Counseling Commons^™

Sexuality, Sex Education, And Intellectual Disability: Guidance For Counselors, Julie C. Hill, Jill M. Meyer, Lindsay E. Stokes, J.C. Ausmus, Brandon Worthey, Jamie Carney

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Sexual health and sexuality can be an important component of an individual’s identity. Sexual health and sexuality are a vital part of an individual’s quality of life and overall health and well-being. Individuals with intellectual disabilities have been viewed as asexual, lacking sexual interest, or have an inability to engage in sexual activity. These views have led to individuals with intellectual disabilities to be excluded from sexual education programs or lack appropriate knowledge of sexuality, sexual health, and healthy relationships. It is important for parents, medical providers, mental health professionals, and caregivers to have the knowledge needs to have conversations …

We Are Family: Queer And Transgender Family Building, Jennifer M. Gess, Nattalie Wolff-Tseng, Kaitlin J. Phelps, Madison Morley

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

LGBTQ+ people experience resiliency and discrimination when attempting to build families. There are massive systemic barriers and oppressive walls LGBTQ+ people face when forming either a blended family, trying at-home insemination, using assisted reproductive technology, working with a gestational carrier, or attempting to become a foster parent or adopt a child. Queer reproductive justice provides a foundation for counselors to support clients by using affirmative counseling, providing positive mandatory interactions clients are ordered to during family building, and advocating with and on behalf of their LGBTQ+ clients building families.

Can A Course On Sexuality Counseling Increase Empathy When Working With Sex- And Gender-Minoritized Individuals?, Betty Cardona, Robinder P. Bedi

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

This study examined whether a sexuality counseling course could increase self-perceived empathy for working with Sex and Gender minoritized (SGM)individuals. Forty-two students enrolled in a sexuality counseling course completed empathy assessments prior to starting the course and after completing it. Statistically significant increases in empathy towards gay/lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals were found (moderate to a large effect sizes). Results indicate that, at least under some circumstances, empathy levels for SGM individuals in counselors-in-training (CITs) could be increased through coursework. Increases in practitioner empathy for SGM individuals can translate into lower uniliteral termination rates and better counseling and psychotherapy outcomes.

Abstinence-Only Sex Education In Public Schools: A Special Commentary, Julianna Williams

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Abstinence Only Until Marriage (AOUM) programs, also known as Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA) programs, are non-comprehensive, religion and values-based programs that are still widely used, and supported by government funding, in schools around the United States of America. Content of these programs include messages of misogyny, heteronormativity, and racism, among others. Existing research has indicated that sex education programs lack efficacy in prevention or reduction in teen pregnancy and STI infection. However, little research has investigated the potentially harmful impact of biased messaging to long term sexual and mental health and well-being. In this commentary, I highlight some of the …

Integrating Sexuality Issues In Career Counseling: A Special Commentary, Megan Speciale, Dominique Oster

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

The integration of sexual health and wellness competencies within the career counseling specialization is a crucial aspect of providing comprehensive support to clients. This integration holds significance in three key areas: clinical practice, research, and training. In clinical practice, addressing sexual health concerns that may impact career decisions can enhance the comprehensive support provided to clients. In research, exploring the relationship between sexual health and career development and satisfaction is crucial. Furthermore, incorporating sexual health and wellness competencies into training programs for career counselors is necessary to ensure practitioners have the knowledge and skills required to effectively support clients in …

Lgbtq+ Substance Use And Sexual Health And Wellbeing: A Special Commentary, Michael P. Chaney, Nicole Urhahn-Schmitt

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Although there has been some increased visibility in professional counseling literature pertaining to LGBTQ+ issues, gaps still exist. One such omission is how LGBTQ+ sexual wellbeing is negatively influenced by substance use. This commentary briefly reviews ways LGBTQ+ sexual wellbeing is negatively impacted by substance use. We provide commentary on how counselors may bolster sexual wellbeing when working with LGBTQ+ substance users and highlight gaps in counseling research. Lastly, recommendations for integrating this content into counselor training are provided.

