What are the great conversations we can have with our teens about sex? What are the hot topics in sex education that you need to talk to your kids about? Why it’s not just about the body mechanics, but about being in a loving relationship? What are the important conversations college and HS teens can have about consent? How does one ask for consent in a natural way?

Judy Metzger – Co-Founder of Great Conversations, Sex Education and Nurse

Julie Giesy Metzger began her nursing career at Seattle Children’s Hospital in 1981 caring for hospitalized teens and their families in the adolescent unit. The experience of working with teens who managed their lives with resilience and strength solidified her passion for adolescents and their families. In graduate school at the University of Washington School of Nursing, Julie pursued her passion through research analysis of the experiences of young women in puberty. Inspired by that work, Julie designed and delivered For Girls Only: A Heart to Heart Talk on Growing Up in 1988 while living in Pittsburgh, PA—the class became a local hit.

Julie returned to Seattle and began teaching For Girls at Seattle Children’s Hospital and launched what is now a perennial rite of passage for tens of thousands of preteen girls and their families throughout the Pacific Northwest and San Francisco Bay Areas. Over the years Julie has written and taught curricula for preteens and teens that promote strategies for decision-making, and she has written two books for preteens.

Julie has been invited to numerous school and community groups to talk to parents about topics related to adolescence. Her encouraging, straightforward approach, matched with the latest research and strategies, have made her a popular presenter.

Julie’s professional and clinical experiences include managing a pediatric unit, teaching pediatric nursing, and facilitating projects at Seattle Children’s. She and her husband are parents of three young adults who have been the primary inspiration of her work.