Sexuality And Cancer: Addressing The Male Experience With And Around Cancer (2 CE Hours)

Attend one topic or both!

Live via webinar AND IN PERSON at Calm Pittsburgh (Lawrenceville location)

Address: 3495 Butler Street, 3rd Floor

Pittsburgh, PA 15201

Street parking and parking lot across from office. Also, please join us after for open house from 4-5pm where MSTI co-founder Ricky Siegel will talk about MSTI’s certification programs, Dana Kirkpatrick will share about the International Board of Sexuality Professionals (IBOSP) and a former Ph.D. Student will share her experiences about the program!

Description:

Addressing cancer directly is a taboo; talking about sex remains a stigma, especially for men.  And neither is helped when there remains a dichotomy between men diagnosed with cancer and those patients receiving any mental health support.  Sadly, even if psychotherapy or psychoeducation are accessible, they rarely provide opportunities for patients to discuss the impacts on sexuality of both cancer and anti-cancer treatments (surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, from “cancer killers” to hormones).  A main contributor is clinician discomfort.  This workshop is intended to improve that comfort in medical and mental health care professionals, in asking, assessing and addressing patients’ sexual concerns.  Presenters and panelists, comprised of sex therapists, cancer survivors or both, will reveal common themes and historical gaps in patient education and truly informed consent with respect to sexuality.  Presenters will provide an array of assessment tips and guides, as well as an overview of common sex therapy treatments, for non-sexologist clinicians to more confidently and competently address this critical, quality-of-life issue for cancer treatment and recovery. 

After attending this course, participants will be able to:

• Discuss the male experience of sexuality and cancer and the concerns historically neglected by medical doctors and clinicians, and develop strategies to improve treatment compliance and outcomes.

• Describe various strategies, and review common treatment models, to increase clinician competency treating this population, specifically those who have experienced and impact on sexual function and relationship satisfaction.

Presenter Bio:

Dana L. Kirkpatrick, founder of Calm Pittsburgh, is an internationally certified sex therapist who has been practicing for more than 20 years. Dana employs an eclectic approach — focusing on each client’s unique situation. She has a genuine interest in providing tools that assist clients along their path to mental health satisfaction and operates from a collaborative approach — which includes the client as an active participant in the therapeutic process. Prior to becoming a therapist, Dana’s experience consisted of working with families whose children were on the autism spectrum disorder. This work, along with her natural strengths and personality, has resulted in her skills-based therapeutic approach. She incorporates a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy model — the positive results of which are undeniable in reducing symptoms of anxiety and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), among other issues. Neurodivergent herself, Dana has established Calm Pittsburgh as an inclusive space for neurodiversity and all underserved populations.