A Path Towards Intersectionality-Informed Counseling Sexology: A Special Commentary, Bianca R. Augustine

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

It is the goal of professionals within the field of counseling sexology and sexual wellness to provide clients with clinical mental health counseling through a sex-positive and affirming framework. To do so, clinicians must pay special attention to best practices in the field, especially as it relates to historically oppressed and minoritized clients. To do so, appropriate training is required to inform care. Furthermore, clinical practice is also informed by research, making it imperative that research is conducted related to various aspects of sexual wellness and treatment. This commentary will identify and discuss sexual health and wellness priorities within the …

Human Sexuality Education For Counseling Students, An Ethical Imperative: A Special Commentary, Meagan S. Mcbride

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Human sexuality is a profound and multifaceted component of the human condition that is universally experienced. As such, it is an inevitability that issues related to human sexuality will come up in counseling settings; however, there is a lack of medically accurate sex education in K-12 schools. Additionally, there is no requirement, except for in three states, for students in mental health counseling programs to complete a course on human sexuality. While human sexuality is not a specific competency outlined by CACREP or ACA, it is universally experienced by all clients and counselors. This special commentary highlights the ethical need …

The Gender Freedom Model: A Framework For Helping Transgender, Non-Binary, And Gender Questioning Clients Transition With More Ease, Rae Mcdaniel, Laurel Meng

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Transgender/non-binary experiences and identities are often represented in academic literature through narratives of distress and are often pathologized through a medical lens. This holds implications for the field of psychotherapy, as interventions aimed to support transgender/nonbinary individuals often focus solely on risk mitigation. This article presents a therapeutic framework that rests on three pillars—Play, Pleasure, and Possibility—as the focal points for reimagining work with transgender/non-binary clients. This model aims to help this population explore gender transition with more ease through building practical skills, cultivating personal and collective pride, and centering pleasure equity.

Sexuality And Disability In Rehabilitation Counseling Curricula: Rehabilitation Counselor Educators’ Attitudes, Comfort, And Knowledge, Sharesa H. Mccray, Tyra T. Whittaker, Jeff Wolfgang, Tammy Webb, Glacia Ethridge

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Purpose: To examine the attitudes, knowledge, and comfort levels of rehabilitation counselor educators towards sexuality and disability, and to determine if significant differences exist within variables.

Method: Data was collected from a sample of rehabilitation counselor educators (N=27) via an internet-based survey. The Knowledge, Comfort, Approach and Attitudes towards Sexuality Scale (KCAASS) and demographic questionnaire was disseminated to collect data. A MANOVA was conducted to examine if there was a relationship among the variables of attitudes, knowledge, comfort, age, gender, and ethnicity.

Results: Results indicates educators having high comfort levels and positive attitudes towards sexuality and disability. The mean for …

Mapping Sex Therapy Across The United States: An Exploratory Study, Frances L. Mcclain, Dylan M. Amlin

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

The primary purpose of this study was to determine what someone who was interested in obtaining a provider for sex therapy would find if they simply searched for sex therapy using the Google search engine. The goal was to ascertain how someone might access providers in each state, what types of information someone seeking treatment for sexuality issues might find on provider websites, who is providing the services, what types of services are being provided, and whose services might appeal to given the content of the website. Once all of the data was compiled, the resulting data would include a …

Book Review: What Every Mental Health Professional Needs To Know About Sex, 2nd Ed., By Stephanie Buehler, Laura R. Haddock

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

The ability to understand and address sexuality issues is a critical skill set for all mental health professionals. This comprehensive review of the second edition of \textit{What Every Mental Health Professional Needs to Know About Sex} includes an overview of the contents with emphasis on the strengths and weaknesses of the text. Written by Stephanie Beuhler, a licensed psychologist and AASECT certified sex therapist and supervisor, the contents are educational, promote increased self-awareness for the reader, and facilitate insight into the lived experiences of clients while also providing practical and useful exercises and resources that are valuable regardless of a …

Sex Is Not A Four-Letter Word: Sexuality Counseling Training For School Counselors, Wynn N. Dupkoski, Viki Kelchner, Amber S. Haley

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Although sexuality counseling training is not a requirement for Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited Counselor Education programs or for licensure in most states as a professional counselor, there is increasing dialogue taking place among professional counselors regarding the need for additional training in this area. The current article highlights techniques for incorporating and enhancing sexuality counseling training in Counselor Education programs based on the eight CACREP core competencies. After a review of the relevance of sexuality counseling within each area, with attention given to implications for school counselors.

