KEEPING THE SPARK ALIVE Sexceptional Summit Weekend! 100% Online!
WITH DR. RHONdA BALZARINI and 10+ Expert Guests!
Get ready to boost your skills for working with couples using the latest evidence-based techniques! Learn from the top researchers in sexuality and working with couples at SHA’s Keeping the Spark Alive event! This event has an incredible line-up of sexuality research professionals from top universities around the world. With topics like female orgasm problems and sexual relationships after trauma, this event has something for every sexuality professional. This event is led by Dr. Rhonda Balzarini, a leading researcher in the field of couples and sexuality.
“Dr. Rhonda Balzarini is one of the sharpest new psychologists who is researching modern sex, love and relationships. She is a clear, grounded and insightful thinker, and her research has already forced me several times to examine my assumptions about sex, polyamory and love. I get excited when I see she has a new paper out, because it helps us all grow and expand the ways we think and work with people in all kinds of relationships.”
This event is open to everyone! Everyone is welcome to join regardless of if you are in our programs.
SHA Students and Alumni are also INVITED to join and can receive credit towards certification or renewal.
Schedule
Saturday, August 24th
Start time: 8:00am PST, 9:00am MST, 10:00 am CST, and 11:00 am EST.
Welcome and orientation
Dr. Rhonda Balzarini - For Better or Worse: Maintaining Intimacy in a Less-Than-Ideal World.
Dr. Andrea Meltzer - Sexual Desire During the Early Years of Marriage: Normalizing Changes Over Time
Dr. Laurie Mintz - Solutions for Female Orgasm Problems: Helping Clients Become Cliterate
Dr. Shari Blumenstock - Navigating Sexual Desire and Satisfaction in Relationships: Interconnected Personal, Relational, and Psychophysiological Dynamics
Dr. Jessica Maxwell - Beliefs in the Bedroom and Beyond
Kat Kova and Arik Shoikhedbrod, PhD candidates (Kat Kova - Queering Sex Therapy) and (Arik Shoikhedbrod - Sexual motivation, need fulfillment, and support within romantic relationships: A self-determination theory perspective)
Closing Remarks from SHA
Sunday, August 25th
Start time: 8:00am PST, 9:00am MST, 10:00 am CST, and 11:00 am EST
Dr. Uzma Rehman - The Role of Shame in Sexual Communication: A Conceptual Overview and Practical Implications
Dr. Christopher Quinn-Nilas - Navigating relationships and sexuality after trauma
Dr. Jaclyn Siegel - Feeling 'Hot' Can Turn up the Heat in Bed: Exploring the Links between Body Image, Weight Stigma, and Sexual Outcomes
Dr. Lucia O'Sullivan - Attraction to others
Dr. Dana Weiser - Discussing infidelity holistically through an intersectional lens
Dr. Allen Mallory - Understanding the complexity of sexual communication: What we know and future directions
Closing Remarks from SHA
SUMMIT TOPICS & EVENTS
Why relationships are important
How sex shapes relationships
Commitment processes in relationships
Sexual desire overtime
Keeping the spark alive in relationships
Navigating Life Stressors
Stress spillover in sexual and romantic relationships
How stressful events shape sexual and relationship processes
Coping with Sexual Differences
Sexual Ideals
Discrepant sexual ideals and the buffering effect of sexual communal strength
Managing External Pressures
Relationships beyond the dyad
Effect of stigma in relationships
How stigma influences commitment and relationships
Fostering Connection and Sexual Satisfaction
Self-expansion in relationships
Can self-expansion impact sexual desire and sexual satisfaction
Platforms for self-expansion
The case for cross-cultural relationships
Presenter line-up and talk titles!
