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FROM THE EXPERT / ASK DR. RENAE<br />
DEAR DR. RENAE,<br />
I continue to hear from others that my ex-boyfriend<br />
is saying horrible things about me - and<br />
it is all lies! It is hard enough to get over the<br />
break-up, especially since he was my first serious<br />
boyfriend. His friends are now telling me that<br />
he said disrespectful things about me while we<br />
were still together! I feel like everyone is looking<br />
at me wondering what is true. I can’t talk to my<br />
parents about this because they never liked him<br />
and will throw it in my face. My good friends<br />
tried to tell me he was ‘bad news,’ and I might<br />
have lost them, since I stopped spending time<br />
with my friends in order to be with this creep! I<br />
regret sharing private information about myself<br />
with him. I thought my secrets were safe - BIG<br />
MISTAKE!! How do I put the past behind me?<br />
EX TOLD LIES AND<br />
ALIENATED FRIENDS<br />
17 Year-Old Looking For A Fresh Start<br />
DEAR 17 YEAR-OLD LOOKING<br />
FOR A FRESH START,<br />
The most important way for you to move on is to determine who<br />
your true friends are. Your true friends will believe you. If you feel<br />
you lost your friendships with your good friends, then apologize to<br />
them and explain your mistakes. Make things right with the ones<br />
you love, and then you can move on. What other people say about<br />
you is insignificant, as long as you are happy with your life. I wish<br />
you happiness and peace in the future!<br />
- A caring friend<br />
DEAR 17 YEAR-OLD LOOKING<br />
FOR A FRESH START,<br />
I advise you to make a list of qualities that are important for you<br />
to have in a boyfriend. Your parents might surprise you with compassion<br />
if you show them your list. The next time you are feeling<br />
serious about a guy, take out your list and evaluate if he measures<br />
up. See if your parents and friends agree with your assessment,<br />
and give serious thought to the reasons why or why not. Your true<br />
friends will celebrate your happiness and empathize with your<br />
heartbreak. P<br />
- Dr. Renae Lapin<br />
ASK DR. RENAE is an advice column<br />
for teens with advice from<br />
real teenagers. We are currently<br />
recruiting interested middle and<br />
high school students to help provide<br />
advice to their peers.<br />
All advice is reviewed, selected<br />
and screened by Dr. Renae Lapin, a licensed<br />
marriage and family therapist currently<br />
CALLING<br />
ALL<br />
MIDDLE AND<br />
HIGH SCHOOL<br />
TEENS<br />
working for the Broward County School Board’s Family Counseling<br />
Program. Dr. Renae has 32 years’ experience as a family counselor<br />
and has been writing a monthly column in the Parklander for the<br />
past six years on school related and parenting issues. Your advice<br />
will be published anonymously (but you can tell your friends that<br />
it is yours!). Teacher recommendation and parent permission required.<br />
Interested? Write to ASK DR. RENAE for an application at<br />
askdrrenae@att.net.<br />
If you are a teen with a question or problem for which you would<br />
like advice from a peer, write to ASK DR. RENAE for a confidential<br />
response to your question printed in the Parklander. No names or<br />
identifying information will be published. Please give your age and/<br />
or grade level in school, and let us know if you are a guy or girl. All<br />
inquiries should be directed to: askdrrenae@att.net. Make sure to<br />
include ASK DR. RENAE in the subject line.<br />
70<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2015</strong>
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