Teen Mom star Amber Portwood’s daughter Leah seeks therapy for “abandonment” issues

The latest episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter showed Leah Shirley taking steps to work through family trauma by starting therapy sessions. Released on February 20, 2025, the episode saw 16-year-old discussing this decision with her father Gary.

Referring to her mother Amber Portwood, Leah spoke about dealing with "abandonment issues" and wanting guidance on forgiveness. She said in a confessional:

"I'm not really sure when I realized when she [Amber] wasn't there, but I know I do have abandonment issues from her not being around."

For the unversed, their last family gathering with Amber happened at a BBQ filmed in August 2024, marking a four-month gap in contact.

Gary Shirley, who has maintained full custody since 2011, supported his daughter's decision to seek professional help. While he assured Leah complete privacy in her sessions, her stepmother Kristina backed their choice.

This happened after Amber's admitted in February 6 episode that her daughter didn't want to be around her.

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Teen Mom documents Leah Shirley's first therapy session after four months of being away from mother

During a conversation on Teen Mom: The Next Chapter, Leah spoke to her father Gary about starting therapy. She expressed wanting professional guidance to help process her past experiences and move forward.

"I just think I have a lot of issues because of Amber in the experiences I've had," Leah told Gary during their filmed discussion.

The conversation about therapy began when a classmate recognized Leah from Teen Mom footage on TikTok. These social media clips showed scenes from Leah's early childhood. Leah described these clips as "painful to watch," especially seeing herself as a child in those moments.

During a confessional, Leah opened up about her fears that people might leave without warning, specifically mentioning concerns about losing her stepmom Kristina.

"I feel like it does affect me every day because I'm always scared that Kristina is going to leave me. I'm always scared that people are just going to leave me for no reason," Leah shared during the episode.

While acknowledging her mother's personal difficulties, Leah shared how the extended periods without communication affected her daily life.

"I do know that there's a lot of things going on that makes it difficult for her to be able to be there for me," she stated.

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Gary and Kristina's support

Gary ensured that Leah's therapy sessions would be kept private. In the latest episode, he told Leah:

"I just want you to have somebody to talk to that's a safe space. I want you to be happy. I love you."

In a separate discussion with his wife Kristina, Gary addressed the ongoing separation between Leah and Amber, noting a four-month gap without contact. Kristina aligned with Gary's approach, stressing the importance of following Leah's preferences regarding her relationship with her mother.

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Amber's recent statements

Amber Portwood addressed the situation in recent episodes of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter. During the February 6 broadcast, she acknowledged the distance in her relationship with Leah. She talked about her daughter's reluctance to spend time with her.

She mentioned during the episode:

"I've never been a mom that didn't care. Just a messed up mom."

Her last documented interaction with Leah took place at a family gathering shown in an August 2024 episode. During this meeting, Amber expressed desires to increase family time and shared affectionate messages with the group. She spoke about missing her daughter and wanting to strengthen their connection.

As shown in the reality series, Amber was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. Beyond her relationship with Leah, Teen Mom: The Next Chapter star also gave birth to her a son, James, in May 2018. She lost custody of James to ex Andrew Glennon in July 2022.

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Fans can watch new episodes of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter on MTV.