Rhonda Balzarini - Keeping the Spark Alive in Relationships & Beyond the Dyad: Understanding Sex, Love, and Secrecy in CNM Relationships
Dr. Jaclyn Siegel is a feminist social psychologist. Her talk title is: Feeling 'Hot' Can Turn up the Heat in Bed: Exploring the Links between Body Image, Weight Stigma, and Sexual Outcomes
Dr. Andrea Meltzer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Florida State University. Her talk title is: Sexual Desire During the Early Years of Marriage: Normalizing Changes Over Time
Dr. Laurie Mintz is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Florida. Her talk title is: Solutions for Female Orgasm Problems: Helping Clients Become Cliterate
Dr. Chris Quinn-Nilas is an Assistant Professor of Social Psychology at Memorial University of Newfoundland and the director of the Love Lab. His talk title is: Navigating relationships and sexuality after trauma
Dr. Uzma S. Rehman, Ph.D., C. Psych., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Waterloo. Her talk title is: The Role of Shame in Sexual Communication: A Conceptual Overview and Practical Implications
Dr. Shari M. Blumenstock is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Psychology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Her talk title is: Navigating Sexual Desire and Satisfaction in Relationships: Interconnected Personal, Relational, and Psychophysiological Dynamics
Dr. Jessica Maxwell is an Assistant Professor in Social Psychology at McMaster University. Her talk title is: Beliefs in the Bedroom and Beyond
Ariel (Arik) Shoikhedbrod is a senior doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at York University. His talk title is: Sexual motivation, need fulfilment, and support within romantic relationships: A self-determination theory perspective
Kat Kova is the Clinic Director and a Clinical Supervisor at Kat Kova Therapy, a boutique psychotherapy clinic. Her talk title is: Is spontaneous sex ideal? Beliefs and perceptions of planned and spontaneous sex and sexual satisfaction
Dr. Allen Mallory is an assistant professor at The Ohio State University in the Department of Human Sciences. His talk title is: Understanding the complexity of sexual communication: What we know and future directions
Attendee & Registration Information
*Cant attend live? No problem! This event will be recorded and made available within 7-10 business days. Make sure to purchase a ticket prior to the workshop as it will not be available to purchase after the workshop ends. Please note: If you purchased CEs, you will receive asynchronous credit.
NEED A SCHOLARSHIP FOR THIS WEEKEND SUMMIT?
In collaboration with the BIPOC Collective, SHA donates two full weekend scholarship spots to every conference for BIPOC-identifying individuals.
The scholarship is now closed.
*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.
Additional Speakers TBA soon!
ABOUT THE Presenters:
DR. RHONDA BALZARINI
Dr. Rhonda Balzarini is an Assistant Professor at Texas State University and an Affiliated Faculty Member at the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University. Dr. Balzarini is a social psychologist studying the interpersonal processes that enhance and detract from the quality of romantic and sexual relationships. Her recent research focuses on how diverse couples can have satisfying and passionate relationships and successfully navigate challenges through diversifying need fulfillment, engaging in novel and exciting activities, and being responsive during times of conflict or distress.
Dr. Dana Weiser
Dr. Dana Weiser is Chairperson of the Human Development and Family Sciences department at Texas Tech University. She earned her Ph.D. from the Interdisciplinary Social Psychology program at the University of Nevada, Reno. Her program of research mainly focuses on how family experiences shape adults' relationship experiences and sexual behaviors. Her work explores how parents communicate and model behaviors which later influence individuals as they enter their own relationships and become sexually active. She studies how and what families teach us about infidelity, sexual health, and sexual violence as well as predictors of and reactions to infidelity. Her work utilizes a variety of perspectives, including feminist theories and social cognitive theory.
Dr. Laurie Mintz
Dr. Laurie Mintz is an author, professor, therapist, and speaker committed to helping people live more authentic, meaningful, joyful—and sexually satisfying—lives.
As an Emeritus Professor at the University of Florida, she teaches the Psychology of Human Sexuality to hundreds of undergraduates each year. She has published over 50 scholarly articles and six academic book chapters. She has received numerous professional and teaching awards. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, indicating her work has had a positive national influence on the field of psychology. In 2023, she was named one of Forbes “50 over 50” woman innovators.
She is the author of two popular press books—both written to empower women sexually and both with published studies demonstrating their effectiveness: Becoming Cliterate: Why Orgasm Equality Matters and How to Get It (HarperOne, 2017) and A Tired Woman’s Guide to Passionate Sex: Reclaim Your Desire and Reignite Your Relationship (Adams Media, 2009).
