The Evolution of Desire: Clinical Perspectives on Attraction, Seduction, and Erotic Intelligence (2 CE Hours)
$80.00
Presented by: Anna Elton, Ph.D., LMFT
Sunday, October 19, 2025 | 9am – 11am EST
2 CE Hours
Live via Webinar (Zoom) or Available via recording following presentation
AASECT Category: Human Sexuality Education, Section B
Description
This training explores the biological, neurological, and psychological roots of desire and attraction. Clinicians will learn how erotic templates form, why desire often diminishes in long-term relationships, and how to restore erotic intelligence using research-based tools and techniques. With an emphasis on seduction, fantasy, and individual erotic identity, this course equips therapists to better assess and support couples experiencing disconnection.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the evolutionary, neurobiological, and cultural factors that shape human desire, attraction, and erotic behavior.
- Apply clinical tools to assess desire patterns and support clients in restoring erotic connection through interventions focused on seduction, fantasy, and sexual disconnection.
Speaker Bio
Anna Elton, PhD, LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist, certified sex therapist, and clinical sexologist specializing in intimacy, infidelity, and the impact of technology on modern relationships. She is the author of the upcoming books The Formula of Desire and Couples Therapy in the Digital Age. Dr. Elton is the host of Life, Love, Etc., a nationally streamed relationship show, and a contributing writer for Psychology Today, where she explores themes of emotional connection and relational repair. Her work has been featured on PBS, ABC, NBC, and FOX.
Activity Schedule
I. The Evolution of Desire: From Survival to Seduction (25 minutes)
• Desire as reproduction, bonding, group cohesion
• Sexual selection and attraction signals
• Ornamentation and cultural courtship shifts
II. The Neurobiology of Erotic Activation (30 minutes)
• Seduction as signaling
• Scent, symmetry, movement, novelty
• Early imprinting and arousal templates
III. From Instinct to Intimacy: Why Desire Diminishes (25 minutes)
• Limerence vs. bonding
• Erotic vs. attachment love
• Fantasy, imagination, and distance
IV. Clinical Applications (30 minutes)
• Case vignette
Q&A or Wrap-Up (10 minutes)
