Helping Teenagers Cope with Divorce

A new program aimed at teenage girls is helping them deal with their parents divorce. It's called "Just Us Girls," and it's at Lifelines Family Counseling Center.

Fifteen year old Tori Salva says her parents divorce was one of hardest things she's had to cope with. "We learn to keep things inside, and we don't want to make anything worse so we don't tell our parents what is going on." Tori needed an outlet for expressing her feelings, and found one in "Just Us Girls." Four other teenage girls were part of her group. She says, "We all seemed to have something to relate to, and we just clicked. We had good advice for each other. We were there for each other the whole time."

Chandra Brown, Executive Director of Lifelines, says children are often caught in the middle of a divorce, and need to know that other children are going through the same thing. "Kids really don't know what is going on. They feel, well, if I act better, my parents won't get a divorce or if I become a better kid. They internalize it and think it's their fault. What we decided... let's do this group for them, so that they can understand that it isn't their fault."

Tori Salva says her time in the "Just Us Girls" group has already helped her make positive changes, when it comes with accepting the fact that her parents aren't getting back together. "I am more open with my parents, and I will talk to them about things, and hearing them talk to me, and all of us talking about what went on, what really happened. It helps you cope with it. It's not my fault. It just didn't work out."

A new session of "Just Us Girls" begins in January. There are openings available. For more information, call 251)602-0909.