The Sexual Health Alliance community has had a busy year! From incredible online events to our first post-pandemic conference in Denver, it has been a whirlwind of fun and sexceptional education. Before the year is over, let’s take a look at some of the top Sexual Health Alliance blogs, conference overviews, and reviews from our SHA events.
The Top SHA Blogs in 2023
The SHA Nymphomedia Blog is JUICY! This is the place to learn about what’s new and noteworthy in the sexuality profession… for free! Take a look at some of our most popular blogs from 2023. Which one is your favorite?
Number 1: Sex on Drugs: Psychedelics
“Sex and drugs are an often controversial duo; there are pros and cons when having sex in an altered state. The difference between “good” and “bad” sex on drugs is the substance you consume and who you engage in intimacy with. Some drugs are more dangerous to your body or mind, while others are more likely to blur the lines of consent. When it comes to recreational drugs such as cannabis, Xanax, Cocaine, and LSD, there is a sort of spectrum on the safety of combining each substance with intimacy. For this blog, I will discuss a class of drugs historically associated with sexual liberation: psychedelics.” Read more here!
Number 2: So You Might Be A Sissy: A Beginner’s Guide to Sissification
“Have you ever been called a sissy before? As you probably know, “sissy” is a derogatory term that’s used to describe men or boys as weak, effeminate, cowardly, and/or gay. It’s also sometimes used as a slur against trans women and transfeminine people. As a term, it has its roots in that perfectly horrible trifecta that seems to dictate toxic masculinity: misogyny, homophobia, and transphobia. But for some people being a “sissy” isn’t an accusation to defend oneself against. Instead, “sissy” can be a kinky headspace, a sexual role to take on, or even an important part of one’s identity. So, let’s talk about sissification kinks and what it means to be a sissy. We’ll explore the eroticism in sissification fantasies, ways sissification can look in real life, and how you can start exploring being a sissy if it appeals to you. Along the way, we’ll dispel common myths and address some of the harmful ideas that circulate in sissification spheres.” Read more here!
Number 3: Do Your Homework: Couples Sex Therapy Exercises to Do at Home
Homework doesn’t stop once you leave education. For those who have experienced therapy, you may be familiar with the idea of “homework” — exercises and practices that are meant to be carried out at home, away from the presence of the therapist. Individuals or couples have the chance to actively practice what they learned in therapy, and reflect on that practice in the next session. There are many “homework” tasks that can be assigned, some may be meant to be practiced alone, and others with your partner. For most therapies to work, consistency in approach, practice, and outside exercises is key to ensuring the therapeutic methods stick. Think of it like learning a new skill–You don’t learn to cook by talking to a chef or watching Hell’s Kitchen, you need to practice cooking and the skills and techniques required for it. Therapy, especially sex therapy, works in the same way, and there is no right or wrong reason for choosing to engage in sex therapy! Read more here!
SHA’s 2023 Sexceptional Weekends and In-Person Conference
If you’ve ever been to a SHA event, you know. It’s an energetic and engaging weekend full of community, sex-positivity, and of course, mind-blowing education. These SHA blogs give a recap and the highlights of some of these sexceptional events.
SHA’s 2023 Weekend Event with Midori
Highlights from SHA’s Conference Weekend: Kink for Helping Professionals
Nothing starts the new year better than a kinky conference, and that’s exactly what took place this weekend. Hosted by the wonderful Midori, the supernova of kink, we covered a wide range of topics—ranging from negotiation and kink, to kink and neurodiversity.
The day started with Midori providing us with an excerpt from her presentation “Best Kinky Advice Nobody Told You,” in this, we went over common terms in the kink community such as sadist, bottom, fetishist, and dominant, questioning our own definitions and beliefs on them. Here we faced the nuance of kinky language and the importance of context and specific terminology. We were provided with a wealth of information through the useful analogies Midori gave to us, as well as learning the importance of speaking in verbs rather than nouns—instead of stating “I am a dominant” it should be “I want to dominate you tonight” which allows someone to separate their sexual appetite from their identity. Read more here!
SHA’s 2023 Weekend Event with Jet-Setting Jasmine
Highlights from SHA's Sexceptional Weekend with Jet-Setting Jasmine
For this weekend’s lectures, SHA brought back one of our favorite presenters, Jet-Setting Jasmine, along with her husband, King Noire, and other special guests to talk about race, pornography, and sex-positive parenting. Though SHA has featured Jet-Setting Jasmine and King Noire, along with their discussions on sex-positive parenting and the porn industry, this weekend’s talk brought new faces to the discussion.
The first day of this conference began with the titular conversation: Sex-Positive Parenting with Jasmine, King, and Jessia Nater, Children and Family Specialist and founder of PlaySmart Learning Center. During their discussion, we covered what it’s like being a parent and a sex worker or someone in the industry. Read more here!
SHA’s 2023 Event with Dr. Justin Lehmiller
Highlights from SHA's Sexceptional Weekend: Sex Around the World with Dr. Justin Lehmiller
This last weekend, the Sexual Health Alliance welcomed not one, not two but nine experts in the field of sex and sexuality. From doing some sex educational sight-seeing in Europe to immersing in the sexuality politicals of Latin America, our journey around the world was unquestionably eye-opening.
On the first day, we jumped right to Europe and met with BodySex facilitators from all over the continent. Céline Manon in Germany, Almudena Ferrer in Spain, Jessica Adams in Austria, and Beatrice Bast in Switzerland. Leading the panel with these amazing women was yet another BodySex coach, SHA’s Director of Operations, Jenn Rhaner! Jenn asked our European panelists to define and discuss what sex education and legislation look like in their country, but also how positively the culture views sex and sexuality. Read more here!
