When it comes to sex, the definition of"mainstream" is changing — fast — and clients are disclosing new relationship and life issues in therapy that weren't on the radar 5 years ago:
• Fifty Shades of Grey brought kinky sex into the open, and into the bedrooms of millions of people (resulting in a host of "creative differences" in relationships)
• High school students are going to jail for sexting
• Sexting, sexual behavior problems, and casual sex are affecting national politics
• Internet porn is only a smartphone away, affecting work situations and countless marriages (half of all divorces involve complaints over porn use)
• More couples are opening their relationships up to alternative lifestyles, including nonmonogamy
• Young people are openly identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, gender queer, sexually fluid, and a range of other evolving sexual orientations These situations and countless more are walking into therapists' office every day, and most therapists have no training, resources, or guidance on how to conceptualize or treat these issues. In this recording we will delve into how tech, media, and social changes affect modern sexuality, relationships, and mental health. Guidance on assessment, intervention, and treatment planning is given with lively, entertaining, and exciting real-world examples and case studies to help prevent over-pathologization of sexual behaviors, just because they're new, misunderstood, or scary. Therapists will learn to support their clients in developing sexual integrity through self-understanding and acceptance. Objectives: • Analyze how sexuality has evolved alongside modern technology, media, and social changes and impacted clinical treatment.
• Define “pansexuality” and other fluid concepts of sexual orientation and identify how to support transgender children, teens, and their families in a clinical setting.
• Develop an increase in clients’ sexual integrity and self-control through self-understanding and shame reduction treatment techniques.
• Evaluate treatment strategies to distinguish healthy sexual diversity from sexual symptoms of emotional disturbance related to PTSD, anxiety, depression, and personality disorders.
• Implement techniques for helping clients and their families understand and contextualize their sexuality, reducing clients’ fear and shame about sexuality.
• Apply a nonjudgmental diagnostic framework towards a client’s sexual interests and behaviors.
• Evaluate clinical strategies for assessing, treating, and responding to unique, modern sexual dilemmas. David Ley, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and internationally-recognized expert on issues related to sexuality, pornography, and mental health. He has served as an expert consultant for numerous media outlets, appearing with Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric, Dr. Phil, Tom Ashbrook, and Dan Savage. He has also been interviewed in publications ranging from the LA Times to the London Telegraph, and he has published extensively in both the academic and pop realms of literature. His books, The Myth of Sex Addiction (2012) and Insatiable Wives (2009), were revolutionary explorations of sexual issues which blended a powerful client-centered narrative with a rich understanding of psychology, biology and sociology. Dr. Ley has provided treatment around sexuality-related issues for over 20 years, ranging from treatment of sexual offenders to counseling alternative sexuality couples and individuals. He has consulted with treatment programs around the world about addressing sexuality issues in their treatment. At the same time, he is executive director of a large behavioral health and substance abuse outpatient program, and supervises treatment to thousands of patients every year. As a result, Dr. Ley is able to bring a broad, practical approach to help mental health clinicians effectively address sexuality-related issues. Speaker Disclosures: Financial: Lane David Ley is executive director for New Mexico Solutions. He receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. Non-financial: David Ley is co-chair of the New Mexico Youth Provider Alliance/New Mexico Behavioral Health Provider Association. |
