Treating Pelvic Pain, Vulva Edition
Sexceptional Weekend:
Treating Pelvic Pain, Vulva Edition
with Nicoletta Heidegger, Kayna Cassard, Jillian Giannini and Special Guests
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.
Pelvic pain treatment usually requires a biopsychosocial approach. This Sexceptional Weekend will teach you about pelvic pain, common causes, multi-system assessment and treatment modalities, and compassionate and creative support options for clients who are struggling with this all too common concern.
Chronic vulvovaginal pain affects over 1/4 of women in the United States, and chronic pelvic pain accounts for 10% of all gynecology office visits. This type of pain affects quality of life, body image, relationships, desire and arousal patterns, and more! Despite this, most health professionals have little to no training in working with this presenting concern. Pelvic pain is under researched, underfunded, and not often discussed- in medical and community settings alike! Painful sex for femmes is often normalized in our culture, resulting in many clients feeling gaslit, alone, in pain, and without sexual desire or pleasure.
This in depth workshop for treating painful sex for vulvas spans two days and delves into the complexities of diagnosing and treating painful sexual experiences. Sex Should Only Hurt if You Want it to!
Day 1 – Assessment
We’ll introduce the main pelvic pain diagnoses to provide educational context; introduction of bio-psycho-social aspects of pain
Explain concepts like the multi-disciplinary treatment; psychology of pain; what keeps pain in place; and getting a medical rule out
How you help patients, and when/how to refer
Discuss how to conduct a thorough assessment for bio-psycho-social perspective for pelvic pain
Discuss how to conduct a sexual history for pelvic pain and unique considerations in the assessment
Day 2 – Treatment
How to work with individuals and interventions to use, including considerations for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ folks
How to help patients, and when/how to refer for other treatments
How to work with couples and ethically non-monogamous folks, along with interventions to use
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.
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.
Application Coming Soon
*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.
About the Presenters:
NICOLETTA HEIDEGGER, LMFT
Nicoletta von Heidegger is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (#110256) practicing in Los Angeles. Nicoletta received her BA in Psychology from Stanford University, her MA in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, and her MEd in Human Sexuality from Widener University. Nicoletta is currently pursuing her PhD in Human Sexuality from Widener. In addition to seeing clients in private practice, Nicoletta also works as an EAGALA certified equine assisted therapist at Stand in Balance. Nicoletta believes in embodied practice and is also certified in levels I and II of The Trauma Resiliency Model. When not working with clients, Nicoletta creates and hosts the growing hit podcast Sluts & Scholars and teaches educational seminars and classes to help others learn about sexual and mental health.
Kayna Cassard, LMFT
Kayna Cassard has been in the field of human sexuality since 2006, beginning as a Teaching Assistant for a Sex and Intimacy Course in her undergrad program, before continuing her studies with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology. Around that same time, she became a pelvic pain patient, needing specialized help and finding insufficient support and treatment for a heartbreaking condition. Her experience with this diagnosis and the lack of adequate care marked a pivotal realization that she must integrate her education with the vital needs of pelvic pain patients. As such, Kayna dedicated her life's work to becoming a Painful Sex Specialist, Sex Therapist, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
Kayna has spent over a decade providing lectures, workshops, and presentations at universities, healthcare associations, and therapy centers. Her expertise extended to podcasts, news channels, and magazines as a mental health specialist and topic expert. Kayna's career continued to advance as she became a Certified Trauma Therapist, incorporating the ""mind-body connection"" and Somatic Psychotherapy into her clinical work. She has appeared on podcasts such as Girl Boner and Sluts and Scholars, and her expertise as a mental health specialist and topic expert has led to contributing for CNN, Cosmopolitan, Self Magazine, and Bustle, among other outlets. Beyond her professional career, Kayna flourished as an international AcroYoga instructor and Intimacy Retreat Leader, offering a unique perspective and enhancing her clinical skills in unconventional ways. She is in the process of writing a sexual self-help book due to publish in June 2025 by Roman & Littlefield Publishers. Today, Kayna's private practice has evolved into a group practice and a modernized treatment center providing trauma-informed interventions for those dealing with sexual anxiety or pain.
Jillian Giannini
Jillian Giannini is a passionate pelvic health physical therapist dedicated to empowering individuals on their journey to wellness. With a degree from California State University, Northridge (CSUN), Jillian's educational foundation is robust and backed by a commitment to excellence. Her expertise extends beyond traditional therapy, as she is also certified in Pilates and yoga, seamlessly integrating these disciplines into her practice for a holistic approach to healing. She found her love for pelvic health physical therapy during her last clinical rotation. She felt very much at home talking about pee, poop and sex with patients, as well as being able to empathize with being a pelvic health patient herself. Just recently she opened up her own practice, LIA Pelvic Health Physical Therapy located in North Hollywood, CA.
At LIA Pelvic Health, Jillian Giannini’s mission is to provide trauma-informed, patient-centered care to individuals experiencing pelvic pain, bladder, bowel and/or sexual dysfunction. She is committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment where patients feel seen, heard, and empowered to take an active role in their healing journey.
Jillian's thirst for knowledge is evident in her continual pursuit of education. She has undertaken numerous courses to stay up to date on the latest advancements in her field, ensuring that her patients receive the most effective and innovative care available.
Although pelvic health physical therapy is a huge part of Jillian’s life, she also likes to spend time with family, hiking, dancing, working out, doing yoga/pilates, and drawing. You can check out some of her drawings on her instagram @dr.g_dpt.