The Pressure Puzzle

Friendships, Exams & Fitting In: The hidden stressors girls carry

Day: Saturday 24th April
Who can attend: Carer
Time: 14:30
Duration: 1 hour
Panelists: Dr Tara Porter, Mark James, Mike Wills

The Belonging Question: Friendship, Achievement & Finding Her Place
Modern tween girls navigate academic expectations, friendship dynamics and digital group chats while still forming their identity. This panel examines the pressures of fitting in, managing comparison and coping with social exclusion. We will explore how to strengthen emotional intelligence, resilience and healthy peer relationships. Parents will gain insight into the social landscape girls are experiencing today.

Meet the panelists…

Dr Tara Porter

Dr Tara Porter is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, bestselling author and former NHS clinical lead with almost three decades of experience in child and adolescent mental health. Specialising in anxiety, eating disorders and emotional wellbeing, Tara is known for her warm, honest and practical approach to supporting young people and modern parenting.
Instagram: @drtaraporterpsychologist

Mark James

Mark James has spent almost 40 years working in education leadership across leading schools in the UK and internationally. Formerly Director of Admissions at Highgate School and now a governor at City of London School for Girls, Mark brings extensive experience supporting young people, families and schools through the pressures of education and adolescence.

Mike Wills

Hi, I’m Major Mike: dad of three, veteran-British Army officer, and founder of Be Hard to Hack.

I am on a mission to keep families safer online - tots, tweens, teens, twenty-somethings, silver surfers, and everyone in between.

I know first hand the true scope of the threats we all face everyday; the challenges of educating and keeping your children safe online and exactly what needs to be done to make yourself Hard to Hack.