Ask Gwen: Daughter feels lost

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pouty teenI have a 16 year old daughter who is a good kid but is really lost right now. She’s always been very sensitive, emotional, a bit high strung, andmakes friends easily but also loses them easily (possibly has some ADD but not severely?). My ex is a very hands off father & my spouse is quite cold to her (have tried working this out but so far no luck). In the past few months she has had issues with school, losing jobs, drugs, alcohol etc. How can I help her feel better about herself & work towards a better future for herself?

Gwen’s Answer:

You are right- your daughter is really lost right now. I would be worried given what you have described. I would get her in for some professional counselling as soon as possible. She needs to get back on track and she will need some support to do it. Her issues are deeper than it might seem, so she needs a good therapist with whom she can connect and really talk about what is going on.

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