of how technology and social media are impacting the way our brain's function and perceive threats, is full of 'a-ha' moments that will provide answers to questions that every parent grapples with.
Also of great use, there are plenty of techniques and strategies provided to help us re-think our approaches to effective communication.
To paraphrase from the book; we are the sherpas that are helping our daughters successfully climb Mt.Everest, the mountain happens to be adolescence but it's no less perilous. 'Girls on the Brink' is a climbing map that gives us, the sherpas, new routes to help guide our daughters to the summit. We can't make the climb for them, but we can give us much leadership as possible.
Let's face it, when we were in middle/high school, a bad day at school ended at 3pm and we would have a break before dealing with the next day's drama. Now there is no reprieve and whatever inter-personal challenges that are going in school only intensify in the out of school hours via the social platforms that are intertwined in the teenage life. This critical difference results in foundational changes to how girls' brains and thought processes are being developed, with lifelong implications.
What I found so compelling about 'Girls on the Brink' was the deep dive research and analysis of what the present day (2022) landscape looks like from the viewpoint of what our daughters are experiencing. The included extensive interviews, along with the facts and data to paint a full picture of how technology and social media are impacting the way our brain's function and perceive threats, is full of 'a-ha' moments that will provide answers to questions that every parent grapples with.
Also of great use, there are plenty of techniques and strategies provided to help us re-think our approaches to effective communication.
To paraphrase from the book; we are the sherpas that are helping our daughters successfully climb Mt.Everest, the mountain happens to be adolescence but it's no less perilous. 'Girls on the Brink' is a climbing map that gives us, the sherpas, new routes to help guide our daughters to the summit. We can't make the climb for them, but we can give us much leadership as possible.
September 13, 2022
As a mom of a 2 year old girl, and as a woman who struggled with an eating disorder for a large part of her young adult life, I worry constantly about the impact of media and social media on my child. I grew up without the devastating impacts of social media, but the messages I received in the media in general were enough to impress upon me the importance of what I looked like, and I grew up feeling not good enough. It took me years of therapy as an adult to begin to overcome some truly negative thoughts I have held about my worth and value as a person. I worry that my daughter will be predisposed because of me, and with the looming presence of social media that she will encounter in the future, I want to ensure she is armed with tools to navigate what she will face in a way that I wasn’t. This book by Donna Jackson Nakazawa, “Girls on the Brink” is just what I needed to navigate raising a confident and empowered daughter in todays society!
Not only does the Nakazawa go through the statistics of how harmful social media is on our young girls in perpetuating unrealistic standards, expectations, and ideas about what a woman is or should be, she also shares strategies for how parents can be a bigger influence than that of the media, to provide buffers against what messages they will encounter in the world.
The mark of a good book for me is one I keep writing passages down from because I want to revisit and really soak in the wisdom, and this book had that for me. I will be coming back to her words again and again to make sure that my young girl has some armor for what she will face as she gets older.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the Advanced Review Copy that was provided for my review. I will be a better mom to my daughter because of this book, and I thank you Donna Nakazawa for sharing this with us. The book is available today. For anyone raising young girls, I highly recommend you check this out!
Not only does the Nakazawa go through the statistics of how harmful social media is on our young girls in perpetuating unrealistic standards, expectations, and ideas about what a woman is or should be, she also shares strategies for how parents can be a bigger influence than that of the media, to provide buffers against what messages they will encounter in the world.
The mark of a good book for me is one I keep writing passages down from because I want to revisit and really soak in the wisdom, and this book had that for me. I will be coming back to her words again and again to make sure that my young girl has some armor for what she will face as she gets older.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the Advanced Review Copy that was provided for my review. I will be a better mom to my daughter because of this book, and I thank you Donna Nakazawa for sharing this with us. The book is available today. For anyone raising young girls, I highly recommend you check this out!
Currently reading
September 13, 2022This is an amazing and necessary book by a writer, parent, and human being who makes research and science actionable for families. You don't have to be parenting daughters to benefit from this book but if you are parenting daughters you MUST read this book.
The author provides us with statistics, facts, stories, and hope all which will motivate us as parents and help as human beings to better understand the society we are living in and the unique stressors faced by all children and most especially our girls.
Donna Jackson Nakazawa is a gifted writer, caring author, and compassionate human being and all of this comes across in her writing. She has been a long-time advocate for people with chronic health issues, for people who have experienced developmental trauma, ACEs, and adversity. She understands equity and race issues and has a wide and expansive perspective and lens. She wants all families to better equipped to parent, while understanding that some families faces more challenges and injustices than others. She wants all parents to have the type of bonds that help girls weather and/or recover from the extreme stresses and issues they face.
