All parents want their daughters to become confident, happy, self-­sufficient women, but the turbulent years of early adolescence can be difficult to navigate. From Tweens to Teens invites parents to rethink how they prepare their daughters to face these difficult developmental years.

In this groundbreaking guide, psychotherapist and educator Maria Clark Fleshood encourages parents to revive global traditions to mark preadolescence (ages 8 to 13) with rituals and celebrations that guide young women through these years of self­-discovery. Dr. Fleshood provides a tested, six­-step approach to engage, guide, and prepare preteens for the challenges and changes of a new developmental stage. From Tweens to Teens offers parents tools that help them build tweens’ self­-esteem from the inside out.

Maria Clark Fleshood is a Licensed Professional Psychotherapist, Advanced Imago Relationship Therapist and a Fellow with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. With a private practice in Virginia, she specializes in relationship therapy, helping parents and their adolescent daughters maintain meaningful and strong connections.

Dr. Fleshood has been a parenting specialist, working nationally and internationally with adolescent girls, for more than 30 years. Her academic, clinical, and educational work arises from her belief that a new cultural response is needed for girls to achieve a successful transition into adolescence. In From Tweens to Teens she offers parents the tools to implement such a response.

Dr. Fleshood has taught in universities and public schools, developed curricula for parenting adolescent females, facilitated workshops and parenting groups, spoken to youth programs, lectured to large groups on parenting female adolescents, and facilitated Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction clinics for girls. She was trained as a psychotherapist, educator, and theologian. Her multidiscipline approach brings unique insight to her writing and to her parenting approach. This work is informed by theory, neuroscience, behavioral science, and research.

Maria Fleshood lives with her family in central Virginia. She and her husband have four adult children and four granddaughters.

• Introduction
• Part I: Understanding Adolescence
  • Chapter 1:  Complex Age
  • Chapter 2:  Seeking Connection
  • Chapter 3:  Why Rituals
• Part II: Step-by-Step
  • Chapter 4:  Getting Started
  • Chapter 5:  Ritual One:  Age 8 -Separation
  • Chapter 6:  Ritual Two: Age 9- Letting Go
  • Chapter 7: Ritual Three:  Age 10-Identity: Knowing Who You Are 
  • Chapter 8:  Ritual Four: Age 11-Feelings and Needs Matter 
  • Chapter 9:  Ritual Five: Age 12-Who Knows Best: Making Wise Connections 
  • Chapter 10:  Ritual Six:  Age 13-Ready to Return  
• Part III: What Comes Next?
  • Chapter 11:  Never Too Late