Books to Help Neurodivergent Teens

When trying to help their Neurodivergent teen, many parents seek out resources that can help them help their teens. One of the hardest parts of knowing your child is struggling is feeling like you don’t know how to best help. However, there are resources that can help with this. 

One of the best resources for parents of neurodivergent teens who are struggling is the DBT Skills Workbook for Parents of Teens by the Mentor Bucket. This book explores the different skills reviewed and taught in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. DBT is the best, evidence-supported therapy resource for a vast majority of things teens struggle with, including Borderline Personality Disorder, ADHD, Depression, Anxiety, and Bipolar. 

This book will help parents learn the language, strategy, and methodology that teens in DBT therapy are learning so that they can easily communicate with their teens, as well as help them identify skills they can use when struggling. 

A Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn’t Designed for You by Jenara Nerenberg is an examination and study of the experiences of neuridivergent women in particular. This explores both the ways in which women differ in their presentations of Neurodiversity, and in how their symptomatology can also be a source of strength and unique skill. It discusses how women feel different, struggle, and embrace different forms of Neurodivergence, sharing true stories of women who have had these experiences. It also offers skills and options for both Neurodivergent people and those who love them to help ease communication and understanding. 

One of the best possible resources to help parents help their teens, however, is a genre of reading rather than a specific book. Contemporary Young Adult Fiction often tackles the subjects of struggling with mental disorders and disability as well as feeling different. One of the best things parents can do to help their child is to come from a place of empathy and understanding, which can be difficult to achieve. Books, however, are designed to create this kind of space and understanding. By reading and engaging with contemporary YA books about neurodiversity, parents can gain better insight and understanding to what their child is experiencing. 

If you’d like more tips and information on how to best help your Neurodivergent child, please reach out to Mindful Healing and ask about our parent sessions, designed to provide exactly this.