I've been a long-time reader of her other books and have listened to her generous podcasts, You Tube videos, and referenced her work on flyers about how early adversity impacts children and parents and how parents can find healing (and parent well even if we didn't have that experience ourselves).
Few authors do the in-depth science, and exceptional research, and also does as much care interviewing people who are parenting now, and helping readers understand why this information is so necessary and important. I've loved The Last Best Cure, Childhood Disrupted, the Angel and the Assassin and her other books too but this is a book that we need now.
The author provides us with statistics, facts, stories, and hope all which will motivate us as parents and help as human beings to better understand the society we are living in and the unique stressors faced by all children and most especially our girls.
Donna Jackson Nakazawa is a gifted writer, caring author, and compassionate human being and all of this comes across in her writing. She has been a long-time advocate for people with chronic health issues, for people who have experienced developmental trauma, ACEs, and adversity. She understands equity and race issues and has a wide and expansive perspective and lens. She wants all families to better equipped to parent, while understanding that some families faces more challenges and injustices than others. She wants all parents to have the type of bonds that help girls weather and/or recover from the extreme stresses and issues they face.
I've been a long-time reader of her other books and have listened to her generous podcasts, You Tube videos, and referenced her work on flyers about how early adversity impacts children and parents and how parents can find healing (and parent well even if we didn't have that experience ourselves).
Few authors do the in-depth science, and exceptional research, and also does as much care interviewing people who are parenting now, and helping readers understand why this information is so necessary and important. I've loved The Last Best Cure, Childhood Disrupted, the Angel and the Assassin and her other books too but this is a book that we need now.
April 11, 2023
I give these five stars with a few reservations - not because the book isn’t good, but because of a few discrepancies. Overall this book has some hard hitting discussions interlaced lavishly with scientific data about real dangers facing young women today. “The goal”, the author states, “is to help all girls not just be healthy and feel happy and safe as they come of age, but also become well-regulated, stable, safe, nurturing parents and leaders of tomorrow.”
Another quote that really resonated is “A society that objectifies girls is the source of the harm inflicted on them.”
Nakazawa gives 15 antidotes to help families make corrections and better support their girls as they mature.
One thing that gave me reservations was how constantly the author blamed climate change for many of the problems of girls today. Coincidentally I was concurrently reading Steven Koonin’s great book “Unsettled: what climate science tells us, what it doesn’t and why it matters”. Many of the statements made by Nakazawa were completely disproved by the IPCC charts and data. For example weather-related deaths have fallen dramatically over the last 100 years according to the United Nations. So rather than continuing the broken narrative I would love to have seen Nakazawa do a little dive into the science, which she obviously knows how to do, of climate change, and then she could give some encouragement to these teens who are so fearful. Because what is really happening is those fearful youth are being told a false narrative by media, politicians, and maybe even uninformed teachers. Young people have enough to worry about without giving them more anxiety about things that aren’t even true.
But mostly it’s a great book that is worth reading and sharing and discussing with families, schools and youth groups.
Another quote that really resonated is “A society that objectifies girls is the source of the harm inflicted on them.”
Nakazawa gives 15 antidotes to help families make corrections and better support their girls as they mature.
One thing that gave me reservations was how constantly the author blamed climate change for many of the problems of girls today. Coincidentally I was concurrently reading Steven Koonin’s great book “Unsettled: what climate science tells us, what it doesn’t and why it matters”. Many of the statements made by Nakazawa were completely disproved by the IPCC charts and data. For example weather-related deaths have fallen dramatically over the last 100 years according to the United Nations. So rather than continuing the broken narrative I would love to have seen Nakazawa do a little dive into the science, which she obviously knows how to do, of climate change, and then she could give some encouragement to these teens who are so fearful. Because what is really happening is those fearful youth are being told a false narrative by media, politicians, and maybe even uninformed teachers. Young people have enough to worry about without giving them more anxiety about things that aren’t even true.
But mostly it’s a great book that is worth reading and sharing and discussing with families, schools and youth groups.
April 26, 2024
Why is there so much mental health issues lately is a question I've been asking for the past 15 years?
Is it because its readily talked about now or something else? I used to think it was because we are coddling these girls and making excuses for when hard things come about. "Oh you don't want to go to school, let me call in a mental health day for you" sort of thing. Where in my day you faced the music even if you didn't want to do something hard.
So much I'm not aware of with stress, hormones and even early puberty. How some of these and others play apart in our mental capabilities.
