What would you like your mental health clinician to know about helping you understand and resolve your troublesome sex life?

The Center for Healthy Sex did a wonderful mailing letting the local Los Angeles community know about my upcoming presentation on Friday, 9:30 - 11:00 a.m. March 30.

Thank you, Douglas Evans, Tom Bliss Alex Katehakis. I'm moved by your conscientiousness and support.

Readers, please take a look at my program topics and let me know what questions you have or stories you'd like to share.

The sexual life of an adult woman with an eating disorder can be harrowing without her knowing why or what she can do to help herself. I'll be speaking to clinicians and interns.  This is an opportunity for you to let them (us) know what you wish they (we) knew already.

 

Title: Women, Eating Disorders, and Vulnerability to Dangerous Liaisons

• Does your eating disordered client have a stalker in her life?
• Does she have one night stands and obsess when the person doesn't call?
• Has she been raped?
• Does she know she's been raped?

Joanna Poppink, MFT shows us how the sexual feelings, vulnerabilities and behaviors of adult women suffering from eating disorders are a vital part of effective treatment and how clinicians can work with a client in this highly charged and sensitive arena.

She will be addressing topics such as:

1. Responding to obliviousness of abusive reality without alienating your client.
2. Moving through issues of shame to support a needed maturation process without evoking crippling self incrimination.
3. Understanding the metaphor of dangerous activities that may be an attempt to resolve an issue underlying the eating disorder.
4. Using journal writing and guided imagery in treatment.
5. Therapeutic restraint.
6. Recommended readings.

The mailing also includes my bio information.  I'll include it.

My questions to you are:

• What would you like to see discussed among clincians and understood?
• How would you recommend that this topic be brought into the psychotherapy?
• What would be a relief for you? 
• What would shut you down?
• What might keep you engaged so you can not only bear your feelings but also share them with your therapist?
• How do you suppose client and therapist can be partners, working together with diligence and kindness, to explore and resolve the sexual hurts and harmful patterns in the sexual life of an adult woman with an eating disorder?

Thank you so much for considering the possibility of responding to any of these questions or adding your story or vignettes of your story. You can help us to help you.

 

Joanna Poppink, MFT, is a licensed psychotherapist since 1981 in Los Angeles, California. She is also an author and lecturer. In her practice Joanna incorporates the latest findings of brain development and mindfulness practices in order to help women evolve beyond their dependence on eating disorders and move into a life of freedom and health. She is the author of highly praised Healing Your Hungry Heart: recovering from your eating disorder, 2011, Conari Press.

 

Erotic Intelligence: Igniting Hot, Healthy Sex While in Recovery from Sex Addiction by
Alexandra Katehakis

 

The Center for Healthy Sex

9911 W. Pico Blvd.
Suite 700
Los Angeles, CA 90035
Telephone: 310-843-9902
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