Pleasure Advocacy: A Sexual Wellness Model

Presented by The Office of Continuing Education and The Association or Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness

Pleasure Advocacy: A Sexual Wellness Model

Friday, May 21, 2021

8:00AM-10:00AM PDT/ 10:00AM-12:00PM CST/11:00PM-1:00PM EST

Program offers 2.0 CEs for Psychologists (APA), 2.0 CEUs for Illinois state Counselors and Social Workers*, and 2.0 BBS California CEUs for LPCCs, LPSW, and LMFTs

Live Webinar Event held via Zoom. Live attendace is required for this program.

*The state of Illinois is currently allowing those who renew in 2021 to use up to 15 hours of CEUs obtained online. They will review current in-person restrictions in July to determine if more hours may be used for online courses. For more information please visit https://www.idfpr.com/COVID-19.asp

Workshop Description:

Research has shown that sexual well-being is a critical factor in overall health and quality of life (Giami 2002; Higgins et al., 2006; McCabe et al., 2010; Southern & Cade, 2011). According to the World Health Organization (2006) sexual health includes not only physical and biological health related functions but also sexual pleasure and satisfaction. The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) at the World Congress of Sexual Health in Mexico City in 2019 established the “WAS Declaration on Sexual Pleasure.” This indicated a shift toward recognizing that sexual pleasure was necessary for sexual health and a central factor to overall wellbeing. (WAS, 2019). However, it is not possible to discuss sexual pleasure without also acknowledging the political and cultural influences which often restrict and interfere with access to sexual pleasure and recognition of sexual pleasure as a basic human right.

Historically, the attention on sexual health has been on alleviating suffering and pain. Mental health professionals focus on pathology and dysfunction rather than the absence of disease. Sexual education, when it is provided, stresses disease, death, and all of the potential risks of becoming sexually active. According to the author Adrienne Maree Brown, who wrote the book, Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good (2019), pleasure activism is defined as “the work we do to reclaim our whole, happy, and satisfiable selves from the impacts of delusions, and limitations of oppression and/or supremacy.” (p.13). She challenges pleasure activists to cultivate recognition of the restorative richness of pleasure that is available to everyone, in spite of having been socialized to believe that sexual pleasure is only acceptable when experienced by white males. Or that sexual pleasure is in limited supply reserved for those who are young, healthy, and meet society’s definition sexually attractive.

Mental health professionals have an ethical obligation to promote sexual health as an essential aspect of the human experience. This includes acknowledging sexual pleasure as central to sexual wellbeing. Competent clinicians need to obtain education and training in order to work effectively with their client to address sexual issues. This means being able to recognize the complex cultural aspects of sexuality and sexual pleasure which includes race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender and gender expression, values and beliefs, SES, physical abilities as well as current social/political events which work to oppress minoritized groups. The access to and ability to freely engage in “pleasurable and safe sexual experiences free of discrimination, coercion, and violence” as a fundamental human right unfortunately is not available to all people.

This workshop will review the political and societal influences which impact sexual pleasure for oppressed groups in the U.S. Sexual pleasure will be redefined in a way that is more expansive and inclusive. Different tools that have been developed to measure sexual pleasure and satisfaction and their limitations will be examined. The presenters will discuss the WAS Declaration of Sexual Pleasure and the importance of pleasure advocacy as mental health professionals.

Learning Objectives:

After attending this intermediate-level workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the ways in which sexual pleasure is influenced by politics and societal norms.

2. Identify common research tools for measuring pleasure and sexual satisfaction as well as their limitations.

3. Apply pleasure advocacy to their clinical work in order to promote sexual health.

4. Utilize understanding of the historical attempts to oppress sexual pleasure for women and People of Color to inform their social justice work and become pleasure advocates.

Professional Bio of Presenter, Frances McClain, PhD, LCPC, NCC, Director of Clinical Training, Office of Placement & Training, Counseling Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Frances McClain, PhD, LCPC, NCC is a licensed clinical professional counselor and received her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and her Master’s in Counseling from Governors State University. She is the Director of Clinical Training in the Office of Placement & Training for the Counseling Psychology department at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, IL. She is the lead instructor for the Practicum/Internship Seminars and Human Sexuality courses in her department. She was the Director of Clinical Services at The Josselyn Center, a community mental health center on the North Shore, for 10 years prior to joining academia. Throughout her career she has worked in a number of different capacities that includes individual, family, and group clinical work, clinical and administrative supervision, grant writing, program development and implementation, case management, psychosocial rehabilitation, community liaison work with both private and state psychiatric hospitals, and consultation with mental health centers around program development and accreditation preparation. Her career journey has taken her from the far south suburbs, to DuPage County to Chicago and the North Shore. She has a limited private practice working with clients on a pro bono basis. She specializes in working with individuals with co-occurring illnesses, trauma, crisis and disaster response, and sexually related issues, LGBTQ+ and other sexual minoritized communities. She has spoken at both state and national conferences and workshops on a variety of topics including multiculturalism, professional ethics, working with the LGBTQ+ community, and sexuality. Dr. McClain is the President-Elect and one of the co-founders of the Association of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness (ACSSW), editor of the ACCSW newsletter, and on the editorial board of the Journal of Counseling Sexology and Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, & Education. Her areas of interest for research include social justice, abolitionist work, human sexuality, participatory action research, counseling sexology and sexual wellness, LBTQIA+ and kink communities, and pleasure advocacy.

