Sex and Technology: Considering Digisexuality, Digattachment, and Digihealth (15 CE Hours)

Course Description:
This training will focus on sex, technologies, and relationships with implications for sexological professional practices. In this course digisexuality, digiattachment bonds, digihealth and out-of-control-digital behaviors, as well as frameworks for practice working with human-synthetic relationships, including digiaffirming microskills and the couple and family technology framework.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Describe a lens of digihealth and related digihealth principles
2. Apply a lens of digihealth and related digihealth principles
3. Describe a lens of digiattachment
4. Discuss the couple and family technology framework
5. Apply the couple and family technology framework
6. Describe a lens of digisexuality and digisexual identity
7. Apply a lens of digisexuality and digisexual identity
8. Describe a lens of mediating technologies
9. Describe a lens of immersive technologies
10. Describe digiaffirming microskills
11. Explain 2 practical tools for use in working with clients around diversity intersectionalities and technology
12. Explain the role AI plays in facilitating human intimacy
13. Explain how people form intimate bonds with AI chatbots
14. Describe different uses and modalities of social AI
15. List 2 possible benefits of AI companions
16. Discuss the risks of AI companions

Activity Schedule:

Part I

15 minutes: Training overview my parts, welcome and land acknowledge, introduction, MLE

2 hours: Digihealth

1 hour: Digihealth

1.5 hours: Digiattachment

1.5 hours: Digiattachment

2 hours and 40 minutes: CFT framework

5 minutes: Wrap up 

Part II

Part I – with Dr. Markie Twist

10 minutes: brief check in and review outline for tday

1 hour and 50 minutes: Digisexuality

1 hour: Digisexuality

1 hour: GSERD Matrix and Digimatrix

Part II – with Dr.Neil McArthur

1 hour: What is social AI? What are the risks and benefits?

1 hour: Social AI and sexuality. What are the ways in which social AI impacts people’s experiences of love and sex, both with and without human partners? How is this experienced differently by members of different sub-groups?

1 hour: AI Twins and Ghosts. Should we allow AI twins of living people? What about twins of people we have lost? What are moral, psychological, and legal considerations?

1 hour: Social AI and Therapy. Can social AI be a tool for therapists? How can it be used? What issues should therapists expect clients to bring to them regarding social AI? How should we train therapists to prepare?

Presenter Bios:
Markie Louise Christianson (L. C.) Twist, PhD, MA, MEd, LMFT, BS, LMHC,CSE-S, RegCOSRT (dr./she/they) is Teaching Faculty and the Graduate Student Research Chairperson in the Doctoral and Masters Couple and Family Therapy (CFT) programs, as well as the Interim Program Coordinator of the Sexuality Studies Certificate in the Relational Therapy Division at Antioch University (New England and Seattle campuses) in the Graduate School of Counseling, Therapy, and Psychology. dr. Markie is also the Session Instructor in the University of Guelph Professional Sexuality Practices Clinical Training Program in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. dr. Markie is a registered member of the College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists (COSRT), a licensed marriage and family therapist (IA, NV) and mental health counselor (IA), as well as a clinical fellow and approved supervisor of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), and certified sexuality educator and supervisor through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT). dr. Markie is co-author of the books, The Internet Family: Technology in Couple and Family Relationships, The Couple and Family Technology Framework: Intimate Relationships in a Digital Age, and Focused Genograms: Attachment Focused Intergenerational Assessment of Individuals, Couples, and Families (2nd ed.) dr. Markie serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Sexual and Relationship Therapy: International Perspectives on Theory, Research and Practice and is coeditor of the book, Eco-Informed Practice: Family Therapy in an Age of Ecological Peril. Some of dr. Markie’s honors include being the recipient of: the 2025 American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) Sexuality Educator Award, the 2020 Wisconsin Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (WAMFT) Carl Whitaker Award, a 2019 University of Wisconsin (UW) System Honoree of the Dr. P. B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ+ People, the 2018 Delta Kappa Zeta Chapter Charles Cole Outstanding Professional Development Award, and a 2017 Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality Rising Scholar Emerging Professional Award. You can learn more about dr. Markie at drmarkie.com and follow them on IG/Threads @dr_markie, FB @DRMARKIETWIST, and LinkedIn: Markie Twist.

Class originally recorded: 2/21/2026

Social workers completing this course receive 15 general continuing education credits.