Advanced Topics in Interpersonal Practice

This course will address the sexual health needs of individuals and couples throughout the adult lifespan over diverse cultures and populations. Building on basic sex therapy models and integrating these models with multicultural counseling theory and cultural and ethical competencies, course participants will examine their own cultural backgrounds, belief systems, and biases specifically with reference to sexual health. Utilizing the lifespan approach, key considerations in sexual health education and sexual health treatments will be described. Course participants will learn culturally appropriate assessment, diagnosis, and brief intervention approaches and will be challenged to think about the adjustment of interventions to include multicultural considerations and the intersectionality of clients’ identities. The course will emphasize strengths-based adaptation and resiliency in individual and couples sexual health challenges. The right to education in sexual health and treatment of sexual health problems will be discussed within the framework of social justice and ethical mental health care.