Upcoming Events / Training Sessions
49th Annual AASECT Conference
June 15th-18th, 2017
Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa & Casino in Las Vegas, NV
Introduction
This year’s conference theme, Honoring Our Past, Celebrating the Present and Envisioning Our Future, seeks to reflect on and honor the roots of our organization’s family tree, while also nurturing our collective and continued development.
Founded in 1967, AASECT is devoted to the promotion of sexual health by the development and advancement of the fields of sexual therapy, counseling and education. AASECT’s mission is the advancement of the highest standards of professional practice for educators, counselors and therapists.
More information: https://www.aasect.org/49th-annual-conference
Training Handout: Click Here to Download
2017 National Sexual Health Conference
Changing Youth and Young Adult HIV Prevention and Testing from Risk Reduction to Person Centered Sexual Health Conversations
July 7th, 2017
Hyatt Regency Convention Center
Denver, Colorado
Introduction
Sexual Health based HIV testing is a non-linear method for HIV prevention. It provides client centered conversations that invite each individual to consider their sexual health in the context of providing an HIV test. The sexual health model dis-aggregates specific components of HIV prevention and testing into a curriculum of discussions centered upon six sexual health principles operationalized from international definitions of sexual health (Braun-Harvey & Vigorito, 2016). Sexual health based HIV prevention and testing hypothesizes that people place high personal value upon opportunities to contemplate and discuss how they balance safety from HIV while making choices about pursuing their sexual pleasure. SAMHSA funded a San Antonio based team of HIV professionals, researchers and sexual health advocates to develop, implement and measure outcomes for a sexual health based HIV prevention and testing program. This presentation will describe the key elements of the “Unify” program goals, design, “About U” sexual health HIV prevention curriculum, study evaluation and team collaboration with Texas HIV training, substance abuse and HIV testing professionals.
Contemporary Forums
Female Sexuality Workshop from a Patient-Centered Perspective
Women’s Health and OB/GYN Care
September 20-23, 2017
Washington, DC
Introduction
Sexuality is integral to who we are as human beings, and, as health care providers, you have unique opportunities to support your patients’ sexual health across their lifespan. This interactive workshop provided patient-centered techniques for initiating and conducting a thorough sexual health assessment. It will present solutions to issues related to orgasm, desire and other sexual challenges. Join Patty Cason and Doug Braun-Harvey to learn a variety of practical evidence-based strategies supporting sexual health.
Graduate Course in Advanced Sexuality
International study-abroad Graduate Course
October 12-23, 2017
Sydney, NSW Australia
Sex & Relationships: Everything You Need to Know From Two of the Leading Experts in the Field
Rethinking Sex Addiction: A Sexual Health Pathway for “Out-of-Control Sexual Behavior”
November 11th, 2017
8:30 AM-4:30 PM
National University Spectrum Campus
9388 Lightwave Ave, San Diego CA 92123
Introduction
Despite over three decades of study, therapists remain divided about the best approach for dealing with out of control sexual behavior (OCSB). Is it a process addiction or a distinct psychosexual disorder—or is there another non-pathology-oriented alternative for assessment and treatment?
- How can therapists become more comfortable talking to clients about sex?
- How can clients work on sexual behavior problems without sociocultural judgments?
- Explain the OCSB Clinical Pathway for Assessment and Treatment.
- What are the six fundamentals of sexual health?
- How can clients develop a mature sexual health plan?
- How do regulation, attachment and sexual/erotic conflicts lead to OCSB
- What is the Braun-Harvey & Vigorito OCSB protocol for consensual, out of control sexual behavior—and how can this help?
More Information/Register: http://www.rtiprojects.org/workshop-training-programs-for-domestic-violence-and-relationship-development.html#workshops
Previous Trainings and Workshops
Children’s Behavioral Health Conference
Having a Sexual Health Conversation with Youth in Care. Three Part Workshop.
Wednesday May 17th 10:45am – 4:30 pm.
