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mary-jo-podgurski

Teens share concerns about therapy

Q. My parents are sending me to a therapist. My family doctor thinks it would help me with my social anxiety. I’m afraid to go. What if the therapist tells my parents what I say? I don’t want anyone to know what bothers me. Will my friends know? Will my teachers know? I really don’t want ...

When is the right age for sex?

When is the right age for sex? Q. WhenÄ¢¹½ÊÓÆµ the right age to have sex? I’m going into high school in a few weeks, and I haven’t done it. Actually, I haven’t even kissed someone. I’m pretty sure I’m not ready for sex – the thought gives me equal amounts of excitement and anxiety. My ...

Setting boundaries to navigate life

Q. Tell me how to set boundaries and keep them. I have trouble saying no to friends, for one thing. I also can’t seem to keep my mouth shut – I overshare in person and online. Finally, I put up with being put down by friends. They say itÄ¢¹½ÊÓÆµ all a joke, but it doesn’t feel funny to me. I ...

Q. Is it possible to re-invent myself in high school? I’m excited about leaving middle school – it sucked. I couldn’t find friends. I’m a writer and a poet at heart. I hope to hide those facets of my personality going forward, so I’m not made fun of so much. If no one knows me as I ...

Teen angst column resonates with adults

My column about middle school friendships hit home with many readers. Here are two responses. Response 1: I read your column on Thursday with a great deal of interest and a little bit of flashback. I’m in my early 40s and a parent of two elementary school girls. When I read the question from ...

Coping with pain of rejection

Q. Where are all my school friends? Summer is moving along quickly, and I feel abandoned. I try to connect but they ghost me. I don’t know what to do. I don’t think I did anything wrong, although I do know my friends are known to exclude other girls. I’ve seen that happen. I just didn’t ...