Erotic Self-Expansion for Sexual Trauma Survivors (4 CE Hours, 2024)

Course Description:

Traditional therapy for sexual trauma survivors leans into cognitive processing interventions adhering to a model of sexual dysfunction and challenging negative self and world narratives. However, trauma is a body and brain experience and including somatic practices is integral to the therapeutic process. Intentionally entering the erotic is also a fundamental step in healing sexual trauma as survivors often report feeling completely disconnected from their desires after a traumatic experience. This workshop will explore methods for increasing sexual embodiment and wellness through the erotic self-expansion model and a sex-positive, pleasure-centered framework.

Learning objectives:

• Discuss overlapping physio-somatic sexual and trauma responses.

• Describe the impact that trauma has on the brain and body and how it impacts sexuality and sexual behavior.

• Define and explain 2 benefits of “erotic self-expansion”.

• Describe four (4) somatic, practical, pleasure-centered interventions to help clients explore eroticism.

Speaker Bio:

Rafaella Smith-Fiallo, LCSW (she/ella) is a sexual liberation activist, speaker, and therapist specializing in relationship, sex, and trauma therapy. She works out of her private practice, Healing Exchange LLC, in St. Louis, MO and co-founded Afrosexology, a sex-positive, pleasure-based sexuality education business. Rafaella has worked in the fields of suicide prevention and crisis intervention, with veteran populations, in inpatient and outpatient settings, within nonprofit mental health organizations, and has a passion for community healing. She is an international educator, consultant, and speaker and has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Vibe Magazine, and Broadly. Learn more about Rafaella and her work at www.rafaellafiallo.com.