Dr. Sharon Maxwell, a clinical psychologist from Boston, will address the public at a free event on Friday, March 3 at 7 p.m. at MacDowell Montessori School, 6415 W. Mt. Vernon Ave., titled, "In a Hyper-Sexualized Culture, We CAN Raise Healthy, Responsible Kids: It’s Time to Have THE TALK."

There will be a meet and greet prior to the talk, starting at 6:30 p.m. Adults, and all adults are welcome to attend this talk, which takes place as part of the Wisconsin Montessori Association Conference.

In a world flooded with desire, research shows that one of the most important skills we can teach our children is how to exercise the muscle of self-control – to delay gratification and develop the capacity to say "no" to immediate pleasure. Exercising the muscle of self- control, the child is free to engage with the world in ways that support growth and self- esteem.

In this presentation, Dr. Maxwell gives parents the language to teach children about the power of desire and help children develop the muscle of self-control.
Dr. Sharon Maxwell has been a practicing clinical psychologist for twenty-five years, specializing in adolescent and family therapy.

Her award-winning book, "THE TALK: A Breakthrough Guide to Raising Healthy Kids in an Oversexualized, Online, In-your-face World," has been translated into Italian, Polish, Vietnamese and Mandarin for publication in mainland China. She is currently working on a new book about raising healthy, responsible, happy kids in a media driven culture.

Dr. Maxwell has been interviewed by NPR, Time Magazine, US News & World Report, NBC and Fox News, Oprah and Friends, The Boston Globe and The Boston Herald, and USA Today. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts features her work in its brochures on sex education and in a DVD on teens and drunk driving.