Hello, I actually registered just for this thread, since I found it on google. Maybe I'm late to the party, seeing as this thread hasn't been updated for almost 2 months?
I'm a therian, and I'm 24. I started to express feelings about being a wolf when I was 14. For me, it was not a phase, and it was a great relief when I found others like me when I was 16. I live a normal life, as most therians do.
But still, many, many teens and kids who find the therian and/or otherkin communities might be going through a phase, or just be fascinated by it. It's too early to say about your daughter. You should try and listen to her, and also, since she is young and active on social sites on the internet, tell her to be wary of strangers that might try to manipulate her.
It's better that she trusts you and feels that she can openly discuss personal things with her, than for you to try and convince her that she is not a therian. After all, maybe she is? Who knows?
I think Travelledtheworld has some good advice, the girl might want to help animals at a shelter or something. But I do not agree that "curling up when sleeping" and other harmless animal behaviours should lead to banning the site - I think the girl should be able to do things like these in the safety of her own home, but we advised not to express animalistic behaviour in public.
The Therian Guide is one of many sites on the internet about therianthropy. I'm not active on that particular site, but it seems to be one of the OK ones.
In general there are two large pitfalls in the therian community that anyone should look out for (all communities have their bad sides, don't they?).
- Claims of physical transformation and other supernatural bullshit. Adult, sane therians will not try to convince anyone that this is possible, since it just isn't. But there are some teens or manipulative lying adults who try to impress others by claiming to be "real werewolves" with supernatural powers.
- "Packs". A pack can be something as innocent as a group of friends who all happen to be therians. But sometimes, people take it too far, assign each other ranks, try to dominate others and so on. More common among teenage therians than adults, because teens love have little cliques and intrigues, don't they?
But any way, if you have any questions for a young adult therian. Therianthropy is just when a person identifies mentally or spiritually as a non-human animal. You can call it a belief, special connection, or identity, but it's not an illness, neither a religion.