SHA’s 2023 Event with Dr. Michael Vigorito, Dr. Wendy Miller, and Dr. Joshua Grubbs
Highlights from SHA's Conference Weekend: Rethinking Sex Addiction
Sexual Health Alliance had an excellent and engaging weekend conference with experts Michael Vigorito, Dr. Wendy Miller, and Dr. Joshua Grubbs. Our students learned about reframing the term “sex addiction”, how to assess individuals for out-of-control sexual behaviors, and the treatment modalities available to best assist future clients.
Day one consisted of engaging lectures and Q&As with Michael Viforito. He started the day by reviewing sexual dysregulation concepts, pathology-based models, and symptoms of pre-existing psychiatric conditions. Michael elaborated on these topics and covered the concepts of moral incongruence, psychosexual problems, defining out of control sexual behavior, and conceptualization.
In addition to fascinating lectures, the morning contained a hands-on assessment activity. To complement Michael’s morning sessions, Dr. Wendy Miller and Dr. Joshua Grubbs held extraordinary OCSB sessions for us in the afternoon. Read more here!
SHA’s 2023 Online Sexceptional Business Summit
HIghlights from SHA’s Sexceptional Business Summit
The Sexual Health Alliance had an incredibly interesting and engaging weekend learning from a range of professionals in the sexuality field, including Dr. David J. Ley, Dr. Justin Lehmiller, Dr. Chris Donaghue, Suki Dunham, Alyssa Ljubcich, Shakun Sethi, Soum Rakshit, Athena Gayle, Dr. Donna Jennings and Jacques Gerard. Whether you're a clinician, educator, erotic writer, or working in the sex tech industry, this conference included truly useful tips and insights for everyone and anyone interested in the business of sexuality. Our students learned how to build and maintain an audience through email marketing and social media, as well as how to navigate the risks associated with being a clinician on social media or testifying as an expert witness on sexuality.
We are also very excited to announce our Business of Sexuality speciality certification coming out later this year! Whether you're launching your first or fifth sexuality business, get on the waiting list now for access to our specially curated course to help your sexuality business grow and thrive. Read more here!
SHA’s 2023 Online Event: The Science Behind Relationships
Highlights from SHA’s Sexceptional Summit: The Science of Relationships
On September 16th and 17th, the Sexual Health Alliance hosted an incredibly illuminating and truly sexceptional summit, learning more about the science behind relationships. We were joined by a range of professionals—in the field of psychology field and beyond—such as Dr. Marie Thouin, Dr. Lisa Neff, Dr. Sarah Stanton, Dr. Bill Chopik, Laura Vowels, Dr. Dylan Selterman, Dr. Nicole Prause, Dr. Taylor Kohut, Dr. Christopher Agnew, and Dr. Lisa Diamond.
A special thank you goes out to Dr. Rhonda Balzarini both for her powerful lecture and for organizing this summit. Our students extended their knowledge of traditional attachment theory and learned more about some key predictors of committed, successful, and satisfying relationships. The tools and knowledge acquired through this weekend experience are sure to aid our students both in their careers as clinicians and other helping professions as well as in reflecting on their own personal relationships. Read more here!
SHA’s 2023 In-Person Sexological Conference in Denver
Looking Back on SHA’s Inagural Sexological Conference
The Sexual Health Alliance (SHA) recently concluded its inaugural Sexological Conference, an event that set a new standard for the exploration of sexual health and human sexuality. In this comprehensive overview, we delve into the highlights of the conference, its key speakers, the wealth of knowledge shared, and the profound impact it's poised to have on the field of sexual health. This article provides an in-depth understanding of the conference's significance and the invaluable insights offered.
The conference kicked off with a captivating keynote address by Dr. Chris Donaghue, a prominent figure in the field of sexual health and a driving force behind SHA's initiatives. Dr. Donaghue's selection of presentations for the first day covered an array of topics. Attendees had the opportunity to explore issues ranging from aging and its relation to kink to discussions on sexual satisfaction among Christian women and a candid overview of the world of pornography. Read more here!
Let’s hear it from the community! Reviews from SHA events
If you’re looking for a boring lecture, SHA events will NOT be your jam. If you are looking for interactive and inspiring conversations, we have you covered! The SHA Team doesn’t have to tell you how great our events are, you can hear it from our conference attendees!
“So thankful to have spent 4 days with these newfound friends who celebrate connection, relationships, and embodiment just as much as I do at every level. The dedication both personally and professionally - with will to continue lifelong exploration and integration - is an energy that cannot be contained by words alone.” -SHA Conference Attendee
"OMG the content was amazing. It was great hearing from the presenters and engaging with all the participants in the chat" -SHA Conference Attendee
"This was my first SHA event and I was thoroughly impressed with the range of presenters and the quality of the presentations." -SHA Conference Attendee
"The motivation to learn more! Being my first conference, I was blown away by all of the research conducted." -SHA Conference Attendee
"The SHA community feels so supportive and joyful. Many of the talks were also relatable to my own life and relationships and made me feel that sexual and relationship challenges I've had/am having are normal!" -SHA Conference Attendee
The SHA Community is truly the best around! Our students, alumni, presenters, faculty, and team make every year even better than the last. We can’t wait to share another year of learning, empowerment, and sex-positive content with you all!