My belief is "Life is hard" and I've learned to avoid stressful, harmful situations but I'm not perfect. My role now in life is, "What can I do to help the younger generation navigate through tumultuous times?"
What can we do about this especially for these younger girls? My take away from reading this book is something I already knew and that is be a kind mentor. Youth need more than just parents to guide them through life, a good friend, an aunt, a teacher, a church leader and even a grandma like me. Someone who believes and loves them, that they matter, they are cared for and will be listened to anytime.
Social Media hasn't helped these young developing minds. "The more time a teenager spends on social media platforms, the more likely she is to develop depressive symptoms, poor body image and lower self esteem.....much stronger for girls than boys." pg. 236
I think we even as adults need to be on our phones less and set a better example to our youth, but that wasn't addressed in this well researched book that had lots of facts and a few success stories.
It's just hard growing up and even more so for girls.
Is it because its readily talked about now or something else? I used to think it was because we are coddling these girls and making excuses for when hard things come about. "Oh you don't want to go to school, let me call in a mental health day for you" sort of thing. Where in my day you faced the music even if you didn't want to do something hard.
So much I'm not aware of with stress, hormones and even early puberty. How some of these and others play apart in our mental capabilities.
My belief is "Life is hard" and I've learned to avoid stressful, harmful situations but I'm not perfect. My role now in life is, "What can I do to help the younger generation navigate through tumultuous times?"
What can we do about this especially for these younger girls? My take away from reading this book is something I already knew and that is be a kind mentor. Youth need more than just parents to guide them through life, a good friend, an aunt, a teacher, a church leader and even a grandma like me. Someone who believes and loves them, that they matter, they are cared for and will be listened to anytime.
Social Media hasn't helped these young developing minds. "The more time a teenager spends on social media platforms, the more likely she is to develop depressive symptoms, poor body image and lower self esteem.....much stronger for girls than boys." pg. 236
I think we even as adults need to be on our phones less and set a better example to our youth, but that wasn't addressed in this well researched book that had lots of facts and a few success stories.
It's just hard growing up and even more so for girls.
May 5, 2025
One of my first reads as a new therapist to better understand my growing caseload of teen girls and I learned and was reassured a lot in these pages.
This book is broken up into three (3) parts: Growing Up Female, The New Science of Why Our Girls Are Struggling, and The Antidotes.
Let me say, the author is aware that the use of biological sex can bring up many thoughts and opinions. She also notes that there is a limitation to research not only of females but also transgender and non-binary teens. The first two (2) parts of the book are centered on research conducted with female adolescents as well as interviews with women in their 20s sharing their lives experiences as teens.
The first two parts are heavy on the research, period. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, at the same time, provides the science of biological, hormonal, and environmental factors at play for teen girls. She provides an abundant appendix of research, resources, and other readings to support and further reader education. If you like research, you’ll really like this!
For my folks not-too-keen-on-research, part three - The Antidotes - is for you! Fifteen (15) antidotes might sound like a lot and let me reassure you, they are 15 fairly simple, actionable yet flexible steps parents/caregivers can consider and implement. They might be written with she/her pronouns, but they can be applied to any teen, in my humble opinion.
As a therapist to teens, there are helpful analogies to simplify complex scientific and some therapeutic ideas that I’ll return to in session. I’ll have these 15 ‘antidotes’ written down for quick reference to build strong therapeutic relationships with not only teens but also their parents.
This book is broken up into three (3) parts: Growing Up Female, The New Science of Why Our Girls Are Struggling, and The Antidotes.
Let me say, the author is aware that the use of biological sex can bring up many thoughts and opinions. She also notes that there is a limitation to research not only of females but also transgender and non-binary teens. The first two (2) parts of the book are centered on research conducted with female adolescents as well as interviews with women in their 20s sharing their lives experiences as teens.
The first two parts are heavy on the research, period. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, at the same time, provides the science of biological, hormonal, and environmental factors at play for teen girls. She provides an abundant appendix of research, resources, and other readings to support and further reader education. If you like research, you’ll really like this!
For my folks not-too-keen-on-research, part three - The Antidotes - is for you! Fifteen (15) antidotes might sound like a lot and let me reassure you, they are 15 fairly simple, actionable yet flexible steps parents/caregivers can consider and implement. They might be written with she/her pronouns, but they can be applied to any teen, in my humble opinion.
As a therapist to teens, there are helpful analogies to simplify complex scientific and some therapeutic ideas that I’ll return to in session. I’ll have these 15 ‘antidotes’ written down for quick reference to build strong therapeutic relationships with not only teens but also their parents.
