For Parents
You have watched her put down her phone and immediately pick it up again. You have seen her spend an hour on a photo before posting it, then check the likes every few minutes. You have noticed the way her mood shifts after she has been scrolling, a quiet withdrawal, a sharpness, a sadness she cannot quite name.
Social media is not just a distraction for teenage girls. For many, it is a constant stream of comparison, performance and judgement that runs underneath everything else in their lives. It shapes how they see themselves, how they relate to their peers and how they feel about their place in the world.
The impact on mental health is real, and it is significant. If your daughter is struggling with the effects of social media on her sense of self, her relationships or her daily functioning, support is available now with no waitlist.
For Girls and Young Women Aged 12 to 25
Maybe you know it is making you feel worse but you cannot stop. Maybe you look at everyone else's lives and feel like yours does not measure up, even when you know what you are seeing is not the full picture. Maybe you have been excluded, humiliated or targeted online and you are carrying that with you every day.
Maybe you are just exhausted from performing a version of yourself that does not feel real.
You do not need to have it all figured out before reaching out. If something about the way you are relating to social media or technology is affecting how you feel about yourself or your life, that is enough reason to seek support.
Private fee sessions are available directly with no referral and no GP visit required. Send an email to info@nvpsychology.com.au to get started.
How Social Media Distress Shows Up in Girls and Young Women
The impact of social media on mental health can present in many ways. Common signs include:
- Constant comparison to peers, influencers or curated online images
- Significant distress around likes, followers or online feedback
- Difficulty switching off or limiting screen time despite wanting to
- Mood changes after periods of scrolling, including sadness, irritability or anxiety
- Cyberbullying, online exclusion or harassment by peers
- Presenting a curated or false version of self online while feeling disconnected from her real identity
- Fear of missing out and anxiety around not being included
- Body image concerns driven by filtered images and unrealistic beauty standards
- Sleep difficulties related to late-night phone use
- Social withdrawal from real-life relationships in favour of online connection
Social Media and Neurodiversity
For neurodivergent girls and young women, the social landscape of online life can present unique challenges. The implicit social rules of online interaction, the intensity of social media comparison and the difficulty of reading tone and intent in digital communication can all contribute to heightened distress.
Many neurodivergent young people also find that social media becomes a space for researching their own identity, including ADHD and autism, which can be both validating and overwhelming. The online neurodiversity community can provide connection and understanding, while also sometimes creating new pressures or uncertainties.
Support at this practice is neuroaffirming and individually tailored to each young person's experience.
For more information, visit our Neurodiversity Support page.
What to Expect
The first session is focused on understanding each young person's specific relationship with social media and technology, how it is affecting her and what she would like to feel differently about. There is no pressure to share more than feels comfortable.
From there, sessions draw on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to address the specific patterns driving distress. CBT helps identify and work with the unhelpful thought patterns and behavioural responses that keep the cycle going, including comparison, avoidance and reassurance-seeking. ACT builds psychological flexibility and helps each young person reconnect with her values and sense of self beyond the digital world.
Where social media distress is connected to identity concerns, low self-esteem or neurodiversity, the approach is adapted accordingly. Where cyberbullying or online harassment has been traumatic, EMDR may also be incorporated into the work.
Every approach is individually tailored. Sessions are available weekly, fortnightly or monthly, with after-school and evening times offered to fit around school, university and work commitments. All sessions are delivered via secure telehealth video call across all of Australia.
Accessing Support
Private Fee Sessions
Private fee sessions are available at $260 per session with no referral required and no annual session limits. The most direct way to get started.
Medicare Rebates
Available with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, providing up to 10 rebated sessions per calendar year.
Bulk Billing
Available for eligible clients. Please reach out to discuss eligibility.
NDIS Funding
Accepted for self-managed and plan-managed participants under Improved Daily Living. Direct liaison with plan managers and support coordinators is available to make the process as seamless as possible.
For a full breakdown of all funding options, visit our Fees and Funding page.
Ready to get started?
Support for social media and digital wellbeing is available now, with no waitlist. Whether you are ready to book or simply have a question, send an email to info@nvpsychology.com.au — we are always more than happy to help.