Professional Bio of Presenter, Lisa Salvadore, MSW, LCSW, LCPC, CADC, Lecturer, Jane Addams College of Social Work, UIC

Lisa Salvadore, MSW, LCSW, LCPC, CADC, is a licensed clinical social worker and received her Master’s in Social Work from Aurora University. Ms. Salvadore is a full-time lecturer at the Jane Addams College of Social Work at University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC). Additionally, she has been an adjunct assistant professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology since 2009. During her tenure teaching at a graduate level she has taught a wide variety of courses which include clinical skills and interventions in practice, corrections, mental health policy, human sexuality, theories, as well as substance use related courses. Between 1994 to 2011 she worked at the DuPage County Behavioral Health Department and was instrumental in the development of the first mental health court in Illinois. Additionally, Ms. Salvadore assisted in the development of the Mental Health Court Professionals Association of Illinois, which was the first in the nation. Since 2006 she has maintained a limited private practice and specializes in working with persons with co-occurring disorders as well as persons with gender identity issues and other sexual minority populations. Ms. Salvadore has presented at state and national conferences and provided trainings on topics related to compassion fatigue, motivational interviewing, working with adult offenders, and human sexuality. Her areas of professional interests include counseling sexology and sexual wellness, social justice, fighting stigma against mental illness, harm reduction advocacy, promoting wellness in the LGBTIA+, Kink and Sexual Minorities Communities.

Program Standards and Goals

This program meets APA’s continuing education standard 1.3: Program content focuses on topics related to psychological practice, education, or research other than application of psychological assessment and/or intervention methods that are supported by contemporary scholarship grounded in established research procedures.

This program meets APA’s continuing education goal 3: Program will allow psychologists to maintain, develop, and increase competencies in order to improve services to the public and enhance contributions to the profession.

Workshop Schedule (Shown in CST):

10:00 am – Event Begins

12:00pm – Event Ends

Registration and Fees:

ACSSW Members: Free

General Admission: $40.00

TCSPP Staff/Faculty: Free

TCSPP Students: Free

TCSPP Alumni: $20.00

Community Partners/Site Supervisors: $20.00

Non-TCSPP Students: $10.00

Refund Policy:

100% of tuition is refundable up to 48 hours before the program. Within 48 hours of the program, tuition is nonrefundable.

References:

Brown, A. M. (2019). Pleasure activism: The politics of feeling good. AK Press.

Ford, J. V., Corona Vargas, E., Finotelli Jr, I., Fortenberry, J. D., Kismödi Eszter, Philpott, A., …Coleman, E. (2019). Why pleasure matters: its global relevance for sexual health, sexual rights and wellbeing. International Journal of Sexual Health, 31(3), 217–230. https://doi.org/10.1080/19317611.2019.1654587

Jolly, S., Cornwall, A., & Hawkins, K. (2012). Women, sexuality, and the political power of pleasure. Zed Books.

Landers, S., & Kapadia, F. (2020). The public health of pleasure: going beyond disease prevention. American Journal of Public Health, 110(2), 140–141. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305495

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

Target Audience: LCPCs, LCSWs, LMFTs, psychologists, any mental health professionals, and graduate students.

Psychologists. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 2.0 continuing education credits. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is committed to accessibility and non-discrimination in its continuing education activities. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is also committed to conducting all activities in conformity with the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles for Psychologists. Participants are asked to be aware of the need for privacy and confidentiality throughout the program. If program content becomes stressful, participants are encouraged to process these feelings during discussion periods. If participants have special needs, we will attempt to accommodate them. Please address questions, concerns and any complaints to Danielle Bohrer at 312-467-2364. There is no commercial support for this program nor are there any relationships between the CE Sponsor, presenting organization, presenter, program content, research, grants, or other funding that could reasonably be construed as conflicts of interest.

Counselors/Clinical Counselors. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available 2.0 hours of continuing education. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to provide continuing education programming for counselors and clinical counselors.License Number: 197.000159

Social Workers. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 2.0 hours of continuing education. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to provide continuing education programming for social workers. License Number: 159.001036

MFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs. Course meets the qualifications for 2.0 hour of continuing education credit for MFTs, LPCCs, and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. If you are licensed outside of California please check with your local licensing agency to to determine if they will accept these CEUs. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to offer continuing education programming for MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, and/or LCSWs. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is an accredited or approved postsecondary institution that meets the requirements set forth in Sections 4980.54(f)(1), 4989.34, 4996.22(d)(1), or 4999.76(d) of the Code.

Participation Certificate. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is able to provide students and other participants who simply wish to have documentation of their attendance at the program a participation certificate.

Non Psychologists. Most licensing boards accept Continuing Education Credits sponsored by the American Psychological Association but non-psychologists are recommended to consult with their specific state-licensing board to ensure that APA-sponsored CE is acceptable.

*Participants must attend 100% of the program in order to obtain a Certificate of Attendance.

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology maintains responsibility for this program and its content.