The modern media LOVES sex, and loves to talk to “sexperts.” Every day, hundreds of articles, interviews and videos get posted and published, talking about sex. Even more than the media, the general public LOVES to read and hear about our profession.
Every one of these pieces needs a qualified sexpert who can give opinions and insights on the topic. There's no reason why can’t you be that expert or sexuality professional that we learn from. In fact, we NEED YOU - we need your voice!
In this Sexceptional Summit, Alyssa Ljub, Dr. Chris Donaghue, Lilly Sparks, Caleth Jones, Dr. David Ley, Jet setting Jasmine, Jen Meyer and Heather McPherson will open up about all their experiences working with the media and how to position yourself as a sexuality expert.
Come learn how to engage with the Media & Build an Online Presence to set yourself up for success!
Tentative Schedule
Day 1, Saturday, 10:00am - 6:00pm CST (9am-5pm Mountain, 8am-4pm Pacific, 11am-7pm EST)
How to decide what kind of expert you’re going to be
Telling a story, and learning to use yourself
Using Twitter and social media to grow an audience
How the message, branding and approach evolved
Mental health while being in the media
Deciding what to discuss or specialize in
Your next Big Idea
Beware the fake sexperts, and the temptations to become someone you’re not
Day 2, Sunday, 10:00am - 6:00pm CST (9am-5pm Mountain, 8am-4pm Pacific, 11am-7pm EST)
Finding the Sweet Spot in your messaging
Dealing with problem interviewers
Using social media to create your brand as a Sexuality Professional
Ins and outs of a Netflix reality show
Dealing with haters, online attacks, cancel wars
Using social media to create your brand as a sexpert
Panel: Writers from the Washington Post, Forbes, Men’s Health & other top publications
Panel: How to monetize your passions
Capitalize on media sex scandals/attention
Engagement contracts/release
How to connect with media
Building a referral network of media partners.
NEED A SCHOLARSHIP FOR THIS WEEKEND CONFERENCE?
In collaboration with the BIPOC Collective, SHA donates two full weekend scholarship spots to every conference for BIPOC-identifying individuals.
*The BIPOC Collective's mission is to support the diverse community of BIPOC adult performers and sex-workers within the adult industry through mutual aid and advocacy with dignity and respect.
STUDENT DISCOUNTS
Are you a current college or graduate student? Email shacertifications@gmail.com with a copy of your student ID and current or next term’s course schedule to get this conference at student rate.
*Please note, this discount does not include CEs.
WANT TO BECOME SHA CERTIFIED?:
Want to stop paying for conferences one by one and gain hours towards AASECT Certification too? This program can also be registered for and included as part of SHA’s full Sexuality Educator/Counselor/Sex Therapy Certification & Sexuality Consultant Program. Apply HERE to become SHA Certified and to gain all the CEs you need to apply towards AASECT Certification. Take your sexuality education even further and become sexceptional.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS:
CHRIS DONAGHUE, PHD, CST
Dr. Chris Donaghue is an international lecturer, therapist, and educator. Dr Donaghue is the Director of Clinical Education for The Sexual Health Alliance (SHA), host of the LoveLine podcast, weekly expert on “The Amber Rose Show”, and frequent co host on “The Doctors” tv show. He previously hosted WE tv’s “Sex Box”and Logo tv’s “Bad Sex”. He is published in various professional journals and top magazines, and has been featured on The Today Show, VICE, CNN, HLN, OWN, Nightline, Dr Drew and in Newsweek, New York Times, Daily Beast, Mens Health, Cosmo, and National Geographic. Author of the book, “Sex Outside the Lines: Authentic Sexuality in a Sexually Dysfunctional Culture”. Dr. Donaghue has lectured at prestigious Universities including USC, UCLA, and Princeton as well as being the keynote at various professional conferences such as Chicago Ideas Week, American Association for Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT), and The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS). Dr. Chris Donaghue is a Doctor of Clinical Sexology and Human Sexuality, Doctoral trained in Clinical Psychology, Licensed Clinical Therapist, a Certified Sex Therapist and a Certified Sexologist. Dr. Donaghue practices general psychology and specializes in individual and couples sex, relational, and marital therapy. His work also includes sexual compulsivity, sexual anorexia, sexual dysfunctions, and non-traditional sexuality, identities, and relationships. His work is also with diverse individuals, including all gender expressions, sexual orientations, and Kink/BDSM/Poly issues. His office is located in Los Angeles.
ALYSSA LJUB
SHA Brand Ambassador, Alyssa, starred in the Netflix hit reality tv show The Circle. As an assistant to a sex coach, she helped inform her fellow competitors along with the viewers about what a sex coach actually offers. Her bubbly personality and insight allowed her to dive more into the competition, and help improve the sex lives of those around her.
In her words, “ If I can get people to talk to me about their sex lives, I can get them to tell me about their strategies.”
LILLY SPARKS
Lilly Sparks is the Founder & CEO of afterglow, an ethical porn platform that's a delicious mix of porn, sexual wellness and education. Designed to help people (women, especially) have better, more fulfilling sexual experiences through guided masturbations, pleasure-focused content and porn you can learn from. Lilly is a thought leader who has been featured everywhere from Forbes, the New York Times, to SXSW. She’s an entrepreneur addicted to creating positive change in the world, a believer in the power of sharme-free pleasure, and an enthusiast of spending time outside, dancing, and listening to good music (preferably doing all three at once). You can find her work on xoafterglow.com, or follow @xoaftergloww on Instagram, TikTok, or @xoafterglow on Twitter.
