Members’ Resource Area
ACSB Community Meeting Guest Speakers Series
For Member Meetings and Board Election Meetings, see ACSB Community Calls.
Embodied Business - Make a difference and create a life and business that you love. November, 2023.
Are you ready for business made easy? Join Christina & Claire for a deep dive into the three business fundamentals for sex and touch-based practitioners. Whether you’re creating or scaling your business, if you are passionate about making a difference, and want to create a business and life you love - don’t miss this session. Here are just a few things covered in this value-packed session:
Why embodiment is key to business fulfilment (and how to practice it); the 5 essential Offers you need to serve your ideal client; marketing made easy (even when visibility is scary); and Relational Sales, ethical selling for those who put people before profits.
Rahi Chun’s Genital De-armoring Practice. March, 2023.
“Genital Armour occurs as a self-protective response by the body when an outer threat or agenda is imposed onto it, even when this is imposed by the body-owner themself. To reverse this process, in Genital De-armouring, we want to listen for how the body’s energy and life force wants to move, open and flow, being in service with the body-owner, in listening for its authentic expression.
“Supporting the down-regulation of their nervous system in order for the body to have the capacity to get curious about what it truly desires, and empowering the body with its authentic voice and choice in order for the erogenous areas of the anatomy to be in full agency in declaring and receiving what it wants are two foundational keys of the process”.
In this ACSB community meeting, Rahi begins by guiding us in a somatic contemplation to explore a listening for how our own body’s energy wants to flow. Then, after sharing how the Polyvagal theory is applied to our sexual responses, he will share and narrate a video demo where these keys are on display during a clitoral de-armouring session and subsequent emotional release. He will then demonstrate how these practices can be applied to the cock. Rahi Chun is a certified Somatic Sex Educator/Sexological Bodyworker, Certified TRE Provider, NeuroAffective Touch Practitioner, Life Coach with an M.A. in Spiritual Psychology, with certifications in Family Constellations Therapy, DeArmouring Arts, Chi Nei Tsang & Karsai Nei Tsang, and STREAM (Scar Tissue Remediation and Management). Rahi is offering a six-week on-line course on genital de-armouring that starts on the day of the community meeting: The 3 Keys to Genital De-armouring Course.
*Note: in the demo video Rahi is not using gloves for genital touch. While he is an ACSB member, he shared his Genital De-Armoring Practice with our community using the protocols that he uses for that modality - which differ from those he uses as a CSB, where our Code of Ethics madates the use of gloves for genital touch.
Ailsa Keppie: The Fascial System and Tensegrity. February, 2023.
Myofascial release is a gentle yet powerful way to engage the person’s own healing system and create lasting change. Fascial work gives access to holding patterns that, once recognized and acknowledged, can slow the speed of anxiety, the weight of depression and the immobility of trauma. Unwinding the fascial restrictions restores the essential movement of the being that dwells within the body. Restoring the natural movement and flow of the body allows more room for pleasure and joyful experience.
Paul Field: Introduction to Clean Language, December 2022
ACSB Member and Clean Language Facilitator Paul Field demonstrates the difference between body inquiry that is open and waiting for authentic answers to come through, and the type we are often exposed to where we a setting and vision is created for us to "relax" into. What might emerge if we just ask the right simple questions?
In this video you are invited to go through that opening practice to learn somatically, tune in to some key information about Clean Language, and watch a demo of this in action between Paul and our board President Emily Royce.
Paul specialises in working with women who are reconnecting to their body after sexual trauma or difficult relationships with men. He co-runs the Clean Change Community and is a visiting trainer at The School of Relational Embodiment and The School of Somatic Sexology. He is the creator of "Embodied Clean" and "Persona Modelling" approaches for working with the body and with inner parts of self.
Hypnotherapy is used for far more than to quit smoking and weight-loss. Did you know that our minds can not distinguish the difference between just a thought and an actual event? Let's use this to create lasting and powerful change! ACSB Member Melissa will be sharing what she has learned in her 11 year practice as a clinical Hypotherapist, exact methods that she uses and how you too can apply some of these tools to help clients in a diverse way.
Melissa Davison: Utilizing Hypnotherapy & Trance States for Somatic integration. February, 2022.