Embassy Suites Conference Center – Norman, OK
Introduction
This workshop proposes that to effectively reduce current rates of unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and non-consensual or exploitative sexual circumstances among dependent youth in care requires thinking beyond traditional approaches. This innovative, harm- reduction model focuses on preparing behavioral health and child welfare workers to have a sexual “health” conversation with youth. This presentation will introduce sexual health conversation tools such as suspending judgments, sexual health principles and sexual health terminology. Open to all levels of Behavioral Health staff, Child Welfare workers, and anyone else that comes into regular contact with youth.
More information: https://ok.gov/odmhsas/Children’s_Behavioral_Health_Conference.html
Conference Handout: Click Here to Download
Talking About Sex
I know I should be talking about sex with my client, yet I just don’t find myself doing it.
May 12, 2017
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA
Introduction
College campus therapists are expected to initiate informed, confident, and relevant discussions about sex, yet many unwittingly hinder this expectation. Practitioners often don’t have the mentoring or training that would allow them to talk confidently about sex.
This training is designed for therapists who want to build their confidence and willingness to initiate and facilitate
sexual wellness conversations with students. This six-hour seminar provides multiple tools that enable therapists
to focus student counseling services on the healthy aspects of sex.
Participants will:
- learn how the six fundamentals of sexual
health provide touchstones for co-constructing
conversations about sex. - learn how to apply these fundamental conversation
tools with student counseling center staff
and supervisees. - practice essential skills talking about sex.
HIV/AIDS on the Front Lines
HIV/AIDS on the Front Lines
An Annual Conference for Physicians and Allied Health Providers addressing clinical and prevention issues.
May 3rd, 2017
UC Irvine’s Student Center Doheny Beach Meeting Rooms
A311 Student Center, Irvine, CA 92697-2050
Introduction
The goal of this program is to provide Healthcare Professionals the opportunity to enhance knowledge with new and updated data to improve HIV/AIDS treatment for patients and their families, enrich compassionate caring skills, and provide an overview of the methodology and statistics that will serve to support the treatment, prevention and education of HIV. The conference is designed to bring faculty with state-of-the-art knowledge of HIV therapy and care, along with participants who are eager to learn and implement new knowledge in their daily practices.
Missing Link: Sexual Health Conversations in the Therapy Session
April 22nd, 2017
9:00pm – 4:30pm
5228 Tennyson Pkwy Building – 3
Plano, TX 75024
Introduction
Today’s clients expect therapists to initiate informed, confident and relevant discussions about sex, yet many therapists unwittingly hinder this expectation. Mental health practitioners, meanwhile—including Counselors, Psychiatrists, Psychologist, Family Therapists and Social Workers —often don’t have the mentoring or training that would allow them to talk confidently about sex.
This six-hour seminar provides multiple tools that enable therapists to focus therapy on the healthy aspects of sex.
Participants will:
- Learn how the six fundamental of sexual health provide touchstones for co-constructing conversations about sex.
- Learn how to apply these fundamental conversation tools in individual, couple, family, group psychotherapy as well as supervision with colleagues, trainees, interns, agency clinical staff and supervisees.
- Practice essential skills talking about sex.
More Information/Register: https://contsturegister.smu.edu/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&Course=173RC104A-P%20
Pink Therapy Conference
Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior: Rethinking Sex Addiction
March 24th, 2017
Resource for London 356 Holloway Road London N7 6PA United Kingdom
Introduction
This year’s Pink Therapy Conference is going to be an exciting double offering. Participants will have the opportunity to attend two days of training. A pre-conference workshop on Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior (OCSB) described below and our regular annual conference, which this year will focus on Gay Mental Health.
You can book for Treating OSCB alone via the links on this page, or why not book for both the Treating OCSB event and our conference at a special discount by clicking here.
Join us in London for this advanced training to learn an emerging best practice outpatient treatment model for men with out of control sexual behavior (OCSB). This six-hour CE training will provide a forum for expansive dialogue and discussion between professionals about the recently published book “Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior: Rethinking Sex Addiction” by Doug Braun-Harvey and Michael Vigorito (2016).
