Brave

Rating: 4/5 stars.

“Brave: A Teen Girl’s Guide to Beating Worry and Anxiety” by Sissy Goff is the ideal workbook and guide for teenage girls who are dealing with excessive worry or anxiety. More than just a reference, the book contains a multitude of exercises, both so that the reader can reflect on their life, and to put the new coping strategies learned to use. The book is up-to-date on current psychology relating to stress and anxiety, and even mentions strategies to help deal with quarantine and social isolation. The author does a great job of including science, referencing studies and real psychological definitions relating to the topics, while following up with their own explanations. This extends the reach and relatability of the book to a wider range of ages, from young teenagers, to adults.

One of the biggest struggles as a young girl is the feeling that you are alone, and that nobody else has ever had, or survived, the same problems that you have. The book is very anecdotal, referencing the stories of past clients. This makes it easier for the reader to at least find someone that they can relate to and helps dispel the notion and fear of being alone against the world. The author also tackles the topic of technology and social media extraordinarily well, doing it in a way that the reader will not feel personally attacked.

The exercises and tools included cover a variety of current strategies to deal with anxiety, including CBT exercises, grounding tools, mindfulness, and even recommends some apps that people can use.

One thing to mention is that this is a Christian book, and does have multiple references to scripture. This might be alienating for some of those teenagers in which part of their anxiety comes from struggling with their faith and religion. However, with the exception of a few chapters, the religious aspect of the book is kept to a minimum. In this way, even teenagers that are not Christian who are struggling with anxiety or worry should still find this book an extremely useful tool to read and use.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book on NetGalley and have provided an honest review.*

I wish this book was around when I was a teen. I found this easy to read and presented in a way that a teen girl would easily be able to follow and understand her guidance. This is geared towards Christians although it isn't down in a way where I would think non believers should be distracted by the topic at hand.

I would most definitely recommend this book to parents and teens who need assistance with processing anxiety.

Sissy Goff is an adolescent counselor and conference speaker whose passion is working with teenage girls who are struggling with anxiety and worry. While this book is meant specifically for teen girls and their parents, I was encouraged by the advice offered in this book and saved many quotes for my own help. I think this would be an excellent resource for anyone who struggles with worry and anxiety, but teen girls in specific.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is the book I wish I could have bought when my girls struggled through their teen years. Aimed at girls 13-18, Brave walks girls through worry and anxiety in a practical, no-nonsense way.

Sissy Goff, a licensed professional counselor with training to act as a mental health provider, sets a warm and confiding tone from the first page. She makes sure to explain any big terms or words she uses throughout the book and shows her respect for the intelligence of her audience by never speaking down to the reader.

If you have a daughter, especially one who seems like a worrier, you need to gift her this book. Purchasing the companion book (also by Goff), Raising Worry-Free Girls, would help, too.

Goff guides readers through the scientific reasons why we worry and what happens when we don’t learn to handle our worries in a productive way. She helps teens understand their emotions and gives strategies for processing them. Goff, a Christian, also explores how faith can play an important part in overcoming worry and anxiety.

Her practical advice and persistent cheerleading leave the reader feeling as if she can, indeed, learn the important skills to handle worry and anxiety before they take over her life.

Brave includes workbook pages for girls to record their feelings and answers to important questions, as well as practical exercises based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

*I received a complimentary copy of this book on NetGalley and have provided an honest review.*

✦ 4/5 ✦

This book is wonderfully practical, encouraging, and easy to understand. The reader is told time and time again that anxiety is *in your head* (though that got to be a bit repetitive...I thought it was perfect for the younger audience who needs that reminder so much). The Christian themes/references were treated very well...you know the author is a believer, but if a reader who picked this up wasn't, they probably wouldn't be to bothered because of how minimal it was. I also love that the author is an actual counselor and speaker who knows what she's talking about!

I would definitely recommend this book to teens struggling with anxiety.

Wow. As a mom, I love this book. I'm not even going to say too much about it, but I am going to buy a paperrback copy for my daughter. Why? Well, the writing style is great, as the author talks directly to the reader. In just the beginning, the author explains fears, worry, and anxiety. The author reinstates that there isn't anything wrong someone who has anxiety. And that is my kid's greatest fear - that something is wrong with her.
So off to buy this book and hope she'll read it. Knowing her she won't. But it's worth a try.

This book was definitely an interesting read even if I did read it way after the release date. This nonfiction book is geared towards teen and young adult girls who are dealing with anxiety and not sure how to really cope with it. Even being a twenty three year old I felt like I could also really take the advice that Sissy gave to heart. I loved the fact that she incorporated the bible and also incorporated the idea of basically using it as a journal. Sissy, who is the author, also boosted the reader's confidence in speaking to others about their anxiety even if the reader wasn't feeling up to it because that coping mechanism really could open some parents eyes as to what is going through their children's minds. I highly recommend this book to anyone needing inspiration and motivation who may have anxiety or gets anxious often.

Brave by Sissy Goff is an amazing resource geared for girls 13 - 18 who have anxiety and doubt. But, let’s be honest it is for all of us. The relatable ways this adolescent counselor shares has improved my own self talk. I have a daughter in this age range and I shared this book with her. It opened up a dialogue to issues I had no idea were on her mind.

This book takes a deep dive and gives many examples of how we can step into the complex world of mental health and come out stronger. What makes this book unique is the plethora of real life examples and how it was handled, right or maybe after some reflection incorrectly. You are given creative insights with the emphasis to make it your own. By taking the time to reflect and plan hard situations you are cementing God's word in your heart and sharing your light with others.. While it does have a biblical perspective it would be a valuable resource for all. The honesty is what makes this book special.

You can reflect upon the ideas shared and come up with your own strategies to impact your life. The stories were current and dealt with issues that real teen girls face. Your soul will truly be nourished, and peace can be achieved, as you take stock of where you are and do the work to get to where you want to be. You will no longer feel alone but empowered.

I was provided a free advance reader copy from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review on Net Galley. The opinions shared in this review are my own.