College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists had a training day on asexuality

[ithaca]

Digging through articles while doing archives, I find the most interesting things, really.

This was in Birmingham: http://www.cosrt.org.uk/events/asexuality-beyond-simply-hypoactive-sexual-desire-disorder/

Asexuality: Beyond Simply Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder
MARCH 20, 2014 BY TRICIA EVANS

Date/Time
Date(s) - 20/03/2014
9:30 am - 4:30 pm

Location
Relate Birmingham

Category(ies)

COSRT Training Day
CPD Hours six


Overview

For many years clinicians and therapists have been taught that a lack of sexual attraction is necessarily a problem and should be treated by either physiological or psychotherapeutic means, or, not uncommonly, both. A lack of sexual attraction can indeed be a symptom of some wider problem which is either medical or psychological in nature, however, there are an increasing number of people for whom the lack of sexual attraction is a comfortable part of their identity and daily lives, and for whom there is no underlying physiological cause – Asexual (Ace) people. When this latter group attend our practices it is important to be able to differentiate this innocuous identity from the people who have a problem related to the lack of sexual attraction. Further, it is important to be able to practice affirmatively with this often marginalised group, and to differentiate between the approximate groupings which may fall under the heterogeneous label of asexuality, including grey-a, aromatic, demisexul, homoromantic, hetroromantic, etc. In addition, when practicing affirmatively it is, naturally, important to be able to determine when the person’s asexuality is of relevance, and when it is not.

The COSRT Asexuality day provides the necessary information and experiential practice to allow delegates to begin to have the knowledge and understanding necessary for this increasingly common work.

Aims

The aims of this course are:

• To consider the social context of sexuality.
• To consider asexuality as an identity and as a practice.
• To examine the differences between problematic lack of sexual desire and asexuality.
• To consider the different identities and practices which fall within, and are adjunctive to, asexuality.

Objectives

By the end of the day participants will be able to:

• Identify some of the main groupings of people under the broad heading of asexuality.
• Begin to differentiate psychopathological lack of sexual desire from social constraints and the identities and practices of asexuality.
• Know when asexuality is likely to be of therapeutic relevance.
• Work affirmatively with asexual clients.

PROGRAMME

09:30 – Registration and Coffee

10:00 – Introductions, overview and housekeeping
10:30 – The social context of sexuality

11:30 – Coffee

11:45 – What are the various forms of asexuality?
12:30 – What is asexuality and what is pathology?

13.00 – Lunch

13:45 – Community and historical perspectives on asexuality.
14:30 – Clinical problem solving with asexual clients
15:00 – Small group case studies

15:30 – Tea

16:00 – Remaining questions and feedback

16:30 – Close

Presented by Christina Richards, a Senior Specialist Psychology Associate at the West London Mental Health NHS Trust (Charing Cross) and the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Gender Identity Clinics. She works in this capacity as an individual and group psychotherapist and psychologist conducting assessment and follow-up clinics as part of a multidisciplinary team. She lectures and publishes on trans, sexualities and critical mental health, both within academia and to third sector and statutory bodies.

She is the co-author of a clinical guidebook on sexuality and gender published by Sage: Richards, C., & Barker. M. (2013). Sexuality and gender for counsellors, psychologists and health professionals: A practical guide. London: Sage; and is the co-editor of the Palgrave Handbook of the Psychology of Sexuality and Gender, which is due to be published in early 2014.

Terms and Conditions

The full fee for each training day is £115 for COSRT members and £125 for non-members. Cheques should be made payable to COSRT in GB pounds sterling. Payment must be received by COSRT before the training day. Confirmation and details of your booking will be emailed to you.

Cancellations must be made in writing. There is an administrative charge of £20 per person for cancellations received up to six weeks prior to the training day. Thereafter no refund is possible. To substitute a delegate please call the COSRT office (020 8543 2707) at least seven days prior to the event.

COSRT reserves the right to change the venue or speakers due to unforeseen circumstances. In the unlikely event of a training day being cancelled, a full refund will be made, but COSRT disclaims any further liability.

[Steph Ace]

March, 2014! That is very recent. Progress is being made ^_^

[Selasphorus]

I hope they served some cake during that tea break.

I'd be interested to see some lecture notes. Especially on how they've redrawn the line between asexuality and pathology and the terminology they used to do so.