As seen on The Huffington Post:

You don’t have to be Jamie Lynn Spears or Bristol Palin to understand that today’s teen girls are conflicted about their responsibilities and overwhelmed with tough decisions. Between raging hormones and a not-so-healthy dose of media and peer pressure, there’s still school work, the Homecoming Dance, soccer practice, family commitments, drooling over the hottie in algebra class, planning for college and getting used to their brains on PMS. It’s a wonder any woman makes it into her 20s as a functional member of society.

I remember my own highs and lows quite vividly. The cute surfer guys hanging out at the lunch tables at Oceanside High School, who never seemed to notice us girls, and the daily battle with an embarrassing pimple, jealousy of prettier or smarter girls, a bad hair day or cramps, not to mention the heartbreak the year my boyfriend’s parents sent him away to New Zealand. Dealing with the daily intrusions of what seemed like an unbearably strict father and a well-meaning but perfectionistic mother didn’t help my self-esteem much either.

These personal memories coupled with what I see daily at the Women’s and Teen Girl’s Mood & Hormone Clinic at UC San Francisco, which I founded in 1994, have compelled me to help young women understand and manage their emotions. Since my book, “The Female Brain,” was published, I have received so many questions on my web site from teen girls who have read the chapter called “The Teen Girl Brain” and are confused about everything from their periods to their changing relationships with their mothers and fathers to the truth about sex. This week I’m proud to announce my new site, TeenBrainPower.com, a place for girls to learn about what’s really happening to their brains, emotions and bodies during this confusing time. (more…)

We got a letter to the site last week from a woman in her 50s who was irritated by the sudden appearance of unwanted belly fat (listen to my response here), and I couldn’t share her sentiments more myself! I was telling a friend the other day that for most of my life, I’ve been gaining or shedding the same 15 pounds over and over and over and over.   (more…)

Spotted On: The Huffington Post

Last week America was engrossed in a conversation about what some people saw as the inappropriately sexy Vanity Fair photos taken of Miley Cyrus. Photographer Annie Lebovitz defended the photos as artistic, while Cyrus issued a statement saying she was “embarrassed.”

Everyone has an opinion, but the story is a common one among girls growing up, whether they are famous or not. Teenagers’ bodies are changing from being little girls into women. When she reaches puberty, a girl’s hormones redefine her definition of “appropriate” behavior. Her brain is high on adventure and risk-taking, while her decisions are often a little light on predicting the outcomes of showing her new figure. This situation is fraught with personal, parental and societal worries.

All societies have rules, laws and taboos built around this time in a girl’s life, when she becomes fertile. As Americans in a society comprised of many different cultural and moral values, we often have conflicting perspectives and are continually evaluating how we react to a girl’s discovery of her sexy body. However, it is important to remember how very personal this journey is for each girl who experiences it, and allow for her body’s natural progression to unfold.

Any young girl feels uncomfortable as she realizes the feeling that comes from the powerful glances of adult men. Cyrus and all her teen star predecessors, from Britney Spears to Brooke Shields, face an additional layer of confusion when their forms are plastered all over the media.