Join Conference Committee Chair, Chris Belous, and Program Committee Members as they extend a warm welcome to kick off the conference and set the stage for an exciting event ahead!

Presenter

Zooey Zephyr

Intended Audience

All Audiences

CE Credits

AASECT – 1.5

NASW – 1.5

Session Description

Join Representative Zooey Zephyr for a conversation about building relationships and making change in an era where fear-based politics seek to make bogeymen out of LGBTQ people and other marginalized communities. This talk will discuss Representative Zephyr’s path to politics, strategies for identifying areas where change can be affected, and advice for how to center kindness while holding those who seek to do harm accountable for their actions. The talk will include political theory as well as specific strategies to achieve these goals.

Presenter

Yamonte Cooper, Ed.D, LPCC, NCC, CST-S

Intended Audience

All Audiences

CE Credits

AASECT – 1.5

NASW – 1.5

NBCC – 1.5

Session Description

Black males are disproportionately victims of sexual violence, intimate partner violence/homicide (IPV/IPH), and suicide. Recent data from the CDC’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS/2022) indicate that 58 percent of Black males report sexual violence, physical violence, and or stalking by an intimate partner. Black males overwhelmingly report being made to penetrate, sexual coercion, and unwarranted sexual contact where the primary perpetrators are female. Frameworks such as intersectionality fail to adequately capture Black male vulnerability. Most frameworks that attempt to explain the experiences of Black males are deficit and pathology-oriented frameworks that lack empirical evidence and are inherently racist. This presentation provides comprehensive information on Black male sexual victimization that fills a critical and urgent void in the mental health field. Therefore, professionals will be able to begin to adequately recognize and articulate the sexual victimization of Black males and provide responsive care and clinical interventions that inform treatment approaches.

Presenter

Pidgeon Pagonis (they/them)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

CE Credits

AASECT – 1

NBCC – 1

Session Description

This presentation explores the journey towards intersex liberation, encompassing the complexities of identity, advocacy, and sexual health. Pidgeon Pagonis, a prominent intersex activist, shares personal anecdotes and societal insights to shed light on the challenges faced by intersex individuals. By delving into historical contexts and contemporary narratives, attendees gain a deeper understanding of the intersections between intersex rights and sexual health. Through empowering discourse, Pidgeon invites participants to envision a future where intersex individuals are fully recognized, respected, and embraced within society.

Presenter

Christine Mason (she)

Intended Audience

Counselors, Therapists, Medical Professionals

CE Credits

AASECT – 1

Session Description

For generations, menopause has been shrouded in negative stereotypes, misconceptions, and societal false beliefs. These biases, deeply embedded in our collective psyche, have detrimentally influenced how women perceive, approach, and experience this transformative life stage. The misconceptions have further impacted sexual well-being, intimacy, and overall quality of life for many. This talk aims to debunk myths surrounding menopause, reinvent its narrative, and highlight its potential as an empowering, vibrant phase of life, free from ageism and societal biases.

Presenter

Dr. Jane Fleishman

Dr. Jayleen Galarza

Dr. Rosara Torrisi (she/her/Dr. T)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

CE Credits

AASECT – 1.5

Session Description

Join the co-hosts of the AASECT award-winning podcast, www.ourbetterhalf.net, for a live recording of an episode exploring the richness and complexity of sexuality in the latter half of life. Co-hosts Drs. Jane Fleishman, Jay Galarza-Patterson, and Rosara Torrisi will share insights from the past years of Our Better Half, interview a very special guest, debrief the interview, and then open up the mic to your questions about older adults’ sexuality and podcasting. This keynote session emphasizes celebrating the aging body and mind, promoting inclusivity of the multidimensionality of older adults’ sexual orientations and gender identities, and fostering intergenerational dialogues about sexual health. This fast-paced and exciting keynote aims to challenge societal narratives around aging and sexuality, advocate for the sexual rights of older adults, and provide valuable insights and resources to clinicians, educators, and counselors. 

Presenter

Juan Camarena, PhD, LMFT, LPCC, CST (he/him/el)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

CE Credits

AASECT – 1.5

NBCC – 1.5

Session Description

Does Latinidad (the experience of a pan-Latino identity) exist? And if so, is there a common experience of sexuality? Latine(x/a/o) peoples come from 32 countries across the world and are a heterogenous mix of Indigenous, European, and African ancestries (González Burchard, et. al., 2005). Using a frame of “y” the Spanish word for “and,” the plenary will focus on duality as an integral experience of Latine(x/a/o)s living in the United States. As a collective of sexuality professionals we will explore concepts that seem in opposition, such as sexual indulgence and purity, through a mixture of data y música. We will also consider how professionals may be using whitewashing interventions in the treatment of sexual trauma through rationality, boundaries, and individualism without considering the importance of familismo, personalismo, dichos, aguantarse y desaguarse. Participants will also be asked to add more conexión y sazón to their work across populations.

Join the Conference Committee Chair and Program Committee for a look ahead to 2025!

Presenter

Kristen Lilla, LCSW, CST-S, CSE-S (she/they)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

CE Credits

AASECT – 2

APA – 2

Session Description

Understanding the AASECT Code of Conduct can take months, even years, but this workshop will help people understand how to file a grievance, identify how they can represent themselves as members, and how the welfare of the consumer impacts both of those. So come on consumer, represent yourself, and file a grievance in this interactive and informative workshop!