Pyramid Psychology - Raising Resilient Teen Girls Starts Here

04/16/2026

Body image goes far beyond looks.

It’s about relationship.

And most teen girls today are stuck in a relationship with their body that looks like:

→ constant comparison

→ pressure to be “just right”

→ never quite feeling enough

So we shift the question.

Instead of:

“What do you like/hate about your body?”

We ask:

“What does your body allow you to do?”

Run.

Laugh.

Create.

Play.

Connect.

And now...

Your body becomes less of something to judge for a moment

and more of something that supports you do life on your terms.

I share how we guide girls through this shift (and how you can try it at home) in this week’s raising resilient teen girls newsletter

https://wondrous-originator-5936.kit.com/posts/the-conversation-girls-aren-t-having-about-their-bodies

Hello! I’m Chantal, Registered Psychologist and teen life coach for elite teen girl athletes. I support girls navigating injury, eating disorder recovery, and performance anxiety to rebuild confidence, resilience, and a strong mind-body connection.Here, you’ll find thoughtfully curated content& ...

04/14/2026

Hot take 🔥

You can’t hate yourself into becoming someone better.

(But SO many teens girls are trying.)

They think:

“If I’m harder on myself… I’ll finally change.”

What actually happens?

→ More shame

→ More pressure

→ Less change

Real growth comes from something most teens are missing:

Self-compassion + support

And no this doesn’t mean “letting yourself off the hook.”

It means building the kind of inner voice that actually helps you rise.

Want to learn more? 👇

https://pyramidpsychology.com/you-dont-have-to-hate-yourself-to-change/

04/10/2026

Have you heard of the “moldy rice” experiment? 🍚
Three jars.
Same rice.
One gets loving, kind, encouraging words.
The other gets ignored.
The third gets hate, criticism and negativity.

Guess which one grows mold faster?

Now imagine this…

Your teen is trying to grow, change, and become more confident,
but the voice she hears most is her own inner critic.

“I need to be better.”
“I’m not good enough yet.”
“Why can’t I just get it together?”

She thinks this kind of pressure helps.
But it doesn’t.

It creates shame, burnout… and keeps her stuck.

In my latest blog, I’m sharing what actually helps teens grow in a healthy, lasting way 💛

👉 Read it here: https://pyramidpsychology.com/you-dont-have-to-hate-yourself-to-change/
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Teen girls often subscribe to judging themselves harshly to motivate change in academics, their looks, how they fit in. There's another way

03/20/2026

When a teen athlete is recovering from injury, it’s not just her sport that ends up on the sidelines.

It’s her routine.
Her confidence.
Sometimes even her sense of self.

We often focus on the physical milestones like rest, rehab, getting the green light to play again.

But many girls return to sport still feeling unsure.
👉 Can I trust my body?
👉 What if it happens again?
👉 Why don’t I feel like myself out there?

And sometimes… they choose not to go back at all.
This is the part of recovery we don’t talk about enough.

Recovery isn’t just physical. It's emotional, mental, and deeply tied to identity. Which is why having the right support team in place can make all the difference.

If you’re supporting a teen athlete through injury, you don’t have to carry it alone.

💻 I share more in my latest blog:
The Missing Piece in Teen Athlete Recovery
https://pyramidpsychology.com/why-rest-and-rehab-isnt-enough-for-injured-teen-athletes/

And if you’re looking to expand your teen’s circle of care, DM me for a list of AMAZING professionals I love recommending!

Let’s support our Teen Girl Athletes to recovery while feeling strong, confident, and supported.

03/17/2026

“If she’s feeling overwhelmed… I’m scared of where that might lead.”
This is something I hear from parents all the time.

Especially when big emotions have been linked to behaviours that feel unsafe.

So what do we do?

Lean into the feelings… or try to contain them?

I wrote a piece on how to support your teen without them becoming overwhelmed 🤍

Read it here - https://pyramidpsychology.com/when-your-teens-feelings-are-linked-to-behaviours-that-scare-you/

03/06/2026

f you’re parenting a teen daughter recovering from an eating disorder, you know this feeling:
The moment something shifts.
Your stomach drops.
You sense she’s slipping even before there’s proof.