Doug Braun-Harvey’s innovative OCSB treatment model, based on over 20 years of clinical experience (co-developed with Michael Vigorito), combines extensive clinical practice with science and research from sexual health, human behavior, motivational change, attachment, self-regulation and eroticism within a combined individual and group therapy treatment model. The collaborative client/therapist treatment relationship is founded on the principle of men taking responsibility for defining and integrating their personal sexual health vision.
Event Handout – Click here to download Friday March 24th Pink Therapy Pre-Conference with Doug Braun-Harvey
The Harvey Institute Presents Douglas Braun-Harvey and Michel Vigorito
OCSB Advanced Group Therapy Training Workshop
March 9-11, 2017 (SOLD OUT)
San Diego, CA
- Are you a therapist interested in facilitating group treatment for individuals with out of control sexual behavior?
Are you ready to expand your clinical skills in assessing and treating out of control sexual behavior in your clinic, agency, facility or private practice? - Are you considering developing a specialization in treating out of control sexual behavior?
- Are you wanting to be part of a national groundswell in developing a network of psychotherapists providing sexual health based treatment for out of control sexual behavior?
The Harvey Institute presents a 12 month/30 hour training with Doug Braun-Harvey and Michael Vigorito, co-authors of the book Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior: Rethinking Sex Addiction.
The initial two and a half day training will be held in San Diego, California from March 9-11, 2017 followed by 10 monthly online video group consultations (Apr 7; May 5; Jun 2; Jul 7; Sep 8; Oct 6; Nov 3, 2017 and Jan 5; Feb 2; and Marc 2, 2018).
Participants will learn to integrate the OCSB sexual health pathway model to enhance current and or future group therapy work. Registration is intentionally limited to emphasize individual learning and to provide for a more cohesive group experience.
For a training objectives and a complete schedule of dates please contact the Harvey Institute.
Register online here: SOLD OUT http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Advanced-Group-Therapy-Training—Working–With-Clients-With–Out-of-Control-Sexual-Behavior.html?soid=1117829299518&aid=DOZ2N2Yjfas
PESI Presents Douglas Braun-Harvey
Talking About Sex with Every Client: What Every Clinician Needs to Know
This training is offered in the following dates/times (single day training):
Friday, January 13, 2017
Monday, January 16, 2017
Friday, March 3, 2017
Monday, March 6, 2017
Download(s): Sexual Health Inventory (PDF)
How can it be that you know you should be talking about sex with your client, yet you just don’t find yourself doing it?
Clients expect therapists to initiate informed, confident and relevant discussions about sex, yet many therapists unwittingly hinder this expectation. Clinicians often don’t have the mentoring or training that would allow them to talk confidently about sex. Too often, the solution to this gap is to avoid the sexual health conversation altogether or refer clients to the local sex expert. Unfortunately, this often means that the conversation never happens or, worse, that the client begins to believe that sex only gets talked about when there is a crisis, or when someone has been hurt.
This workshop is designed for clinicians of all levels who want to build their confidence and willingness to initiate and facilitate sexual wellness conversations with their clients. Sex expert and therapist, Douglas Braun-Harvey, will provide you with multiple tools that enable you to focus therapy on the healthy aspects of sex. You will walk away from this workshop being able to:
Understand how the six fundamentals of sexual health provide touchstones for co-constructing conversations about sex
Apply these fundamental conversation tools in individual, couple, family, and group psychotherapy
Move past both therapist and client natural struggle to talk about sex
Identify common client sexual worries, problems and disorders
Integrate sexual well-being assessment tools to improve diagnosis and treatment planning
The goal is for you to leave with specific tools and interpersonal skills that increase your personal and professional confidence in talking about sex!
Objectives:
- Discuss current international conceptualizations of sexual health.
- Summarize six fundamental principles of sexual health.
- Measure current level of therapist comfort and willingness to engage in sexual health conversations.
- Identify common therapist and client barriers to sexual health conversation.
- Explain essential elements of effective psychotherapeutic sexual health conversations.
- Implement skills that increase confidence and willingness to engage in sexual health discussions in individual, couples, family and group psychotherapy.
- Describe how to formulate client development of their personal vision of their sexual health.
Southwest Sexual Health Alliance Presents Douglas Braun-Harvey
Sexceptional Consultation Group + Women’s March!
