Chanel Dokun
Melanie McNally has gifted teens, and the adults who love them, with a powerful resource to begin creating a life they’ll love. Her expert knowledge of how to manage the real challenges young people face shines through on every page. Readers will love The Emotionally Intelligent Teen for its clear introduction to the language of emotional intelligence, and exercises that empower teens to try on new mental health skills.”
—Chanel Dokun, cofounder of Healthy Minds NYC, and author of Life Starts Now
Therese’ Connolly
I love how Melanie McNally uses real-life examples to help teens understand emotional intelligence and how it can affect their daily lives. For example, she lays out so clearly the descriptions of all the different emotional skills, and uses metaphors for mood and emotion so that both teens and adults can comprehend. This book should be foundational reading for any teenager before heading into adulthood. I can’t wait to get the book into my own teenager’s hands!”
—Therese’ Connolly, LCSW, CCC, parent and family coach for parents of tweens and teens, host of The Single Parent Reset Show podcast, and single parent to a teen boy and a dog named Red
Regan Walsh
I’ve witnessed firsthand the genius of Melanie McNally and am thrilled that millions of teens (and their parents) are now able to experience her brilliance. The support and guidance she offers in The Emotionally Intelligent Teen will transform your life in all the best ways—giving you the tools and resources you need to navigate your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions for the long haul.”
—Regan Walsh, motivational speaker, and author of Heart Boss
Casey O’Roarty
In The Emotionally Intelligent Teen, Melanie McNally does what she does best: speaks to teens in their language with compassion and authority. The book’s combination of information and narrative draws in the reader and offers a relatable mirror to what they may be going through or have witnessed in their own lives, while offering tools for response that highlight self-awareness and mindfulness. This is a powerful resource for adolescents (and adults!) and one I plan to pass on to my own kids.”
—Casey O’Roarty, MEd, parent coach, positive discipline lead trainer, speaker, author, and host of the Joyful Courage podcast
Larry Maucieri
Melanie McNally’s book is a groundbreaking lifeline for teens and their unique struggles. She connects with the reader using easily accessible language and compelling case examples. McNally makes abstract concepts clear, and offers an arsenal of helpful tools. I highly recommend The Emotionally Intelligent Teen.”
—Larry Maucieri, PhD, ABPP-CN, board-certified clinical neuropsychologist, and coeditor of The Distracted Couple
Kristen Markovich
McNally’s book creatively provides hands-on tools that teens can easily learn, practice, and apply in everyday interactions with peers, family, and self! More than ever, teens need these skills to learn to ‘go deeper’ versus ‘coasting’ as she describes, allowing them to grow into emotionally intelligent adults. Teens will develop self-awareness, mindfulness, and self-regulation skills through interactive journal entries and ‘vibe checks.’ This book should be on every teen’s shelf!”
—Kristen Markovich, PsyD, clinical psychologist; and private practice owner in Schaumburg, IL
Stacie M. Herrera
Teens today are under a high degree of pressure and stress, this book will give you the tools to feel satisfied with life, while embracing your emotional responses to life’s ups and downs. The Emotionally Intelligent Teen is a masterclass in training your mind, providing useful strategies and thought-provoking prompts to increase mental health and resiliency. Through the book’s daily practice and reflection, you will create healthy mind habits.”
—Stacie M. Herrera, PsyD, owner of Herrera Psychology, cofounder of HumanizEDU, and coauthor of Unpacking Bliss
Jill Petersen & Mary Frances
A must-read for parents and educators! The Emotionally Intelligent Teen by Melanie McNally empowers young minds with essential life skills. Through practical advice and relatable anecdotes, this book nurtures self-confidence, fosters healthy relationships, and enhances emotional intelligence. An invaluable guide to help teens thrive in today’s complex world.”
—Jill Petersen & Mary Frances, cofounders of Girls Mentorship—a company dedicated to the personal growth and development of teen and tween girls
Kirkus Reviews
2023-10-07
Teen psychologist McNally offers a self-help toolkit for developing emotional intelligence.
A perky, first-person narrator guides readers through a series of skill-building chapters focused on specific components of emotional intelligence, including self-awareness of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors and topics like self-regulation, awareness of others, and understanding physical sensations. Each chapter is filled with examples and exercises, such as a self-awareness questionnaire, breathing and visualization scripts for mindfulness practice, and a feelings wheel diagram to assist with identifying and articulating emotions. Reflective journal prompts throughout the book encourage readers to slow down and take time in building skills. Helpful tips for managing device usage and social media habits encourage teens to be screen time savvy and understand the potential impact of technology on their well-being. Readers experiencing common conflicts like sports team struggles or academic challenges may find value in this approach. The sample scenarios throughout the guide, while likely useful to many, do not address the more serious concerns many readers will have at a time when many young adults face identity-related pressures around their rights to be themselves: The absence of discussion around how emotional intelligence factors into conflicts that involve race, sexual orientation, or gender identity is a missed opportunity to bring helpful perspectives to this well-trodden subject. Nevertheless, this is an accessible overview of a perennially important subject.
A well-intentioned and helpful manual that doesn’t stand out in a crowded field. (references) (Nonfiction. 13-18)
