From Madness to Mindfulness: Intimacy in Our Chaotic World Presented by: Jennifer Gunsaullus, PhD.

The PSCSW Education Committee is pleased to announce our upcoming virtual conference featuring Jennifer Gunsaullus, PhD., a well-known speaker who specializes working with and improving intimacy through mindfulness practices. Program and registration details below and at www.pscsw.org.

            From Madness to Mindfulness: Intimacy in Our Chaotic World

Presented by: Jennifer Gunsaullus, PhD.

When: Saturday, April 10, 2021, 12pm-4pm

Where: Your home, using Zoom Platform

Workshop Summary :

Intimacy and sexuality are complex experiences of desire, love, fear, yearning, connection, validation, pleasure, and hope. There are also several components of intimacy – physical, mental, emotional, social, and (potentially) spiritual. Many clients receive little intimacy education and are ill-prepared to effectively handle these complex interpersonal challenges. They may experience shame, embarrassment, or avoidance of difficult topics, which in turn may affect the therapeutic process. In addition, due to technology and faster-paced lives, it’s easier than ever to avoid or numb from the “madness” that surrounds us.

Mindfulness skills are a powerful way to navigate the madness, and a useful tool for uncovering patterns that interfere with intimacy. These skills help us awaken to the opportunity for new, healthier, and more heart-centered choices and connections. Mindful awareness can help clinicians and clients identify patterns and triggers that interfere with their relationships. Cultivating simple mindfulness skills provides access to new mental pathways and new ways of connecting with self and others. This workshop aims to help clinicians hone their own mindfulness skills to enable them to use mindfulness in their clinical practice.

Invited Presenter:

Jennifer Gunsaullus, PhD, is a sociologist, intimacy and communication coach, and author of From Madness to Mindfulness: Reinventing Sex for Women. Dr. Gunsaullus is a national speaker on couples’ intimacy, sexual consent, gender communication, women’s empowerment, erotic play, and mindful sex. She has presented two TEDx Talks, is the co-host of the podcast "Sex Talk with Clint & the Doc," and has over 1.6 million hits on her “In the Den with Dr. Jenn” YouTube video series. She was also one of the experts in the first documentary on masturbation, called “Sticky: A (Self) Love Story”. While Dr. Gunsaullus grew up in Malvern, PA, she now lives in the San Diego area.

Schedule:

11:30am - 12:00pm Registration and Zoom Log In

12:00pm - 1:00pm Overview of mindfulness & compassion with experiential activities

1:00pm - 1:45pm Application to various aspects of intimacy and relationships

1:45pm - 2:00pm Break

2:00pm - 3:00pm Deeper dive into specific aspects of intimacy (desire, consent, & gender roles)

3:00pm - 3:30pm Application to clinical practice

3:30pm - 4:00pm Q & A

Objectives :

By the end of this presentation:

1. Participants will define and experience mindfulness and compassion
2. Participants will identify aspects of individual “madness” in themselves and their clients
3. Participants will understand how mindfulness skills can improve sexual and relationship well-being
4. Participants will learn accessible tools for cultivating and teaching mindfulness

Registration Information:

You may register for this conference by completing the registration form and mailing it with a check or credit card information to the PSCSW office; or you may register online with a credit card at www.pscsw.org. Participation may be limited due to space constraints, so we encourage early registration, for which there is a discount. All conference fees include a CE certificate. If you need to cancel after you have registered, refunds (minus a $15 administrative fee) will be issued prior to the program date.

Continuing Education:

FOR PENNSYLVANIA SOCIAL WORKERS, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS, AND PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS: This program is approved for 4 CE credits for professional workshops sponsored by the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work, a state affiliate of the Clinical Social Work Association listed in Section 47.36 of Title 49, Chapter 47 of the PA Code, State Board of Social Work Examiners. This program is also approved for 4 CE credits for professional workshops for marriage & family therapists (Section 48.36) and professional counselors (Section 49.36).

FOR NEW JERSEY SOCIAL WORKERS: This program is approved for 4 clinical credits. Attendance at programs or courses given at state and national social work association conferences, where the criteria for membership is an academic degree in social work, are a valid source of continuing education credit (N.J.A.C. 13:44G-6.4(c)4).

FOR DELAWARE SOCIAL WORKERS: Presenter(s) have a minimum of 2 (two) years of practical application and/or research experience pertaining to the subject matter of this presentation. Please consult section 7.2.5 of the rules of the Board of Clinical Social Work Examiners to determine if this course is in conformance with state regulations.

PSCSW is authorized to provide CE Credits to participants who attend programs in their entirety, in this case from 12:00PM until 4:00PM. Time will be strictly enforced.