girl above's

Resources for parents.

A Letter from OUR FOUNDER.

We are here for you and want to do everything we can to help you navigate the challenges of parenting. We understand that social media and culture are not great educators for your adolescent and it is the goal of Girl Above to equip you with the resources and language to parent them effectively and with peace. This site was not only developed for teens, but to also assist the parents because parents are always the most influential people in their world. We hope that if your teen is struggling with any of the following issues, you will take immediate steps towards healing by using the resources on this page. Remember that you are not alone in the struggles your family is facing. Millions of parents are attempting to navigate the same issues you are and we hope this site gives you wisdom and hope!

Krista DEYOUNG
Founder & CEO

0 %

of parents have felt concerned their teen is addicted to social media

0 %

of parents say parenting is their biggest challenge.

0 %

of parents from all backgrounds agree that good parenting can be learned.

0 %

of parents say that if they knew more positive parenting strategies they would use them.

0 %

of parents wish they had more information about how to be a better parent.

Anxiety

You should seek help if your child:

Experiences episodes of intense fear or panic, that may be accompanied by one or more of the following sensation: racing heart, sweating, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, chest pains, extreme nervousness, shaking and a sense that something terrible will happen.
Finds themselves avoiding certain situations because they’re afraid that anxiety might spike or they might have a panic attack.
Constantly feels worried or nervous and their worrying is interfering with their social, sleep and eating patterns.

Eating disorder

You should seek help if your child:

Has an intense fear of gaining weights.
Has uncontrollable eating binges during which they consume large amounts of food and afterwards makes themselves vomit.
Goes through long periods of time without eating or eating very little as means of weight control.
It is very important to them that they are thinner than all of their friends.
They use laxatives or diuretics as a means of weight control.

SUICIDE

You should seek help if your child:

Has suicidal thoughts or plan of any kind
Is experiencing an increase in drug or alcohol use
Has withdrawn from their family or friends and experience dramatic mood changes.
Often thinks: “I don’t want to live anymore”, “there is nothing to live for anymore”, “people will be better off without me”
Feels hopelessness or purposelessness that leads to taking part in aggressive, impulsive and/or violent acts.

Anxiety

You should seek help if your child:

Experiences episodes of intense fear or panic, that may be accompanied by one or more of the following sensation: racing heart, sweating, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, chest pains, extreme nervousness, shaking and a sense that something terrible will happen.
Finds themselves avoiding certain situations because they’re afraid that anxiety might spike or they might have a panic attack.
Constantly feels worried or nervous and their worrying is interfering with their social, sleep and eating patterns.

Eating disorder

You should seek help if your child:

Has an intense fear of gaining weights.
Has uncontrollable eating binges during which they consume large amounts of food and afterwards makes themselves vomit.
Goes through long periods of time without eating or eating very little as means of weight control.
It is very important to them that they are thinner than all of their friends.
They use laxatives or diuretics as a means of weight control.

SUICIDE

You should seek help if your child:

Has suicidal thoughts or plan of any kind
Is experiencing an increase in drug or alcohol use
Has withdrawn from their family or friends and experience dramatic mood changes.
Often thinks: “I don’t want to live anymore”, “there is nothing to live for anymore”, “people will be better off without me”
Feels hopelessness or purposelessness that leads to taking part in aggressive, impulsive and/or violent acts.

Depression

You should seek help if your child:

Has been experiencing symptoms of depression for more than two weeks
Has trouble getting out of bed in the morning.
Feels an overwhelming sense of hopelessness that the people around them are starting worry about them.
They have suicidal thoughts or are self-harming
Their depression is seriously interfering with their ability to function at school or work, with their family, and in their social life.

Self HArm

You should seek help if your child:

Is injuring themself, even in a minor way, or if they have thoughts of harming yourself.
They are intentionally causing harm to themself including cutting words or symbols, hitting or punching, piercing, pulling out hair or continuously interfering with wound healing.

TRAUMA

You should seek help if your child:

Has suicidal thoughts or plan of any kind
Is experiencing flashbacks
Is experiencing an increase in drug or alcohol use
Has withdrawn from their family or friends and experienced dramatic mood changes.
Has experienced an unwanted sexual encounter of any kind
Has experienced violence, witnessed violence or has experienced an emotionally negative event that is weighing on them
Feels hopelessness or purposelessness

Depression

You should seek help if your child:

Has been experiencing symptoms of depression for more than two weeks
Has trouble getting out of bed in the morning.
Feels an overwhelming sense of hopelessness that the people around them are starting worry about them.
They have suicidal thoughts or are self-harming
Their depression is seriously interfering with their ability to function at school or work, with their family, and in their social life.

Self HArm

You should seek help if your child:

Is injuring themself, even in a minor way, or if they have thoughts of harming yourself.
They are intentionally causing harm to themself including cutting words or symbols, hitting or punching, piercing, pulling out hair or continuously interfering with wound healing.

TRAUMA

You should seek help if your child:

Has suicidal thoughts or plan of any kind
Is experiencing flashbacks
Is experiencing an increase in drug or alcohol use
Has withdrawn from their family or friends and experienced dramatic mood changes.
Has experienced an unwanted sexual encounter of any kind
Has experienced violence, witnessed violence or has experienced an emotionally negative event that is weighing on them
Feels hopelessness or purposelessness

DISCOVER OUR PODCAST SERIES.

The Girl Above Podcast brings counselors, speakers and the testimonies of young women into the room to candidly share their inspirational wisdom and bold advice on the issues plaguing women today. Krista Van Allen digs deep into the issues related primarily to teen girls, the mother-daughter relationship, and the importance of rooted identity. Krista Van Allen is a teacher, communicator, life coach and the founder of Girl Above in Denver, Colorado.

the girl above crisis toolkits.

These toolkits are created in partnership with licensed psychologists and clinical mental health professionals. Each course is designed to support parents with a specific and immediate response to various issues common among teen girls.

download our free mental health referral guide.

The Girl Above mental health team consists of clinical mental health professionals in the Denver area who share a passion to support teenagers and their families. Specializing in topics from anxiety and depression to family conflict and neurofeedback, the Girl Above mental health team can meet your needs and help your family to thrive!

check out our blog.

Our blogs are written by parents, counselors and teens to encourage and equip you along your parenting journey!

from our counselors.

Parenting Through Adversity with a Growth Mindset

Parenting Through Adolescent Emotions

Build a Strong Relationship With Your Teen: Respond, Don’t React

parenting teens.

Class of 2020 Parents, It’s Okay to Be Sad.

4 Important Things a Mom Should Do For Her Teen Daughter

parent stories.

Supporting an Anxious Teen: A Parent’s Perspective

In an Emergency

CALL 911

An emergency is any situation in which you or a friend may be in danger of hurting themselves or others. Important: If you’re not sure whether the situation is a true emergency, officials recommend calling 911 and letting the call-taker determine whether you need emergency help.

Find a COUNSELOR IN YOUR AREA