Working on Womanhood: Transforming Youth Mental Health

Working on Womanhood, a program of Youth Guidance, launched its first program in Boston in 2021. The WOW curriculum incorporates cognitive-behavioral therapy, acceptance commitment therapy and narrative therapy to improve the social-emotional competencies of young women in grades 6-12 exposed to traumatic stressors in high risk and under-resourced communities. WOW grounds themselves around six core values, aiming to improve girls’ mental health and guide them in making healthier choices.

Over the past year, 257 individuals were reached through WOW’s program, with 71% of participants experiencing fewer symptoms of depression and an improved mental health state.

Angie’s story highlights the positive impact the program has on raising women’s self-esteem and empowering them to make choices that improve the quality of their lives. Before joining WOW, Angie described herself as quiet and shy and often prioritized others’ needs over her own. When she started high school, she was depressed and struggled with regulating her emotions and speaking openly about her challenges. Through the WOW program, and the support system she gained through it, she found a community where she feels safe to express her emotions and regulate them in a healthy way. 

Now, she is on her way to study at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and is simultaneously working on a children’s book — she acknowledges the role that WOW played in building her self-confidence and harnessing the skills needed to get to this point.