Last week, I felt that in my body.
I was walking my lab, Nova, by the river. It’s that in-between season frozen overnight, softened by afternoon.

It looks solid. Predictable. Safe.
Until it isn’t.
I heard the crack. Then scrambling.

Nova had fallen through the ice.
To the left: thinner ice where she could surface.
To the right: thick sheet where she could be pulled under.

No time for a perfect plan and No guarantees.
Only a choice.

So I lay flat on the ice, arms and legs wide, lowering my centre of gravity. I prayed it would hold. I reached. I pulled her to safety.

Afterward, I stood there shaking.

And I realized:
This is what recovery parenting feels like.
You see the risk. You feel the urgency.

Doing nothing isn’t an option.

But stepping in feels like stepping onto thin ice.
When you hold the boundary.
When you insist on the meal.
When you say no to the eating disorder.
When you stay steady in the face of dysregulation.

You don’t know: Will this escalate? Will this push her away?

Courage in recovery parenting shifts power away from the eating disorder.

You can’t eliminate the ice and You can’t control the flood in her nervous system.

Your role is to become the steady surface.
Regulate yourself first. Widen your stance.

Lead from grounded strength (even when fear is present).
This is secure leadership.

And if you’re in a season where every boundary feels risky and holding steady feels like you might lose her.

You don’t have to step onto the ice alone. 💛

03/04/2026

At the horse rescue where I volunteer, many of the horses arrive underfed.
Some have neglected hooves.
Untreated dental issues.
Visible signs of hardship.

The care priorities feel obvious:
Nutritious food.
Medical support.
Farrier visits.

But one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned isn’t about feeding schedules.
It’s about safety.
Some of these horses startle easily.

They’re wary of touch.
They hesitate before stepping forward.
Their bodies may begin to regain weight

but their nervous systems don’t immediately feel safe.

Early on, I remember standing beside one horse thinking, What am I actually doing here? On the outside, not much.

I was simply being present.
Extending a hand.
Letting her decide when to move closer.

This is part of recovery.

Learning to feel safe again internally is foundational.

And I couldn’t help but think about the teen girl athletes I work with.
When a young athlete is injured, we focus, rightly, on physical healing.

But just like the horses, safety isn’t restored simply because the body begins to recover.

On paper, she may look better.
Internally, she may still feel:
Uncertain.
Guarded.
Afraid.
Disconnected from who she was before.

Recovery is nervous system repair.
It’s rebuilding trust in the body, mind, and in oneself.

At the rescue, healing often begins with presence.
In my work with elite teen girl athletes, it begins the same way:
Steady support. Intentional regulation.

A safe space to process identity shifts and fear.
And when safety returns, strength follows.
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02/17/2026

❄️ Plot Twist: I Was the Wipeout.

Went winter hiking with one of my bestie's and our boys this weekend.

It was ICY.

Spikes on. Hope high with lots of wobbly “don’t fall” dance moves.

Near the end, she slips.

We all held our breath.

Then I decide to step in to help with my calm, capable, hero energy…

And immediately FULL ON wipe out beside her.

Legs in the air. Straight out of Home Alone Movie WIPEOUT 😂

Her eyes wide as I fly up and land next to her.

And then I burst out laughing.

No spiraling.

No “I’m so stupid.”

No shame.

We fell, laughed, and got back up.

Building confidence by falling (literally) quickly and getting back up.

And it reminded me of what we're building inside The Happiness Path group.

Girls who know how to get back up + recover in everything they go for!

Two spots left for our February group that starts THURSDAY.

If your daughter is ready to build real confidence DM me ICY and I'll send you details💛

02/16/2026

⚠️ WARNING: Confidence may cause the following side effects…
• Trying out for the team
• Sitting wherever she wants without overthinking
• Starting conversations
• Setting boundaries
• Saying “I’ll try” instead of “I can’t”

That “I’m just not that kind of person” story?
It keeps us small.

How do I know? I've been there!

But when your teen daughter learns to shift perspective, manage anxiety, and build real resilience?

Everything changes.
I’ve seen it.
I live it.

(Ask me about ball hockey + Nationals 😉)

The Happiness Path Group starts Feb 19th.
We are welcoming 2 more girls.