May 19, 2024
Science journalist Donna Nakazawa maintains that "our daughters, students, and the girl next door are more anxious and more prone to depression and self-harming than ever before." In 2019, 1 in 3 girls reported symptoms of major depression, vs. 1 in 10 boys. A typical young girl feels that her life is one endless performance, during which she is examined and judged. When combined with unchecked immersion in social media, the mental state above can derail a young girl's emotional development.
Fortunately, there is also good news. Puberty, which is considered a particularly vulnerable period for girls, is also a time when the female brain is responsive to various kinds of support and scaffolding. This responsiveness can potentially turn a young girl's innate sensitivity into a superpower.
In her book, Nakazawa offers 15 simple strategies for raising emotionally healthy girls, based on cutting-edge science that explains the modern pressures that make it so difficult for adolescent girls to thrive. I was fortunate to attend Nakazawa's book talk, sponsored by UCLA's Semel Institute, on March 5, 2024, when she reiterated the need for urgent action to save our girls.
Fortunately, there is also good news. Puberty, which is considered a particularly vulnerable period for girls, is also a time when the female brain is responsive to various kinds of support and scaffolding. This responsiveness can potentially turn a young girl's innate sensitivity into a superpower.
In her book, Nakazawa offers 15 simple strategies for raising emotionally healthy girls, based on cutting-edge science that explains the modern pressures that make it so difficult for adolescent girls to thrive. I was fortunate to attend Nakazawa's book talk, sponsored by UCLA's Semel Institute, on March 5, 2024, when she reiterated the need for urgent action to save our girls.
October 24, 2024
As a female growing up in the late 80's, through the 90's I faced a lot of adversity throughout my childhood, and this book opened my eyes to how these experiences had a hand in the person I was later to become, the physical and mental health challenges I have struggled with throughout my adult life, and given me new tools to overcome and help young females and others who are currently struggling. Today, more and more young people, and girls in particular, are struggling with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, with the prevalence of social media, the Covid 19 pandemic, and other modern struggles that I never had to contend with in my youth. In this book the author lays out statistics, tells the stories of three girls who faced adversity and trauma throughout their upbringing, and presents 15 solutions, or antidotes, to overcome adversity so that girls can grow up to live healthy, happy, productive lives. I feel that a lot of the information and tools in this book can be helpful to anyone facing adversity, now or in their past, struggling with depression and anxiety, and not just those who are raising and/or educating young girls.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
July 27, 2022
I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. This review is completely my own thoughts and opinions.
It was very interesting to read about why adolescent girls have a harder time with anxiety and depression because of our biology, but that doesn't mean that girls are the weaker sex.
"Stressors unique to modern life including: amplification of toxic gendered messaging via social media, loss of freedom, emotional safety and play in late childhood, increased pressure to succeed and perform, the general chaotic state of the world." This all plays into our biology that tells us not to be kicked out of the tribe, to conform. The dichotomy that we say men and women are equal while there is still blatant mysogny in the workplace, the classroom, and every where else. The author provides 15 antidotes to try to combat the stressors that our daughters face in the world. I found it to be an interesting read with hope amidst the pain.
It was very interesting to read about why adolescent girls have a harder time with anxiety and depression because of our biology, but that doesn't mean that girls are the weaker sex.
"Stressors unique to modern life including: amplification of toxic gendered messaging via social media, loss of freedom, emotional safety and play in late childhood, increased pressure to succeed and perform, the general chaotic state of the world." This all plays into our biology that tells us not to be kicked out of the tribe, to conform. The dichotomy that we say men and women are equal while there is still blatant mysogny in the workplace, the classroom, and every where else. The author provides 15 antidotes to try to combat the stressors that our daughters face in the world. I found it to be an interesting read with hope amidst the pain.
February 26, 2023
Donna Jackson Nakazawa is one of my favorite researchers/authors regarding current issues facing teens and young adults. Her review on ACEs a few years ago was the focus of one of my graduate papers, so when this new book was published, I ordered it right away. Professionally, I appreciate the way she puts vast amounts of research into a simple narrative that is easy for anyone to read--parents, teachers, and peers. As a parent of girls, I appreciate her candor and personal thoughts as a parent, herself grappling with what she's discovered. Our children are absolutely growing up in a world that is not what we have known. It is important for parents, teachers, mental health professionals, spiritual leaders, etc, to do the work of educating ourselves so that we can still provide guidance in a way that is helpful and not harmful, especially for our girls. This is a wonderful resource for beginning that journey and giving the next generation a compassionate foundation.
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