Saturday, January 21, 2017
9AM – 2PM
Omni Austin Hotel at Southpark, Governors Row, Austin, TX
Register online for the 01/21 Consultation Group here: Click Here to Register
Seattle Pacific University Presents Douglas Braun-Harvey
Rethinking Sex Addiction: A Sexual Health Model for Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior
Saturday, January 14, 2017
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Seattle Pacific University 3307 3rd Ave W Eaton Hall/ Science Building Seattle, WA 98119
Register online for the 01/14 training here: Click Here to Register
Training Handouts: Click Here To Download
St Raphael Wellness Center Sex & Addictions Conference 2016
Sex and Addictions Conference: Integrating a New Model for Understanding Addictions and Sexuality
November 15-17, 2016
Norwood Hotel, 112 Marion Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
Public Forum
Tuesday Nov 15, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
PORN CRISIS? The Porn Dilemma in Today’s Culture
Discovering that your spouse, child, partner, employee, friend, or client is secretly watching porn is usually met with a range of emotions and judgments. Most of us do not feel prepared to confidently navigate this conversation. Mr. Braun-Harvey proposes that this porn dilemma is about so much more than talking about porn. As counsellors and family members both, most of us have little guidance and are without a useful map for talking about sex, period. This community presentation will describe how six principles of sexual health can be a foundation for talking with someone about their use of pornography. Come join us for an informative, practical and engaging conversation.
Professional Development Workshops
Wednesday Nov 16, 2016, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, lunch included
TALKING ABOUT SEX: Integrating a New Model for Understanding Addictions and Sexuality
Why do so many people leave treatment early, or go back to drugs and alcohol after treatment? A major reason often overlooked is that clients’ sexual lives are linked to using drugs and alcohol. Many women and men in alcohol and drug treatment programs are more likely to stay in treatment and have better treatment outcomes when psycho-educational group programs include sexual health-based conversations and interventions.
In this workshop, Doug Braun-Harvey identifies the prevalence of “sex/drug-linked behavior,” and how counselors can provide men and women specific relapse prevention skills and interventions that help them re-write their sexual lives without drugs or alcohol. This workshop will also help therapists and counselors assist clients who feel as though their sexual behavior is out of control.
In this one-day workshop, participants will:
- Work on overcoming common inhibitions around talking to clients about sex
- Identify two professional barriers to implementing a sexual-health-based relapse prevention curriculum.
- Describe two methods for assessing relapse-risk due to sex/drug-linked addictions.
- Identify methods for assisting clients in understanding the roots of their out-of-control sexual behaviors, and learning healthy ways to create sexual relationships that meet their needs.
- Experience psycho-educational drug/alcohol treatment group interventions to learn relapse prevention tools for sex/drug-linked addiction.
Training Handouts: Click Here To Download
The Harvey Institute Presents
Sexual Health and Healing in Group Therapy
Sun, November 13, 2016
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM PST
The Olympic Collection 11301 Olympic Blvd. #204 Los Angeles, CA 90064
Sexual Health and Healing in Group Therapy
Featuring: Douglas Braun-Harvey, LMFT, CGP, CST & Patti Britton, PhD, MPH, ACSE, ABS
SHIFTING GROUP LEADER PARADIGMS
Developing Treatment Frameworks: Integrating Contemporary Views on Sexual Health and Healing
This workshop introduces sexual health based group psychotherapy principles and practices for group work that supports leader’s willingness, ability and confidence to address sexuality within group development and process. Attendees will learn fundamental principles of sexual health that provide a clinical treatment framework for group discussions about sexual worries, problems and disorders. Mr. Braun-Harvey will facilitate a demonstration group to model sexual health group leader facilitation.
Within group theory and treatment how is it that sexuality, central to the lives of group members, remains largely unspoken? Group members may withhold sexual health worries and problems because they fear their own self-judgment, the judgmental responses from the leader and/or other members. This is a common barrier to sexual concerns emerging in groups. This workshop promotes the integration of six fundamentals of sexual health as a basic container for exploring sex and sexuality in groups.
