September Online Conference: Assessment and “Treatment” of Sexual Arousal and Desire “Disorders”: Symptoms or Signposts Towards Optimal Erotic Intimacy? with Peggy J. Kleinplatz, Ph.D
SEXUAL HEALTH ALLIANCE PRESENTS A
TWO-DAY ONLINE SEXCEPTIONAL WORKSHOP WITH
DR. PEGGY KLEINPLATZ, PhD!
Day 1: Sunday, September 13th, 2020: 9:00am - 5:00pm CST
Day 2: Monday, September 14th, 2020: 9:00am - 5:00pm CST
*This conference will NOT be recorded. You need to attend LIVE for this exclusive presentation.
We are over the moon excited to welcome a very special person into the SHA family. Dr. Peggy Kleinplatz is an icon in our field and has many accolades to her name. Her newest book, Magnificent Sex, Lessons from Extraordinary Lovers includes incredible research and brilliant ideas about working with couples that are essential to any sexual health professional.
Is it possible to identify and distinguish between arousal and desire?
What is the relationship between arousal and desire? Is there a difference between sexual arousal and/or desire in men versus women?
Can we use the symptoms of arousal and desire problems as opportunities for individual, interpersonal and erotic growth?
How can research on Optimal Sexual Experiences (OSEs) inform our work with couples with sexual desire discrepancies?
Image Description: Announcing workshop entitled “Assessment and “Treatment” of Sexual Arousal and Desire “Disorders”: Symptoms or Signposts Towards Optimal Erotic Intimacy?” with Peggy J. Kleinplatz, Ph.D
This workshop will weave together two major themes:
1. The history of clinical approaches to sexual arousal and desire concerns
2. Research on optimal erotic intimacy
The most common sexual problems are related to desire, that is, low-no desire/frequency of sexual activity and sexual desire discrepancy. How much is sufficient? How much is too much? What is the relationship between arousal and desire? Is there a difference between sexual arousal and/or desire in men versus women, between straight couples versus LGBTQ relationships? Some of the conceptual, research and clinical considerations for understanding our evolving views of sexual arousal and desire problems will be discussed. We will begin by reviewing the history of classification of arousal and desire problems as manifest in the various editions of the DSM. We will continue by grappling with the intermingling of arousal and desire and will discuss changes in the conceptual context surrounding arousal and desire in sex therapy. What are the implications of our changing conceptions for assessment and therapy with individuals/ relationships with sexual desire problems?
Whereas historically, sex therapy was to target the couple, treatment of desire problems has been targeted conspicuously towards the low desire partner. In the media, it is women who are stereotyped as having low desire and need fixing. In the last 5 years, the US FDA has approved 2 pharmaceutical treatments for women with low desire. The literature suggest that quick fixes are not working.
And what if there is no disorder or dysfunction to be treated? What if the “symptoms” to be treated are not even indicative of pathology? What if they are better understood as signposts towards wanting more? Beginning in 2005, our research team began from a different vantage point: Can research on extraordinary lovers help distressed couples with low/no desire or no/low sexual frequency – and their therapists – find new paths to sex worth wanting? We studied individuals and couples whose sex lives became richer over time. What does it take to make optimal sexual experience develop and flourish over the course of a lifetime? What lessons might extraordinary lovers have for ordinary or even distressed couples and their therapists? We then applied our findings to develop an accessible, cost-effective, group therapy intervention for LGBTQ and straight couples distressed about sexual desire/frequency concerns. Our goal was to improve the quality – rather than the frequency – of erotic intimacy. This workshop will identify how we can shift our focus from the “identified patient” to the qualities of erotic intimacy that make sex desirable.
After completing this workshop, participants will be able to:
1. Identify 1 obstacle for men in distinguishing between sexual arousal and desire
2. Identify 1 obstacle for sex therapists in distinguishing between arousal and desire problems in women
3. Enumerate changes in the DSM editions over time in the classification of arousal disorders in men versus in women.
4. Enumerate changes in the DSM editions over time in the classification of desire disorders in men versus women.
5. Identify 1 strategy for distinguishing between arousal and desire problems in therapy
6. Identify 1 way that therapists can use clients’ symptoms of arousal and/or desire problems as opportunities for erotic growth.
7. Identify 1 obstacle to differential diagnosis of sexual problems not normally relevant for diagnoses of other kinds of disorders.
8. Identify 2 obstacles to pleasure
9. Describe 1 way that assessment of sexual frequency can impede assessment of sexual desire problems.
10. Identify 5 types of causal factors in the origins of sexual problems.
11. Name 4 components of Optimal Sexual Experiences (OSEs).
12. Describe 2 lessons from extraordinary lovers
13. Name 2 facilitating factors which help to bring about OSEs
14. Describe 2 ways conventional sexual norms impede optimal sexual development
15. Identify 2 beliefs clients and therapists need to unlearn in order to shift toward OSEs
16. Name 2 ways in which research on Optimal Sexual Experiences can be used to promote higher quality of sex.
Want to become SHA Certified?:
Want to stop paying for conferences one by one? This program can also be registered for and included as part of SHA’s full Sexuality Educator/Counselor/Sex Therapy Certification 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.
ATTENDEE & REGISTRATION INFORMATION
16 LPC, LMFT, LCSW and AASECT* CEs for Both Days (Sunday & Monday)
8 LPC, LMFT, LCSW and AASECT* CEs for Sunday Only or Monday Only
Please note: CEs for Texas and Colorado licenses are included in the CE ticket(s) price options provided by SHA.
FOR ALL OTHER STATE CEs outside of Colorado & Texas, please purchase a ticket through Sexual Health Alliance AND use the link below to purchase your state CEs through Cassidy Seminars. You MUST purchase both to get access to the conference and obtain your specific state’s CEs.
Cassidy CE Link for Individual Days: https://www.academeca.com/CEUReg/SeminarInfo.aspx?seminarId=3567
Cassidy CE Link for Both Days: https://www.academeca.com/CEUReg/SeminarInfo.aspx?seminarId=3568
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 each conference day for $99.
Peggy J. Kleinplatz, Ph.D.
Peggy J. Kleinplatz, Ph.D. is Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Director of Sex and Couples Therapy Training at the University of Ottawa.
She is a clinical psychologist, Board Certified in Sex Education and as a Diplomate and Supervisor of Sex Therapy. She was awarded the Prix d’Excellence in 2000 for her teaching of Human Sexuality. She is Director of the Optimal Sexual Experiences Research Team of the University of Ottawa and has a particular interest in sexual health in the elderly, disabled and marginalized populations. Kleinplatz has edited four books, notably New Directions in Sex Therapy: Innovations and Alternatives, (Routledge, 2nd Edition), winner of the AASECT 2013 Book Award, Sadomasochism: Powerful Pleasures with Dr. Charles Moser (2006) and Sexuality and Aging (2015) with Dr. Walter Bouman. In 2015, Kleinplatz received the Professional Standard of Excellence Award from the American Association of Sexuality Editors, Counsellors and Therapists. Her clinical work focuses on eroticism and transformation. Her research, writing, teaching and clinical work have been intended to challenge, expand and diversify the field of sex therapy.
*This program meets the requirements of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and is approved for 16 AASECT CE credits. These CE credits may be applied toward AASECT certification and renewal of certification. Completion of this program does not ensure or guarantee AASECT certification. For further information please contact ce@aasect.org