With this same goal of providing scientifically accurate, sex-positive information to enhance female pleasure, Dr. Mintz gives presentations and workshops to professionals and lay audiences, including a TEDx talk with over two million views. She maintains an active social media presence and is often quoted in national and international media.
For over 30 years, Dr. Mintz has maintained a private practice, working with both individuals and couples on general and sexual issues. One of her greatest honors is supporting clients during difficult times, as well as helping them make positive changes and reach life goals.
Dr. Chris Quinn-Nilas
Dr. Chris Quinn-Nilas is an Assistant Professor of Social Psychology at Memorial University of Newfoundland and the director of the Love Lab. His research focuses on romantic relationships and sexuality, employing quantitative methods to examine the complex dynamics of these partnerships. With a diverse array of research interests, his group investigates topics ranging from the influence of past traumas on relationship and sexual outcomes to the significance of mindfulness and self-compassion in improving relationship and sexual quality. Alongside his academic pursuits, Dr. Quinn-Nilas has experience as a methods and statistics consultant, and he teaches graduate courses in statistics as well as courses on relationships and sexuality. In his spare time, you can find him whale watching or playing with his dog, Murphy.
Ariel (Arik) Shoikhedbrod
Ariel (Arik) Shoikhedbrod is a senior doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at York University. Arik has provided psychological services across various hospital, community, and private practice settings including practicum placements through the Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in the University Health Network. Through these experiences, Arik gained specialized training in assessing and treating sexuality-related OCD and supporting individuals and couples experiencing sexual health difficulties from chronic and severe medical issues (i.e., cancer, pain). Arik currently works in private practice as a psychotherapist at Ontario Sex Therapy. Arik’s clinical interests are influenced by his doctoral research on sexual motivation, exploring how the reasons why people have sex can predict the maintenance of desire and satisfaction in romantic relationships over time. He remains informed by contemporary research and evidence-based practices through affiliations with the Canadian Sex Research Forum and the Society for Sex Therapy and Research.
Allen Mallory
Allen Mallory is an assistant professor at The Ohio State University in the Department of Human Sciences. Allen received his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in Human Development and Family Sciences where he was also a trainee at the University of Texas Population Research Center. He earned his M.S. in Couple in Family Therapy from Kansas State University and B.A. in Psychology from Case Western Reserve University. Allen’s research takes an intersectional approach to understanding the health and well-being of sexual and gender diverse youth and adults. Specifically, he studies how health disparities related to substance use, mental health, and sexual health vary among sexual and gender diverse people and in comparison to heterosexual/cisgender people across multiple marginalized identities as well as how risk and protective factors tied to multiple identities, such as interpersonal stigma and structural inequality, intersect to affect health. Allen’s second area of research focuses on sexual communication and understanding its benefits for relationship outcomes. He is particularly interested in understanding the components of sexual communication that most benefit relationships, and the different contexts that it has weaker and stronger associations with relational and sexual well-being.
Katarina Kovacevic
Kat is currently completing the PhD Social and Personality Psychology program at York University. She holds a Masters of Science Degree in Couple & Family Therapy Program from the University of Guelph, an Honours BA Degree in Psychology from York University and a Certificate in Sexuality Studies from York University. She is an Associate Member of ASTO (Association of Sex Therapy in Ontario, formerly BESTCO) and specializes in sex and relationship therapy. Her academic research has been published in the Journal of Sex Research and Current Opinion in Psychology, and she has presented her research at The International Association for Relationship Research, The Canadian Psychological Association, The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, SEXposium, and gave an award-winning talk on her research at the Canadian Sex Research Forum conference in 2022.
She is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), Narrative Therapy, mindfulness approaches, and embodied experiential dreamwork practices. She is the Clinic Director and a Clinical Supervisor at Kat Kova Therapy, a boutique psychotherapy clinic founded by Kat in 2018 that is home to a tight-knit team of 10 practitioners and support staff.
Dr. Andrea Meltzer
Dr. Andrea Meltzer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Florida State University. Her program of research integrates relationship science and evolutionary psychology to examine the implications of evolved processes for established relationships. More specifically, Dr. Meltzer conducts longitudinal research to examine changes in established long-term relationships such as marriage.
