One of the things I like to do when I fly is to catch up on movies. The truth is, this is almost the only time I watch movies.

Last week, on one of my flights, I watched a documentary about Amy Winehouse.

During the movie, I became increasingly upset and tears started rolling down my face. It was so obvious, that the man sitting next to me asked if I was okay.

Why was I upset? Because Amy’s life was one that was full of so much talent and so much pain. What I found most upsetting is that all along her journey, beginning as a young teen, Amy was clear about what was going on with her and what she needed. We hear this in her own words and clips, and in the words of her friends sharing what she had expressed to them. Yet no one listened.

Her mother admits having found it too hard to set limits and that she ignored her daughter telling her she was bulimic, saying “I thought it would just pass.” Her father admits to having been unavailable and refusing to hear her calls for help from childhood through young adulthood, not wanting to admit how his own mistakes affected her. And so it continued from those around her for all of her short life.

Would Amy’s story have had a different ending if someone had heard early on? I don’t know. But what I do know is that Amy’s story is a reflection of so many that I hear.

Parents and teens share with me their pain and vulnerabilities. What they have in common with Amy’s story is that they are all hoping that the difficulties will just pass. They tell themselves that even if they had a rough patch, if things seem to be okay, now all is good.

The truth that the impact your daughter’s inner pain and hurt will have on her future is not something we can predict. But I can assure  you that it will have an impact. All you have to do is look at your own story- what decisions are you making today based on something that happened when you were a teenager?

Why am I sharing this with you? Because you do not need to figure this all out alone. It is often difficult to  see ourselves  and our story objectively. And even when we can,when we are under stress, it’s hard to think of what the right action steps are. I am here to help you. I am ready to help you figure out what needs attention, and what needs to be done to ensure that you and your daughter are getting the support you need.

So if you are ready to take the steps that will lead you and your daughter to success, use the contact me button on the site to book a session with me and start taking action.