CALETH JONES
Caleth Jones is the Founder/CEO of The MŌN App - the leading audio community for conversations centered on sexual wellness. Coming from an international marketing and media background, he has years of experience developing and overseeing the execution of brand strategies across a wide range of industries, including entertainment, health/wellness, and sex tech.
A proud member of the LGBTQ+ Community, Caleth is passionate about moving purpose-driven, impact-driven conversations around sex and sexuality forward. With first-hand experience, he knows how important it is to have a safe space to talk about sex and sexuality - and an inclusive community to talk to.
With strong familiarity launching new media initiatives that raise awareness around marginalized communities, Jones’ mission for MŌN, a safe and inclusive digital platform for open discussion, is to similarly remove the taboo and stigma from conversations centered on sex. While creating an sex positive audio community to address a gap in the market, his mission is purpose-driven - with the ultimate goal of creating a global impact - advancing the narrative around sex and sexuality - by becoming the go-to resource for sex-positive content and community.
N. JASMINE JOHNSON, LCSW AKA JET SETTING JASMINE
N. Jasmine Johnson, MSW, MA, LCSW, is a licensed clinical therapist and owner of virtual mental health practice Blue Pearl Therapy LLC. She has a strong therapeutic emphasis on Intimacy Post Injury & Illness, Trauma, Drama and Kink, and Sex-Positive Parenting. Jasmine offers her expertise to train other therapists and professionals on the use of erotica in practice and also to create safe spaces for Sex Workers, Kinksters, and Alternative Lifestylers to engage in stigma and bias-free therapy.
Jasmine is the co-owner of Royal Fetish Films and Jet Setting Jasmine LLC where the love of the arts, film, and sex education are combined to produce content that stimulates and engages the audience to push their sexual boundaries. Jasmine shares more than 20 years of experience, with partner King Noire as Adult Entertainers, Educators, and Master Fetish Trainers. The duo are award-winning adult film stars and have dedicated their craft to creating a more inclusive and ethically sound adult entertainment industry.
JEN MEYER, LPC, LMFT, CST
Jen Meyer is the owner and founder of Jen Meyer Therapy, LLC, a private therapy practice in the Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. As a highly sought-after sex therapist who works with a wide variety of concerns related to sex, intimacy and relationships, Jen strives to provide every client with effective therapy treatment in an affirming and compassionate environment that gives them the greatest opportunity to travel the path towards their best self.. As a highly-motivated professional dedicated to perfecting her craft, Jen travels frequently to obtain training on the latest therapy tools and trends from the best and most well-known minds in the sex therapy world. She is also active within and has been asked to present to various profession organizations both locally and nationally that help maintain her integrated network of healthcare professionals for her clients benefit, including the following: Sexual Health Alliance (SHA), American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT), American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT), Denver Sexual Medical Alliance (DSMA) and Colorado Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (COAMFT). Jen has also pursued a number of professional certifications along the way, including her CST, LMFT and LPC. She obtained a Masters of Art (MA) in Counseling from Oakland University, a fully accredited program by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), and has completed a one-year program Sexual Health Certificate Program. Jen takes pride in being surrounded by some of the best sexologists and healthcare professionals in her field, many of whom continue to be dear friends, along with many others who continue to inspire her and make her a better person and therapist.
DR. DAVID LEY
Dr. David J. Ley is a world-renowned clinical psychologist, known for bringing scientifically accurate and clinically sound information to discussions about modern sexuality.
He serves on the board of the Sexual Health Alliance as an expert advisor and is an internationally recognized expert on issues related to sexuality, pornography, and mental health.
He has appeared on television with Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric, Dr. Phil, and others. He has been interviewed in publications ranging from the New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, and the London Telegraph, to Playboy and Hustler magazines. Dr. Ley has published extensively in both the academic and “pop” realms of literature. His latest book, Ethical Porn for Dicks, A Man's Guide to Responsible Viewing Pleasure has endorsements from Dan Savage and Pornhub.com and is a humorous and provocative handbook for men who want to think more comprehensively about porn.
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.
HEATHER MCPHERSON, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST-S
Heather McPherson is the CEO and Founder of the Sexual Health Alliance, a premier education and certification provider for sexuality professionals. Heather also founded Respark, a national brand that encompasses a group therapy practice, Respark Foundation Nonprofit and ReSpark Retreats. Respark Therapy & Associates (respark.co) is a group practice serves Colorado, Washington and Texas specializing in sexuality and relationships. She is published in Playboy Magazine as well as Playboy Online, and has been featured on CNN, HuffPost, Rolling Stones, SheKnows, Quartz, Bravo, the Body, the Sun, Sex and Psychology with Dr. Justin Lehmiller, Psychology Today with Dr. David Ley, Parent Harald and more. Heather McPherson has lectured at prestigious Universities including University of Texas at Austin, Texas State University, University of Utah, University of Colorado Denver and Governors State University in Chicago. She is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist Supervisor, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Supervisor (LMFT-S) and a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S). She also is the Texas Section Leader for AASECT (American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors & Therapists). She has appeared on several podcasts including Loveline with Dr. Chris Donaghue as well as Sex with Dr. Jess. Heather helps clients gain confidence, rebuild trust, increase playfulness, and find passion and meaning in their erotic lives. Heather graduated with honors from Texas State University with a MA in Marriage, Couple and Family Therapy; a CACREP Accredited Program.