Intimacy Guide & Somatic Sex Educator Melissa Davison empowers students to talk, touch and play that feels both safe and exciting! She holds duel certification in Transpersonal Hypnotherapy and has enjoyed peppering in her skills of trance states into her practice as a Somatic Sex Educator. Melissa runs BodyJoy Intimacy School based in Austin Texas; helping men, women and couples find more joy and freedom in their sex. She is one of the practitioners for The Apollo Retreats and enjoys producing sexpositive events that inspire and permission other's to explore!
Dr. Hazel-Grace Yates has practiced group facilitation for 20 years and is passionate about bringing trauma awareness to the potent space of groups. They are the founder of Sex Catalyst Academy, a training program for sex positive facilitators. Hazel-Grace is a former ACSB Borad Member who weaves trauma skills, circling and authentic relating skills, and their training as a recreational therapist, into their facilitation style.
Dr. Hazel-Grace Yates: Trauma Informed Group Facilitation Skills. December, 2021.
Have you ever been leading a group when someone goes into a trigger response and you feel fear or overwhelm as the leader? Leading groups in the field of sexuality is a delicate dance with the amount of traumas in bodies. You will be given 4 steps of how to respond when participants experience dysregulation in the group, and other tools to support the group showing up as a resource for one another.
Dee Hartman: Helping Your Clients Figure Out Their Vulvar Pain. August, 2021.
Pain with sex. Seventy-five percent of women say they’ve had unwanted sexual pain at least once. Between 16-20% of women questioned report having chronic vulvar pain (vulvodynia) lasting longer than 3 months. Dyspareunia in women with endometriosis is the most common complaint, impacting 30-70%. Dermatological disorders of the vulva. IBS. Trauma. Anxiety. Lack of arousal. The list goes on and on. But what is “pain with sex”?
“Dyspareunia” is a diagnosis, a label. It produces symptoms like “burning”, “being stabbed with a knife”, or “sharp shooting pain” regardless of the perpetrating cause. It can be acute, chronic, mild, horrific, occasional, constant, or situational. Whatever the cause, the most efficient way to address and calm those complaints is to figure out what cause(s) them. Taking a broad look at the entire body then a closer look at anatomy are great places start. This talk with discuss this approach.
There’s a lot to notice. Begin with function. Take note of body language then progress to a systems review. Find what’s off and start there. The approach goes a long way toward self-healing and returning pleasure to the body; for some…maybe for the first time.
Dee Hartman devoted most of her 27 years in private practice helping patients heal their chronic pelvic and vulvar pain, sexual dysfunction, and bowel/bladder disorders. She is an internationally recognized author, teacher, and speaker on the treatment of chronic pain and sexual dysfunction. Dee and CSB colleague Elizabeth Wood co-founded the Pleasure Movement and the Center for Genital Health and Education to work on reframing the conversation around female arousal, desire, pain, and pleasure through education, print, and research. She is happily married to the love of her life, the mother of 5 grown children, and Gramma to 8 glorious grandchildren.
In this webinar Joseph emphasizes that we need community in order for accountability and restorative justice to be possible.
He zooms in on community building as being the basis of support for us to grow and a safer haven for handling grievances and ethical concerns; and discussed the need for autonomy of CSB schools and the ability for each to be creative and flexible beyond the scope of the California baseline curriculum, which is still legal to practice in California.
After this meeting, Joseph held a series of 2-hour sessions to talk about what is most alive for us and to work on skill-building and community development together, with the vision that attendees would then run their own and the community effect be exponential.
Joseph Kramer: Next Frontier for Sexological Bodywork. August, 2021.
Here Sexological Bodywork founder Joseph Kramer chats with the community on some key questions that we posed about the future of the profession.
“This four month certification program supports health professionals, coaches, therapists, and sex educators build the skills, knowledge and reputation they need to serve the LGBTQIA+ community with confidence. From learning LGBTQIA+ language and pronouns, to allyship, queer friendly business practices, traversing transitions and so much more, this program takes you way beyond the basics to truly transform and up level your ability to serve.
Learn more about the Queer Competency Certification here: https://embodyemerge.com/trainings-2/queer-competency-certification/
Schedule a FREE Discover Call to learn how you can start better serving the LGBTQIA+ community here: https://embodyemerge.youcanbook.me/
Queer Competency Self-Paced Programs: For integrative self-paced learning you can get all the same great education in our online courses https://embodyemerge.com/course-shop/
Terra Lyn Anderson: Queer Competency Certification. August, 2021.
Terra Lyn Anderson MA, R-DMT, LPC Registered Intern (They/Them/Theirs) is a therapist, consultant and owner of Embody Emerge.
