DR. WALLACE: I get moody sometimes and I think that I might need a therapist. I'm not deeply depressed or anything like that, but my moods do bounce around much more than I would like.

I'm a girl who is 16 and I deal with a lot of drama at my high school. An aunt of mine (my mom's older sister) told me that she really benefited from seeing a therapist, but she did this after her divorce when she was something like 35 years old, not 16!

My parents provide pretty well for my siblings and me, but they don't have a lot of extra money to go around. This means that even if they would agree to allow me to go to a therapist, they likely could not afford it anyway.

What can I do if a therapist is out of my reach? — One Moody Girl, via email

ONE MOODY GIRL: Young people your age often experience several swings in their moods on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. But although this is not unusual, I'd still encourage you to speak with someone you can trust about your feelings.

A good place to start is your high school counselor's office. A good counselor there likely has vast experience with many of the issues you are currently facing.

You may also want to speak to this aunt to see what she has learned in her life that may be helpful to you. Your mother is, of course, another great person to speak to if that's an option for you. If so, perhaps your mother and your aunt could join you in a discussion together that may be productive for you on several levels.

Stick with trusted relatives, school resources and family friends your mother approves of. Don't speak to any strangers about your situation at all as they may have motives that are not in your best interests. You might also take the step of keeping a journal in which you write down how you feel when you are up and when you are down, as this can help you later when you read the entries after things have calmed down for you.

You may find that the ups and downs don't look as ominous in retrospect as they do in the moments you first experienced them,

I'D LOVE TO TEACH HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC

DR. WALLACE: I love music and want to become a music teacher. I love teaching young people in general and seeing them develop and succeed in moving toward their goals.

My college friends tell me that becoming a music teacher is really hard to do these days and that I should maybe consider some other type of teaching if I enjoy teaching so much. But I really have a passion for music!

Is it true that it's hard to become a music teacher at the high school level these days? — Future Music Teacher, via email

FUTURE MUSIC TEACHER: Your friends are likely correct, depending on the area you live in. It's also likely that you may not be aware of the reason for this. Due to many years of budget cuts, several school districts have made cuts to their arts departments, which includes most music departments.

I suggest that you craft a plan whereby you "two track" your teaching goals. Continue with music, but also select another subject that you have at least modest interest in and aim to get accredited in another subject like English, Mathematics or History.

This will greatly improve your chances of being hired as a high school teacher in some capacity. If you land a music teaching gig right away, that would be wonderful, but if you land a teaching job in another subject, you can start your career and let your new employer know (once you've settled in and become a valuable faculty member in their eyes) that you have a passion for the music department.

You can also then continue to apply for music teaching opportunities elsewhere as well. In the long run, the odds are good that you can eventually gravitate toward your goal.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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