The Forum (Spring 2019)

The Forum: A Conversation on Girls and Stress

The Forum at Dana Hall School is a symposium series designed to examine a topic of particular relevance to girls and girls education. This discussion focused on adolescent girls and stress. While girls are aspiring to even more ambitious academic goals than ever, they also report higher levels of stress and a stronger reaction to stress than their male counterparts.

At this event on May 2, 2019, a group of educators, scientists and clinicians who work with girls and young women from childhood through the collegiate years, shared recent research findings, as well as discussed and shared practical strategies to help parents, teachers and students devise methods to perform well in the classroom, while also mitigating stress.

As a leader in girls’ education Dana Hall School is well suited to lead an informative and practical discussion on adolescent girls and stress.

The Forum: Complete Program

Robin Cook-Nobles, Ed.D., psychologist, has been working at Wellesley College since 1986 and has been the Director of the Counseling Service at the Stone Center for more than 25 years. She has a particular interest in human development and in a variety of ethnic/cultural issues and concerns. She received her undergraduate degree from Boston College, master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University and doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology from Boston University. Previously, Dr. Cook-Nobles has worked at the Boston University and Howard University Counseling Services. She has taught the Psychology of Women at Wheelock College (now Boston University School of Education at Wheelock), and has taught Human Growth and Development, Cross-cultural Psychotherapy, and Group Psychotherapy at Antioch New England Graduate School.

Christina Dolce, Psy.D., NCSP, is a clinical and educational psychologist at McLean Hospital and instructor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Dolce specializes in the treatment of children, adolescents, and young adults. At McLean Hospital, Dr. Dolce is the co-creator of the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Child track within the 3East DBT Outpatient Program. Dr. Dolce also maintains a private practice in Boston focused on addressing anxiety, mood and helping families navigate the challenges of childhood and adolescence.

Renée Spencer Ed.D., LICSW, is a professor at the Boston University School of Social Work whose research interests include youth mentoring, adolescent development and gender. Much of her research focuses on the relational processes at work in more and less successful youth mentoring relationships. She has published widely and her work has been funded by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education and the William T. Grant Foundation. She serves as a member of several boards and committees, including MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership Research and Policy Council and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Research Advisory Council.

Rebecca Platt, Psy.D., is the Dana Hall Middle School Counselor. She has held school psychologist positions at the Advent School, Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School and Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School. In her private practice, she cultivates long-term therapeutic relationships with adolescents and young adults struggling with issues around anxiety, depression, and identity.

List of 3 items.

Geometry

Favorite Class
Moving into my dorm

Favorite Memory
Riding

Favorite Activity

List of 1 items.

Paige

"My favorite Dana Hall activity has been riding because the trainers at the Equestrian Center are really great and helpful. I always feel like I'm learning and improving while having fun."

-Paige '20