Dr. Jaclyn Siegel
Dr. Jaclyn Siegel is a feminist social psychologist whose research focuses on the ways in which social forces influence body- and eating-related attitudes and behaviors. She has published nearly 30 empirical articles on topics related to body image, eating disorders, gender, and sexuality, and she has taught Psychology of Human Sexual Behavior at San Diego State University to over 700 students. She sits on the editorial boards at Psychology of Women Quarterly, Body Image, Sex Roles, Psychology of Men and Masculinities, and Frontiers in Social Psychology. She is presently a Research Scientist in the Department of Public Health at NORC at the University of Chicago, where she works on various sexual and intimate partner violence prevention projects. In her free time, she enjoys running, musical theatre, and talking to any person who will listen to her about sexuality and/or body image.
Jessica Maxwell
Jessica Maxwell is an Assistant Professor in the Social Psychology Program and the Department of Health, Aging & Society at McMaster University. Her research focuses on interpersonal relationships and sexuality.
Dr. Maxwell did her PhD studies at the University of Toronto, studying how having a growth mindset towards your sex life can benefit your relationship and sex life. She then did a SSHRC postdoctoral fellowship at Florida State University, studying how conflict affects newlywed couples’ sex lives. She was a Senior Lecturer (2019-2022) at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, where she continued to examine romantic relationship dynamics.
In particular, she assess how individual differences in expectations and perceptions influence sexual and relationship well-being, examining factors such as how individuals expect they can best maintain sexual satisfaction, how accurate they are in detecting their partners’ feelings and sexual preferences, and how political beliefs may shape sexual satisfaction. She also investigate the insecurities individuals hold that may jeopardize their relationship success. For example, exploring how those with anxious and avoidant attachment experience casual sex encounters, how those high in fear of being single fare at speed-dating, and how people high in perfectionism experience work-life balance.
To tackle these research questions, she uses a variety of methods, including longitudinal, dyadic, experience sampling, experimental, speed-dating, eye-tracking, and implicit assessments.
She currently has a grant from SSHRC to research older adults' sexual mindsets.
Uzma Rehman
Uzma S. Rehman, Ph.D., C. Psych., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Waterloo. Her research lies at the intersection of intimate relationships and sexuality. In her program of research, she investigates sexual communication, sexual desire discrepancies, and sexual well-being using a variety of methods, including self-report, interview, partner reports, and observational methods. Dr. Rehman’s research has been funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Lucia O'Sullivan
I am a Professor and Chair in the Department of Psychology at the University of New Brunswick, Canada. My training is in social psychology, but with a strong background in sexual health research. My research centers primarily on attraction, the development and maintenance of intimate relationships, sexual health access, sexual function, and communication in the intimate relationships of young people. A particular focus of my work in recent years has been the impact of technology and social media on intimate relationships, and with my students, I have studied topics as far reaching as infidelity, fandom, romantic scripts, pornography, oral sex, rough sex, access to sexual health centers, and kissing. To date, I have published over 140 peer-reviewed scientific articles, many chapters and reviews, co-edited book on sexual coercion in dating relationships, and I am now a co-author on Janet Hyde’s widely-adopted sexuality textbook (Canadian edition). In addition, I serve on ten journal editorial boards and as Associate Editor of the Journal of Sex Research and have been awarded millions in federal and private grants in the US, Canada, and UK.
Shari M. Blumenstock
Dr. Shari M. Blumenstock is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Psychology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. After her original training in mechanical engineering, Shari began pursuing a career studying romantic and sexual relationships, receiving her PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Human Development and Family Studies in 2019 and postdoctoral training at the Kinsey Institute from 2020-2022. Her research focuses on sexual experiences and well-being within the context of intimate relationships, as well as the psychophysiological components of sexual arousal and desire, with an emphasis on pleasure, causal mechanisms underlying sexual desire, attachment, and partner influences. Shari is also passionate about using science to help others improve their romantic and sexual relationships. One of her overarching goals is to help others become more empowered and intentional in their relationships, particularly when it comes to sex.