Is Teen Mom Exploiting Its Youngest Stars with On-Screen Therapy?

Simon Delott

Over the years, we have heard a lot of conversation about whether Teen Mom is exploiting kids.

That’s no surprise. Exploiting the real-world drama and suffering of kids — particularly, pregnant teens and then teen parents — is the whole premise of the franchise.

Has that exploitation passed on to their kids? Well, in some cases, certainly. But some cases are better than others.

Life coach Dr. Cheyenne Bryant (you know, Coach B) is directly addressing fans’ concerns.

Maci Bookout is extremely close with her eldest child, Bentley. And now she’s sharing her thoughts on the boy’s lack of privacy. (Photo via Instagram)

The title of this franchise is a total misnomer. The parents haven’t been teens for a long time. And the show also spends time on the Teen Mom cast’s partners and parents and exes. There’s plenty of talk about the kids.

Sometimes we see Leah Shirley, daughter of Amber Portwood.

Often, we see Maci Bookout’s son, Bentley. These aren’t little kids anymore. They’re old enough to have real discussions, and even on-screen therapy sessions, about their lives and their respective families.

Amber Portwood Rejected by Leah: We Don't Have a Bond! She's Never There for Me
Leah Shirley is not thrilled about her mom. (Photo Credit: MTV)

Fans have worried for years that these on-screen moments are exploiting the cast’s children for TV ratings.

And, in particular, many fel that it’s straight-up inappropriate to even touch the children’s therapy sessions.

Therapy sessions are private by nature. Children’s therapy sessions even more so.

Bentley Edwards says he has no relationship with his father. (Photo via MTV)

With that in mind, the good folks over at The Ashley spoke to Dr. Cheyenne “Coach B” Bryant about the on-screen therapy and more.

“I think that if it’s not done in a very protective, safe space way, it can [be exploitive] to film on-camera,” Dr. Bryant acknowledged.

However, she added: “As long as the environment is safe… If not, it could be something that could cause damage.”

Kristina Shirley, Emilee Shirley, Leah Shirley for Mother's Day 2021
Teen Mom stars Kristina Shirley and Leah Shirley and 6-year-old Emilee Shirley posed together for happy Mother’s Day photos.

Dr. Bryant then emphasized: “It just has to be done right and be done very delicately.”

Part of doing it the right way, she says, includes a lot of off-camera steps to protect the children.

“I make sure Bentley always has a safe space,” Dr. Bryant shared.

Maci With Teenage Bentley
Maci Bookout us opening up about the relationship between Ryan Edwards and son Bentley. As you might’ve guessed, it’s not good!

“Bentley and I always pre-brief before we film, and we de-brief after,” she detailed.

“We have a full session on what filming will be like,” Dr. Bryant noted.

“What he’s comfortable speaking about,” she detailed. “What is he uncomfortable speaking about.”

Amber and Leah at the Salon
Amber Portwood’s daughter, Leah Shirley, is already 12 years old. And not surprisingly, she has a lot of questions about her daughter’s life.

“We also have a non-verbal cue that he is allowed to give me when he’s in a space where he’s feeling unsafe or uncomfortable,” Dr. Bryant revealed.

“Or,” she continued, “he doesn’t want to go down that route while we’re filming.”

Coach B added: “So I have gone above and behind to make sure Bentley — and whoever I am filming with who’s a minor… is very protected.”

“Bentley hasn’t seen his dad in a long time, and he’s made boundaries to keep his distance until they go to therapy together,” Maci explained in a voice-over, just before his grandmother invited him to a birthday party for Ryan’s son Jagger.

“And,” Dr. Bryant went on, “that they trust me and that I’m advocating and showing up for them within their comfort zone.”

She also explained why Bentley is so willing to appear on camera to discuss these issues.

“Bentley is such a young man with a big heart that he usually says yes [to filming],” Dr. Bryant described.

After cautiously inquiring as to who will be there, Bentley hesitantly accepted his grandmother’s invitation. And Maci seemed pleased by this development.

“… But he also is mature enough to know where he needs to be reserved,” she observed.

“And,” Dr. Bryant added, “what he does not want to talk about or what the viewers are not privy to.”

“Maci and I make sure we have this conversation with Bentley,” she noted.

Maci and Bentley on Mother's Day
Maci Bookout enjoyed a Mother’s Day tribute from her son Bentley over the weekend. And she used the opportunity to flip the bird to the boy’s father.

“And,” Dr. Bryant then announced, “we totally leave it up to Bentley to say if he wants to or not to film.”

“Maci checks in with me before Bentley films ever, and Maci and I have a full session just discussing what that looks like,” she dished.

“We both — her first as the mother — ask Bentley if he’s OK with filming and is comfortable with filming?” Dr. Bryant added. “And if he is, we do. If he’s not, we don’t. There have been times that Bentley has said no and we did not film.”

Meanwhile, Gary Shirley got some amazing news: the identity of his father. Yes! Finally!

She added that this applies to other kids as well. Additionally, she is always making sure that things are okay.

“I have to make sure I’m very aware of the non-verbal cues. I check in a lot, [asking them], ‘Are you OK? Is this OK with you? Do you feel comfortable talking about this? If not, I’ve got your back. We can stop,’” Dr. Bryant explained.

“That is not for the cameras and that’s why they don’t show that part on the show,” she shared. “That is for Bentley or whatever adolescent is filming on-camera.”

Is Teen Mom Exploiting Its Youngest Stars with On-Screen Therapy? was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.