Live via Webinar (Zoom) or Available on demand via recording
AASECT Category: Human Sexuality, Section L.
Working with Chemsex: a Mindfulness-Based Approach (2 CE Hours, 2026)
$80.00
Presented by: Benedict Hoff
2 CE Hours
Friday, June 12, 2026 | 9AM – 11AM EST
Course Description:
Chemsex is possibly the biggest public health challenge currently facing men who have sex with men, and it requires a flexible, nuanced approach in therapy. Third-wave CBT approaches such as Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (see Bowen et al., 2021) have arisen as evidence-based responses to the limitations of aversion/abstinence-based recovery models such as 12-Step programmes. Meanwhile, sexology-informed approaches to working with compulsive sexual behaviours (CSB) (see Neves, 2021) offer alternatives to the increasingly discredited “sex addiction” model. This training provides participants with a robust framework that synthesises mindfulness-based and sexology-informed approaches in order to address both aspects of chemsex behaviours (substance use and CSB) in psychotherapy (see Hoff, 2023).
Learning Objectives:
Activity Schedule:
- Chemsex and key underlying factors (15 mins)
- Mindfulness, addiction and sex therapy (10 mins)
- Introducing the SOBER Breathing Space (7 mins)
- STOP: Pausing, grounding, assessing (12 mins)
- OBSERVE: Mindfulness of Breath and Body: noticing triggers and cravings (12 mins)
- BREATH: Urge Surfing and sitting with the difficult (12 mins)
- EXPAND: Open Monitoring and psychological integration (12 mins)
- RESPOND: Compassionate Acceptance and managing relapses (12 mins)
- Afterthoughts: summary and key takeaways (10 mins)
- Q&A: 10 mins
Speaker Bio:
Benedict is a former mental health clinical lead, psychosexual therapist and mindfulness teacher specialising in compulsive sexual behaviours, chemsex, gay men’s psychosexual health, intimate partner therapy for open/polyamorous relationships and sexual offending/forensic sexology. For several years he developed and co-facilitated a mindfulness-based chemsex recovery programme funded by Public Health England. Benedict is also a Doctor of Philosophy and a lecturer, researcher and writer who is passionate about integrating queer theory into the teaching and practice of GSRD therapy.
Class originally recorded: upcoming.
Social workers completing this course receive 2 clinical continuing education credits.
MSTI is an approved CE organizational provider for IBOSP, AASECT, and ASWB. Modern Sex Therapy Institutes is part of the Advanced Mental Health Training Institute. The Advanced Mental Health Training Institute has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No.6901. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Advanced Mental Health Training Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
MSTI is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for Psychologists. The Modern Sex Therapy Institutes maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Modern Sex Therapy Institutes (MSTI), provider #1787, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: [1/7/22-1/7/26].
Attendees must attend the entire course and complete a course evaluation to be eligible for CE credit
For Live Courses: To obtain CE credits, attendees must attend the entire course and complete an evaluation to receive credit.
For asynchronous/recorded courses, Attendees must pass the multiple choice posttest with a minimum score of 80% in 3 attempts to be eligible for CE credit.
Certificates of completion can be downloaded immediately upon course completion.