About Growing Into You!™

Honest, Shame-Free Education for Families

Growing Into You!™ provides virtual interactive education for tweens, teens, and trusted adults – of all genders – to learn about puberty, changing bodies, and other important sexual health topics.

Our programs help families connect without taboo!

Our Team

Melissa Pintor Carnagey, LBSW
Founder & Lead Educator

Melissa is the visionary and primary educator behind the Growing Into You!™ virtual workshops and self-paced courses. She is the author of two highly-rated books that foster shame-free talks in families: Sex Positive Talks to Have With Kids: A guide to raising sexually healthy, informed, empowered young people and Growing into You!: An Inclusive, Shame-Busting, Get-Real Guide to Your Changing Body and Mind.

Caitlin Long, M.Ed.
Head of Curriculum & Educator

Caitlin (they/them) co-designed and co-facilitated virtual workshops and self-paced courses in our Growing Into You!™ education programming.

Aubrey Hanus, RN, BSN
Educator & Course Designer

Aubrey (she/her) co-designed the original self-paced puberty course, co-facilitated live workshops, and provided valuable insights that guide the direction of our programs. As Melissa’s oldest daughter, she is also the inspiration for this work.

Ashley Gutierrez, BA
Virtual Assistant

Ashley (she/her) moderated all Growing Into You!™ virtual workshops and provided administrative and content management support to the program.

Tyson Carnagey
Peer Educator + Youth Consultant

Tyson (he/him) co-facilitated one of the first in-person Growing Into You!™ workshops in 2019. Later as a teen, he co-facilitated virtual puberty workshops. Tyson regularly provided valuable insights that informed the direction of our programs. He is also Melissa’s oldest son and inspiration for the work.

Our History

2019

Our First Workshop

The first Growing Into You!™: Puberty workshop was held in a school cafeteria in Austin, Texas in 2019 for a group of 3rd graders and their parents. It was such a hit, they invited us back a few months later to teach a group of 4th graders and parents.
2020

Virtual Workshop Creation

In March 2020, at the start of the pandemic lockdowns, Growing Into You!™ went fully virtual serving tweens and families with interactive, gender-inclusive puberty education while they sheltered in place.
2021

Self-Paced Course Added

In August 2021, we created Growing Into You!™: Puberty as a self-paced course to allow families to participate in their own timing. This version has served over 700 families.
2023

Additional Self-Paced Course Added

In September 2023 we designed and began offering Growing Into You!™: Media & Porn Literacy virtual workshops- by popular request from our GIY Community- which teaches 9-15 year olds and their trusted adults how to stay safer and develop a critical lens in this highly digital world.
Now

Current Status

Since 2019, Growing Into You!™ has served THOUSANDS of tweens, teens, and trusted adults from around the globe! We are honored to be a leading resource helping families learn and connect in shame-free ways!

Growing Into You!™ is an initiative of Sex Positive Families, which provides education and resources that help families raise sexually healthy children using a shame-free, comprehensive, and pleasure-positive approach.

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