If your daughter is ready to feel CAPABLE, this is her moment.

DM me the word CAPABLE and I’ll send you the details to our Q&A at 5pm MST today (Monday)! 💛

02/15/2026

Going SuperNOVA ✨
Connection is what makes us LIGHT UP.

It’s what turns sad & subdued into sparkly & smiling.

That’s why I love The Happiness Path, 7 weeks of real-life connection for teen girls who are struggling with friendship loss, confidence dips, or feeling like they don’t belong.

Meet MY SuperNOVA

My constant companion & one of my best friends, she’s a natural CONNECTOR (see picture!)

Recently, we visited Ruth at Heel & Hoof Horse Rescue, where I often volunteer. When introducing Nova to her pup, she cautioned me,

“I can’t guarantee how this will go.”
​

Are there ever any guarantees in life?

Maybe one:
If you don’t give it a go, you’ll never know!

They met at the gate.
Noses touched.
Tails wagged.
And then? They played and played.

When friendships fall apart, it can be brutal for teens.

Parents, “I can see she’s struggling… I just don’t know how to help. What works?”

Here’s what works:
🟢 Small, safe groups
🟢 No social media pressure
🟢 Real conversations
🟢 Confidence-building tools
🟢 Genuine camaraderie

“My daughter felt camaraderie with the girls after having a hard time at school. She learned positive self-talk and mindfulness to shut off the noise.”- Amanda, teen 14 years

When future friendships go wobbly, your teen will have the resilience to:
🟢Feel calm instead of spiralling
🟢Rebuild confidence after the fallout
🟢Walk into rooms with the inner security of knowing she belongs just the way she is
🟢Make healthy friendships & keep them

We’re going SuperNOVA this Thursday. ✨

JOIN US MONDAY 5pm MST FOR OUR LIVE VIRTUAL Q&A- DM US SUPERNOVA TO GET THE LINK

02/14/2026

Are you coming to our Q&A on Monday?

Oh you haven't heard about it? NO problem. In a world full of noise, pressure, and comparison…

Connection is key.

Imagine your teen daughter walking into a room and not scanning for who might judge her.

Imagine her saying:
“I actually know what to do when I feel overwhelmed.”

Inside The Happiness Path, something powerful happens.

Girls connect quickly.
They align with who they actually are.

“My daughter felt a camaraderie with the girls after having a hard time at school.” A- teen 16 yrs

This is more than a group.

It’s a community that powers up confidence.

It’s connection that breaks the ice instantly.

Fortune favours girls who stand proudly in their own power.

💓What do you want for your daughter this year?

We can't wait to see you there- Monday February 16th for our live virtual Q&A

DM CONNECTION for the video link

02/13/2026

TRUE CONFESSION FROM THE DEEP END…

My babysitter told me that sharks could detect a drop of blood🩸 from miles aways, "especially when you're on your period!"

When it comes to real confidence in your daughter…

Turning anxiety into action.
Self-doubt into self-trust.
Fear into courage.

It all comes down to this:

Not eliminating fear.

But learning how to take action with it.

When I was younger, I was TERRIFIED of sharks🦈🦈🦈

After watching Jaws (and the babysitter incidient), my nervous system locked in: Water = Sharks = Danger

I was calculating the survival risk of being in a Pool!!!!

Years later, I stood on the edge of a boat in open water.

Nurse sharks below. Heart pounding.

And something inside me said:

“You’re alive. Say yes.”

So I slid in.

It was one of the coolest moments of my life.

It reminded of The Happiness Path group for teen girls.

🔴We know your daughter doesn’t need to get rid of anxiety.
🟢She needs to understand it.
🟢Regulate it.
🟢Build trust with herself.

“She said in the car, "You would have been so proud. I actually socialized and found I have something in common with P"- Parent of A, 14 years

That’s her sliding off the boat.

Fear will show up- that's inevitable.

The question is will she know she can handle it and step forward anyway?

We’re welcoming 3 more girls into the next cohort starting Thursday February 19th.

WE HAVE A LIVE VIRTUAL Q&A this Monday, 5pm MST.

Comment SHARKS and I’ll send you the details.