COURSE DESCRIPTION

As clinicians, we witness the growing effects of sexually explicit media on our clients' lives and relationships. While the proliferation of pornography creates unique challenges, it also represents a prime opportunity for well-trained clinicians to help individuals and families. The purpose of this introductory seminar is to build clinical skills you can use immediately in your practice. Armed with up-to-date, practical information you will be better equipped to give your clients the tools they need to alleviate the pain of pornography addiction and direct their lives as never before.

TOPICS

-Understanding Pornography Addiction

-How Self-Destructive Reactions Become Ingrained Habits

-Research and Its Implications for Counseling Practice

-Increasing Awareness of Patterns

-Helping Clients Recognize and Shift their “State of Mind”

-New Ways of Approaching an Old Problem

-The Problem Is Not the Problem

-Addressing Complications & Avoiding Pitfalls

GOALS

At the conclusion of this program you should be better able to:

1. Discuss the psychology of pornography and pornography addiction.

2. Describe the way the nervous system operates to perpetuate addictive patterns.

3. Demonstrate interventions that identify and interrupt key parts of such patterns.

4. Demonstrate how clients can use acceptance and mindfulness to diminish urges.

5. Help clients better reach the hidden emotional goals that drive addictive sex.

6. Identify co-occurring problems that may complicate pornography addiction.

SPEAKER PROFILE

Mark Chamberlain, Ph.D. is a psychologist with more than 20 years of experience in the treatment of sexual issues and impulse-control problems. He has worked at the Utah State Prison with inmates in the sex-offender program. He is the author, editor, or coauthor of four books including Confronting Pornography, Willpower Is Not Enough: Why We Don’t Succeed at Change, and Wanting More: The Challenge of Enjoyment in the Age of Addiction.