This workshop provides a map for leaders to guide their group members toward increasing self-efficacy and confidence when discussing sex. Improving sexual health conversation skills within groups can significantly decrease disapproving comments and harsh right or wrong thinking that is a common barrier to group’s willingness to deeply explore sexual content. This didactic and experiential workshop will provide a map for therapists to increase group leaders’ and members’ confidence, willingness and ability to navigate the world of sexual desire and pleasure.
- Attendees will:
- Evaluate psychotherapist comfort and willingness to engage in sexual health group work.
- Identify and integrate definitions of sexual health within treatment frame for group psychotherapy.
- Identity key sexual intervention within in group work.
- Demonstrate integration of sexual health approaches to group work through participation and/or observation of group leader facilitation.
- 6 CEUs will be given for attendance.
Important Disclosure for All Learners: None of the planners and presenters of this CE program have any relevant financial relationships to disclose. The Group Psychotherapy Association of Los Angeles (GPALA) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists, LCSWs and MFCCs/MFTs. GPALA maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Full attendance is required for psychologists to receive credit; partial credit may not be awarded based on APA guidelines. Psychologists report directly to the MCEP using the certificates of attendance awarded at the completion of the course.
Training Handouts: Click Here To Download
Public Child Welfare Training Academy Presents
Sexual Health Conversations
Thursday, November 10th, 2016
9am-4pm
Academy for Professional Excellence at San Diego State University School of Social Work
In response legislation establishing foster youths rights to access age-appropriate, medically accurate sexual health information The San Diego Child Welfare Training Academy has invited The Harvey Institute to present their “Sexual Health Conversations” curriculum.
The Harvey Institute hypothesizes that current rates of unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and non-consensual or exploitive sexual circumstances will change when San Diego County Child Welfare employees integrate sexual health conversation skills within existing Foster Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy.
The curriculum emphasizes the importance of child welfare professionals suspending their judgments and using accurate sexual language while integrating six principles of sexual health when speaking with youth, parents and caregivers.
Training Handout: Click Here To Download
The Harvey Institute Presents
Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior: Rethinking Sex Addiction
Saturday, October 29th, 2016
9am-4pm
Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy 1841 Broadway (at 60th St.) 4th Floor New York, NY 10023
Join us for this advanced training to learn an emerging best practice outpatient treatment model for men with out of control sexual behavior (OCSB). This six hour AASECT CE training will provide a forum for outlining and discussing the sexual health OCSB Assessment and Treatment Pathway Model from his recently published book “Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior: Rethinking Sex Addiction” by Doug Braun-Harvey and Michael Vigorito (2016).
Doug Braun-Harvey’s innovative OCSB treatment model, based on over 20 years of clinical experience (co-developed with Michael Vigorito), combines extensive clinical practice with science and research from sexual health, human behavior, motivational change, attachment, self-regulation and eroticism within a combined individual and group therapy treatment model. The collaborative client/therapist treatment relationship is founded on the principle of men taking responsibility for defining and integrating their personal sexual health vision.
We hope you can join us to learn more about this evidence based emerging practice approach for guiding clinical practice. The training is limited to 50 participants.
Participants will Learn material from Springer Publishing “Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior: Rethinking Sex Addiction”
http://www.springerpub.com/treating-out-of-control-sexual-behavior.html
Training Handout: OCSB Handouts
The Harvey Institute Presents
Rethinking Sex Addiction: A Sexual Health Model for Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior
Monday April 11, 2016
830am-4pm
25600 Woodward Ave, Suite 215, Royal Oak, Michigan
OCSB Advanced Training Workshop:
- Are you a therapist interested in learning a new model for treating men (of all sexual orientations)with problematic sexual behavior?
- Are you looking for an innovative best practice model to increase your confidence and ability to effectively assess and treat men with out of control sexual behavior?
- Are you looking for a method for motivating clients to change damaging patterns of online, compulsive, or impulsive sexual behavior?
- Are you looking for sex positive interventions for men conflicted about their sexual turn-ons and erotic interests?
