Sunday, November 22nd, 2026 10:00 AM EST -1:00 PM EST Elizabeth Reed, LCSW, LISW-S, LICSW
Yahoo!
Description
Sexuality-related issues often enter the therapy room through conversations about intimacy, identity, relationships, sexual trauma, shame, religious or cultural messaging, consensual non-monogamy, gender identity, boundaries, and client values. Yet many clinicians receive limited formal training on how to respond to these topics with confidence, clinical clarity, and ethical grounding.
This 3.0-hour ethics training is designed to help mental health professionals navigate sexuality-related content in therapy while remaining within their scope of practice and honoring professional ethical responsibilities. Participants will explore common ethical considerations related to informed consent, competence, documentation, confidentiality, cultural humility, client self-determination, referral decisions, and therapist values or bias.
The course will also address how clinicians can recognize when additional consultation, supervision, training, or referral may be appropriate, while still responding to clients in a respectful, non-shaming, and clinically supportive manner. Special attention will be given to maintaining appropriate therapeutic boundaries and documenting sensitive sexuality-related information in ways that are clinically necessary, ethical, and mindful of client safety.
By the end of the training, participants will have a practical framework for approaching sexuality-related conversations ethically and compassionately, reducing avoidance or overreaction, and supporting clients with greater confidence and professionalism.
About the Presenter:
Undergraduate Education: West Liberty State College, West Liberty, WV, 1996 Graduate Education: Master of Social Work, West Virginia University, 2000 Clinical Experience: Worked in residential, outpatient, and IOP settings Supervision Experience: Clinical supervisor since 2005 Private Practice: In private practice since 2014 I grew up in rural Appalachia, in a Gen-X era where asking for help usually meant you were being punished or had done something wrong. Therapy wasn’t something people talked about — and if they did, it came with shame attached. I watched queer folks being mistreated, and marginalized people pushed even further to the edges. From early on, I knew that wasn’t okay. I’ve always carried a strong sense of fairness and social justice, and that eventually led me to study psychology — and later social work — as a way to do something meaningful about it. Along the way, I also came to understand myself better. Like so many women and AFAB people, I fell through the cracks when it came to ADHD. I wasn’t the “hyperactive boy bouncing off the walls” stereotype, so no one noticed. I was the bright, daydreamy, anxious kid who worked twice as hard to hold it all together — and didn’t get a name for it until adulthood. When I finally received my ADHD and anxiety diagnoses, so much clicked into place. It changed how I saw myself and how I approached life — with more understanding, compassion, and curiosity instead of criticism. Now, I bring all of that — the lived experience, the empathy, the social justice lens — into my work. I know what it’s like to feel misunderstood, to be told you’re “too much” or “not enough,” or to try to fit into systems that were never built with you in mind. My passion is helping others find the relief, connection, and self-acceptance that I once needed too.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify ethical strategies for discussing sexual content with professionalism, empathy, cultural humility, and clinical effectiveness. Analyze ethical dilemmas related to client disclosures, therapist discomfort, transference, and ambiguous sexual material in therapy sessions.
- Apply sex-positive interviewing and assessment techniques that explore client sexual narratives without pathologizing behavior.
- Assess developmental, cultural, and ethical considerations when working with adolescents around sex education, consent, safety, and self-advocacy.
Agenda:
| Topic | Time |
|---|---|
| Welcome and Introduction | 10 min |
| Why Sexuality Discussions Belong in Therapy | 10 min |
| Creating Safety in Sexual Discussions | 15 min |
| Ethical Foundations for Clinical Practice | 30 min |
| Therapist Values, Bias, and Objectivity | 15 min |
| Working with Teens vs. Adults | 15 min |
| Scope of Practice, Referral, and Consultation | 30 min |
| Case Examples and Ethical Application | 40 min |
| Closing, Resources, and Questions | 15 min |
| Total | 180 min |
This presentation is open to:
- Behavior Analysts
- Social Workers
- Professional Counselors
- Therapists
- Psychologists
- Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
- Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
- Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
This online class is offered at an intermediate level, and is beneficial for an intermediate level clinician:
- New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
- Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
- Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
- Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives
Additional information
- Refunds: Registrants who are unable to attend a rivkasidorsky seminar or live webinars may ask for, and will receive, a credit or refund (your choice). Refund requests will be processed within 3 business days. When an attendee knows in advance that they are unable to attend we ask that they inform rivkasidorsky ahead of time by emailing support@rivkasidorsky.org or by calling or texting 607-249-4585 this allows us to free up the spot in the training in the event that a training is at or near capacity.
- Disability Access: If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification.
- Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly.
- The grievance policy for trainings provided by rivkasidorsky is available here
- Satisfactory Completion: Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion in your account or by clicking here
- Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.
- There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
- System Requirements: Any device (such as a computer, tablet, or phone), Dual-Core 2 GHz or higher processor, and at least 4 GB of RAM capable of running a Zoom session, along with a stable internet connection.
- Although early registration is recommended for this class in order to ensure the best experience, attendees may register and join until the start of the program