*The ACSB is not an affiliate of their programs and any further training you initiate is at your own discretion. Please see the links posted here to supplement the information given in the video.
In this video Dr. Uloko covers the the common causes of pain in the vestibule- normally hormone imbalances an a variety of acquired pain (such as recurrent candida, allergic reactions and persistent inflammation.)
She states the one third of people with vulvas experience vestibule pain in their lifetimes that can manifest was pain with penetration but also just with sitting and can feel like a burning, stinging rawness.
She discusses the importance of examining patients to really see what is going on, testing with anesthesia to see if the pain goes away (and is thus the cause) and the common urology treatments of hormone therapy or a removal of the offending nerve complex behind the vestibule.
She acknowledges that if pelvic floor pain is part of the client issue, this work will need to be continued, most likely with a pelvic floor therapist.
Dr. Maria Uloko: Vestibulodynia, causes and treatments. August, 2021.
In this month's community call urologist Dr. Uloko walks us through one of the most common causes of sexuality related pain and discomfort; vestibulodynia. She lists common causes and treatments that may supplement our sexological embodiment work if we are finding our clients experiencing continued distress.
Dr. Maria Uloko is a board eligible urologist specializing in comprehensive sexual medicine . She is passionate about delivering evidenced based and compassionate care for all.
She can be found at: https://twitter.com/MariaUloko and https://www.instagram.com/mariaulokomd/?hl=en
Katie Sarra: Body Poem - Exploring Somatic Openings. April, 2021.
Katie Sarra CSB, CSSE will be demonstrating her Body Poem this webinar, exploring this structure that harvests the epiphanies from somatic openings in bodywork. Body Poem is the foundational coaching model for the UK, Ireland and Portugal Sexological Bodywork and Somatic Sex Education trainings. Body Poem supports non-hierarchical acceptance of emerging sensations as they stream into awareness during bodywork.
This process harvests the insights and epiphanies from somatic openings before they are censored and forgotten again out of awareness.
Katie will lead us all into a relaxing group Body Poem demonstrating the usefulness of this way of bringing visceral cohesion to online and in-person groups, presenting and bringing Body Poem alive in our somatic experience of it. Katie will then offer a live Body Poem demo with a courageous volunteer and offer Q&A. If there is time, we will practice Body Poem in groups.
For more about Body Poem and Body Poem certification trainings, see https://www.relationalharmony.institute/bodypoem
Elizabeth Clemants: Restorative Justice and ACSB RJ Training introduction. March, 2021
Community Call featuring Elizabeth Clemants, MSW of Planning Change, LLC (www.elizabethclemants.com). Elizabeth is a Restorative Justice specialist who has been working with the ASCB Board and the Ethics Committee in our goal of creating a Grievance procedure. She will be speaking to Membership on the following points:
A mini-lesson on Restorative Justice
The importance of having a procedure to lean into for our community at large
How this work can be implemented into your own practice
Discuss the 6 week class she will be teaching to 15 of our members who want to become part of the Grievance Council. The virtual training took place on Thursday April 29th through to June 3rd, 2021.
Shauna Farabaugh: Disability and sexuality. February, 2021
Shauna Farabaugh is a Certified Somatic Sex Educator and Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE®) provider in private practice in San Francisco, CA who fiercely believes in the right to sexual expression for every body and is committed to making sex education more “sexcessible.” She is particularly passionate about exploring the intersection between sexuality and life transitions of all kinds—both how life change impacts our sexual identity and expression and how we can connect with our sexuality in times of transition as a source of strength, resilience and wisdom to guide us through change. Shauna has been a professional sex educator for over a decade, with certifications from San Francisco Sex Information, The Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality, and the Somatic Sex Educators Association. She currently serves as adjunct faculty at the Institute for the Study of Somatic Sex Education and is an Advisory Board member for Ignite Collective, Inc, a disability service organization in Southern California. Reverently irreverent, Shauna brings a profound sense of play to both her group classes and one on one work with students of all genders, sexualities, and sexual lifestyles…because sex really is supposed to be fun!
“Understanding how disability and chronic conditions impact sexuality isn't about becoming a "disability specialist". It's about learning what you don't know you don't know. These essential principles and practical skills may potentially open up new demographics of folks that you feel inspired (and prepared) to market to and work with and will certainly enable you to support your current clients with even more success. These skills benefit all of us! Join me in conversation about moving your practice--and our field--towards a vision of inclusivity for all bodies."