Training Handout: OCSB Handouts
SSTAR 2016 ANNUAL MEETING – Challenging Ideology and Changing Perspectives
Thursday April 14th, 2016 Morning Workshop #1 (9:00am – 12:00pm) The Gwen, A Starwood Luxury Collection Hotel – Chicago, IL
Rethinking Sex Addiction Treatment – A Sexual Health Psychotherapy Protocol Presenters: Doug Braun-Harvey, MFT, CGP, CST and Michael A. Vigorito, LMFT, LCPC, CGP
Introduction: Braun-Harvey and Vigorito propose an empirically-based, outpatient assessment and treatment protocol for men with out of control sexual behavior (OCSB).
Method: The authors applied clinical research from the fields of sexual health, self-regulation, attachment theory, sexology and health behavior change with over 250 men in individual and group psychotherapy to improve their sexual self control.
Results: The protocol is designed to guide OCSB clinical conceptualization, honor client sexual rights and enhance motivation for sexual health behavior change.
Discussion: Scientific consensus has not coalesced around one diagnostic criteria or etiological mechanism for sexual dysregulation. An integrative psychotherapeutic approach is needed to comprehensively address the multiple factors that contribute to OCSB. The OCSB clinical pathway is founded upon the clinician’s ethical responsibility to provide the most effective treatment while protecting client sexual rights. An OCSB assessment investigates how men resolve an array of competing motivations that affects self-regulation, attachment patterns and their sexual/erotic identity development. Through combined group and individual psychotherapy, clients improve sexual control, clarify their personal visions of sexual health, and learn to align behavior within fundamental sexual health principles.
Utility/Limitations/Risks: An outpatient psychotherapy assessment and treatment protocol for men presenting with consensual, out of control sexual behavior.
Behavioral Learning Objectives:
After attending this presentation, the participants will be able to:
- To apply a dual-process theory of human behavior to OCSB conceptualization
- To apply sexual health principles to treating sexual behavior problems and OCSB.
- To describe the clinician’s ethical responsibility when assessing and treating sexual behavior problems.
Sexual Health in Drug and Alcohol Treatment
“Sexual Health: A New Ally for Improving Drug and Alcohol Treatment”
Previous conferences and workshop locations:
- Maryland Infectious Disease and Environmental Health Administration and Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration;
- Texas Department of State Health Services;
- Annual Northwest Institute of Addictions Studies Conference,
- Portland, Oregon; Hazelden Graduate School,
- San Diego County Health and Human Services;
- University of Western Sydney Australia, School of Social Sciences and Psychology; University of Utah School of Medicine, School on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies;
- National Conference on Addiction Disorders Annual Conference;
- Sex Ed conference: Center for Family Life Education, New Jersey;
- Eastern Group Psychotherapy Association Annual Conference, New York City;
- National Conference for Male Family Planning and Reproductive Health;
- National Reproductive Health Conference: Title X New Orleans, Louisiana;
- Maryland’s Annual Reproductive Health Update, Baltimore, Maryland
Sexual-health model for decreasing relapse risk among women and men with high sex/drug-linked addiction and improving drug and alcohol treatment outcomes. Workshop based upon his two books “Sexual Health in Drug and Alcohol Treatment: Group Facilitator’s Manual” and “Sexual Health in Recovery: A Professional Counselor’s Manual”.
Treating Out-of-Control Sexual Behavior (OCSB)
“Out of Control Sexual Behavior (OCSB): Theory, Assessment and Treatment”
Locations include: New York City, Boulder Colorado, San Francisco and San Diego California; Annual Networker Conference, Washington DC; American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) Annual Meeting; Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS); Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health (SASH)
Doug Braun-Harvey’s innovative OCSB treatment model based on over 20 years of clinical experience (co-developed with Michael Vigorito) combines extensive clinical practice with science and research from sexual health, human behavior, motivational change, attachment, self-regulation and eroticism within a combined individual and group therapy treatment model. The collaborative client/therapist treatment relationship is founded on the principle of men taking responsibility for defining and integrating their personal sexual health vision.
