ISRounds: A Virtual International Mental Health Educational Series – for FREE!
World class experts share their wisdom and expertise to support the clinical work and professional development of mental health professionals in Israel and around the globe. Other medical and human service professionals are cordially invited.
ISRounds programs will be apolitical, non-commercial, and non-sectarian.
Academic Co-Sponsor: Department of Psychiatry, UMass Chan Medical School
Course Overview
In this webinar, Dr. Katehakis will provide a general overview regarding the assessment and treatment of intimacy and sexual disorders, problematic sexual behavior, and sex and relationship addictions.
Dr. Katehakis will then participate in a discussion with Israeli clinicians Ronit Argaman, MSW, CSAT and Sharron Elkins, MSW, focusing on specific issues that have emerged in Israel as a consequence of the ongoing war and severe trauma, including (but not limited to), the following:
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- Impacts of the stresses of war on couples’ intimate and sexual life
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- War’s impact on developing adolescent sexuality
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- The plight of young adult single males serving in the military
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- How PTSD influences, impedes and impairs healthy sexual intimacy
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- Assessing when behavior such as active use of pornography to cope with PTSD symptoms becomes problematic, and when it may be conceptualized as an appropriate lifestyle choice or coping mechanism
Clinicians participating in the program will also learn to use a simple six-question assessment developed by Dr. Patrick Carnes (which has also been translated into Hebrew by Ronit Argaman, MSW, CSAT). This assessment tool helps clinicians discern when specialized sex addiction treatment may be appropriate in specific clinical situations.
Alexandra (Alex) Katehakis, PhD
Alexandra Katehakis, Ph.D., MFT, is Founder of Center for Healthy Sex in Los Angeles and recognized as a leader in the field of Integrative sex therapy. She is on the faculty for the International Institute of Trauma and Addiction Professionals, the recipient of the 2018 IITAP Leadership and the 2012 Carnes Award. She is a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist/Supervisor and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist/Supervisor. Her books include What Turns You On? A Guide to Living Your Best Sex Life (2023), Sexual Reflections: A Workbook for Designing and Celebrating Your Sexual Health Plan (2018), Sex Addiction as Affect Dysregulation: A Neurobiologically Informed Holistic Treatment (2016), Mirror of Intimacy: Daily Reflections on Emotional and Erotic Intelligence (2014), and Erotic Intelligence: Igniting Hot, Healthy Sex While in Recovery from Sex Addiction (2010).
Online: www.alexkatehakis.com and www.centerforhealthysex.com
Discussant: Ronit Argaman, MSW
Ronit is a leading expert in sexual health, specializing in the treatment of sex addiction, compulsive sexual behavior, sexual trauma, sexuality and disability, sex education, and sexual offending. As the founder of Argaman Institute, established to provide professional interventions in the field of sex addiction and sexual behavior disorders, Ronit has been at the forefront of clinical practice in Israel since the early 2000s.
With decades of experience in clinical intervention, Ronit has developed intervention programs for individuals dealing with sex addiction and compulsive sexual behavior. She is also actively involved in research, professional training, and policy advocacy to promote responsible sexual behavior and healthy sexuality and raise mental health awareness. Through the Argaman Institute, Ronit continues to shape practices in the field, providing comprehensive solutions for individuals, couples, communities, and organizations.
Discussant: Sharron Elkins, MSW
Sharron Elkins, MSW, is the founder and director of the Ksharim Center for Behavioral Addictions and the former director of the outpatient unit at the Retorno Prevention & Rehabilitation Center. She trained in social work at the Hebrew University and in Adlerian psychotherapy at the Adler institute. Sharron has trained and supervised master’s level social work students at Bar Ilan University and the Hebrew University, and she is a sought-after speaker and trainer in the Israeli academic, private, and public sectors. A practicing therapist, she utilizes innovative addiction treatment methods that she helped develop.