Dr. Ellen Heed: Transgenerational Somatic Recall. December, 2020.
Dr. Ellen Heed joins the ACSB for a conversation on Transgenerational Somatic Recall.
Today’s experiential discussion includes methods to:
Recognize existential crisis, automatic stress reactions and ego-death for what they are
Honor kinesthetic felt-senses, emotional feelings, thoughts and the flow of vital life-force energies by recognizing them as subtle signals guiding personal Awakening and healing
Use 5-A’s as a method to incorporate recovery from trauma (Acknowledge, Assimilate, Appreciate, Allow awareness to guide Actions for Self-care and joie vivre)
Dr. Beth Hedva: Ego death, existential crisis and the human stress response. November, 2020.
Living through mass trauma - covid pandemic and catastrophic environmental disasters simultaneous to multiple political, economic, racial and social injustices - means it is more important than ever to pay attention to our own and our student’s/client’s stress reactions.
After a brief review of the evolution of the human stress response and how it impacts us physically, emotionally, mentally, and perceptually, we will explore methods to enhance embodied awareness to relax your body, steady your heart, clear your mind and cultivate spiritual maturity in the face of uncertainty and traumatic injury.
Dr. Betty Martin: The Wheel of Consent in CSB Sessions. October, 2020.
Creator of the Wheel of Consent, Betty Martin, joins us for a conversation around why it is important to never ask your clients for permission.
Andy Izenson: What is Restorative Justice? October, 2020
Andy so eloquently journeyed us through the capitalistic ideology of “carceral logic”; that we are raised with the unfounded belief that the world and it’s inhabitants live in a dichotomy of “good” and “bad” and that if you do something “bad” that there is something inherently wrong with you. In order to be effective, this ideology is inescapable and pervasive. And that is time for us to ask: “Is this real or is someone benefiting from me believing this?”
We asked Andy, what are the steps we can take as an Association to begin moving in the direction of transformative and restorative justice? Andy told us: Build a community in which 90% of it is building connection, and 10% is conflict resolution.
It is important to acknowledge that most cultures, if you dig deep enough, will have their own formats of transformative and restorative justice. And that current transformative and restorative practices come from communities of black women in the 70’s who could not turn to the police when they were experiencing partner violence, so they sat in circle with their communities. Instead of prison time, the person who caused harm can be “sentenced” to sitting in circle with those that they harmed and their communities. And it is important that we continue to acknowledge the whiteness of our field, and extend gratitude to those cultures who have constructed ways to love within a society that we have unknowingly participated in oppressing. And it is with this re-structure of ‘punitive measures’ that we can hope to transform one corner of the world (us who so tenderly touch the shadows). So here is an invitation to you. We are sharing this video with you, hoping that you will watch and gain the same spectacular insights that we are beginning to breathe into.
Our hope is that you will join our membership not out of duty or fear, but rather to join us in building an accountable community that can come together in support of each other. We (sexological bodyworkers) are working deeply with the shadow; holding those that come to us, that reach out to us in loving compassion so that we may shine light on the fear, the shame, the guilt, the frozen parts of themselves that are keeping them from feeling the joy and bliss that can come from their pleasure. In order to work ethically in the shadow, we need full transparency. In order to be transparent, one has to have assurance that they won’t be “thrown away.” So this is our call to you to: come be in community with us. Let us continue figuring out how we can lovingly be in this work together so we can most effectively serve those that seek us.
JoJo Bear: Listening to your own body: Practices when working with clients. September, 2020.
ACSB Member, JoJo Bear joins us to discuss Listening to your own body and practices when working with clients:
First sessions
Zoom sessions
Language to use with clients
Teaching clients about the difference between sensations and feelings
Barry Carl: Restorative and Reparative Qualities of Pleasure During Stressful Times. August, 2020.
“I am delighted to be sharing with you around the restorative and reparative qualities of pleasure in these ultra-stressful times. It feels a little superfluous to be sharing with a group of somatic sex educators about pleasure, and I hope that my take on things will be additive. My hope is that this will be an opportunity to amplify and share thoughts and resources amongst ourselves rather than a vertically organized presentation, as I value your collective wisdom and years of individual experience.”
About Barry: I have been a musician for my entire life, and a bodyworker for nearly five decades. I’m also a Certified Core Energetics Practitioner in the New York area. I maintain a private practice in Core Energetics and a separate private practice as an SSE.
See also the COVID-era #StayHome Somatic Support Series of community meetings.