Integrating Sexual Health within Individual, Couples, Family and Group psychotherapy
“Sexual Health Principles for Couples and Their Therapists”
- The Couples Institute online training program; Ellen Bader
- University of California Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, San Diego, California
Sexual health principles improve therapist confidence and willingness to guide couples away from avoidant or dismissive approaches to their sexuality. A best practice sexual health integration method is proposed to expand couples and relationship therapy beyond sexual disorder and problem focused treatment toward a collaborative therapist and client vision of sexual health.
“Sexual Health in Psychotherapy”
- Naval Medical Center San Diego;
- Iowa Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, Des Moines, Iowa
Sexual activity, sexual desires and sexual behavior is often linked with presenting emotional, psychological and relational problems and disorders. Integrating sexual health and sexuality within psychiatry and psychotherapy is an essential component of successful treatment outcomes.
“Sexual Health and Group Psychotherapy.”
- American Group Psychotherapy Annual Meeting;
- Group Psychotherapy Association of Los Angeles;
- Austin Group Psychotherapy Association,
- San Diego Group Psychotherapy Association,
- Eastern Group Psychotherapy Association.
Sexual health research and knowledge is an untapped resource for group therapists to improve treatment outcomes. Three fundamental functions for leaders of sexual health based group work support the exploration of sexual pleasure, arousal, and desire while mitigating therapist and group member defenses and fears associated with honest and vulnerable disclosure of sexual history, behavior, and feelings.
Sexual Health Integration within HIV Prevention and Treatment
“Sexual Health Approaches for HIV Counseling and Treatment”
- AIDS Grand Rounds, University of California, Irvine;
- Shanti Orange County, California
- State of California Early Intervention Program, 10 city tour.
- Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, Texas
Sexual health approaches to proactively address the link between out of control sexual behavior, condomless sex and substance abuse treatment outcomes.
LGBTQ Youth and Sexual health
“Risk and Resiliency Factors for LGBTQ Youth”
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Child Traumatic Stress Network Conference, Falls Church, VA
Providing tools and techniques to assist mental health service providers in working effectively with LGBTQ youth.
Integrating Sexual Health within Trauma Informed Practices
“A New Framework for Sexual Health: Redefining Sexuality Post-Trauma”
- Beth Israel Hospital, New York City
Increasing trauma therapist’s comfort, willingness and knowledge to initiate and facilitate sexual health conversations through six fundamentals of sexual health. Sexual health conversation skills frame treatment and guide individual, couple, and family therapy. Comprehensive sexual health training is an ally for successful sexual trauma assessment and treatment.
“The Changing Relationship Between Sexual Health and Child Sexual Abuse Treatment: How Do Therapists Prepare?”
- Chadwick Center International Conference on Child Maltreatment, San Diego, California.
- Midwest Conference on Child Maltreatment, Madison, Wisconsin; Prevent Child Abuse Utah Annual Joining Forces Conference, Layton, Utah:
“Using Assessment Information to Drive Treatment Planning: A Comprehensive Trauma-informed Mental Health Assessment Process for Children Involved in the Child Welfare System”
- International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Philadelphia, PA
A comprehensive mental health assessment, including sexual health, will result in more effective and efficient clinical interventions.
“Therapy Transcends Disciplines: We All Can Be Agents for Change with Traumatized Children”
- Pan-American Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, Bogota, Colombia
Everyone who interacts with an individual who has experienced trauma has the capacity to be a crucial part of the healing process.
“Understanding the Emotional Impact of Abuse on Children”
Ecuadorian National Conference on Abused and Maltreated Children, Quito, Ecuador
Physical and sexual abuse can result in long lasting emotional scars. First responders, care takers, mental health service providers and even policy makers can assist in the process of healing these wounds.
Integrating Sexual Health Treatment Approaches for Victims of Sexual Abuse
“Understanding Trauma in Sexual Assault Victims”
- Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Los Angeles, CA
Sexual health tools for law enforcement personnel in order to assist in the successful investigating and prosecuting of sexual assault cases.
“Male Victims of Sexual Assault: Letting Their Voices Be Heard”
- Police Chief’s Conference on Responding to Sexual Assault Crimes, Los Angeles, CA
Often overlooked and under reported, male sexual assault investigations require an added level of understanding about the correlation between trauma response and gender.