Implications For Supervisors And Counselor Educators In Human Sexuality, Reka K. Farago Dr.

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

This article reports a phenomenological analysis of 13 counselor educators about their supervision experiences with sexuality counseling topics. The eight resulting themes were managing conflicting emotions, creating conditions, values, advocacy, student focus, language, multicultural competency, and student autonomy. Findings suggested the importance of supervisors working with process rather than sexual content when supervising Counselors in Training (CITs) for sexual health topics they encountered during counseling training. Participant experiences and tools were discussed, such as allowing CITs personal processing, and teaching contextual understanding. Implications for supervision and future research shared.

Counselors-In-Training Reactions To Clients Living With And Without Hiv, Melissa Zeligman, J. Richelle Joe

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

An estimated one million people are currently living with HIV in the United States. Therefore, an important question remains pertaining to professional helpers’ preparedness in working with people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). This study (N = 165) utilized an analogue design, with participants receiving one of four possible clinical case vignettes, to determine the relationship of client HIV status and race with counselor-in-training self-efficacy, multicultural competency, and empathy. Results revealed that client HIV status was predictive of counselor self-efficacy, and that self-efficacy held relationships with multicultural counseling competency and empathy. Findings suggest multicultural skills training may be particularly important to …

Development Of The Comfort With Sexual Behaviors Scale, Molli E. Mercer, Shannon B. Dermer

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

The purpose of this study was to develop a valid, reliable scale to assess people’s comfort with sexual behaviors. The Comfort with Sexual Behaviors Scale (CSBS) was developed through multiple administrations. One factor, general comfort talking about sexual behaviors, accounted for 65% of the variance. The 30-item CSBS was a valid and reliable measure of comfort with discussion sexual behaviors.

Developing Lbgtgeqiap+ Allies For Action: A Developmental Counselor Training Model, Anita A. Neuer Colburn, Amy W. Upton Phd

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

The authors present a model for helping students and supervisees to move beyond competence and toward action-based advocacy utilizing the MSJCC (AMCD, 2015) and extant literature in counselor and ally development. Four developmental stages are posited based on the MSJCC domains, and various strategies for teaching competencies at each level are provided.

Negotiating Sexual Values In Counselor Education: A Qualitative Case Exploration, Megan Speciale

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the ways in which counselor educators acknowledge and negotiate their personal sexological worldviews in the teaching of sexuality counseling classes. Analysis of interview material, data mining, and member theorization of six participants (n=6) yielded four overarching themes: 1) centering self-awareness, 2) managing ethical bracketing, 3) affirming sexual diversity, and 4) teaching as a conduit for personal growth. Implications for educators and future recommendations for research are explored.

Counselors’ Knowledge About Hiv Transmission And Prevention, Joseph Campbell, Zachary Pietrantoni, Audrey Miller

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

This article presents the results of an online survey study of 80 counselors to explore counselors’ knowledge about Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) transmission, HIV prevention strategies, potentially related factors, and where counselors obtained their knowledge. Results show that approximately 90% of counselors correctly identified knowledge about HIV transmission, 68% correctly identified knowledge about HIV prevention strategies, and 64% reported receiving no education regarding HIV/AIDS in their graduate counseling programs. Implications for counselor training and professional development are discussed.

Clinical Implications In Vaginal Orgasm Response, Lindsey M. Brown Mccormick, Sherry Todd, Laura Schmuldt, Kathryn Russ, Cristen Wathen

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Previous research has shown that counselors feel uncomfortable addressing clients’ sexual concerns due to a lack of education on topics related to human sexuality. Various studies have attempted to identify the characteristics of vaginal orgasm, including whether women and other people with vaginas (PWV) can achieve different kinds of orgasms. The current study examines responses to participants surveyed across the United States on their orgasm response and compares responses of participants who achieved orgasm through masturbation and those who achieved orgasm through sex with a partner to determine whether PWV experience one kind of orgasm during masturbation and experience a …

The Use Of Technology In Sexual Exploration Among A Rape Culture Youth, Kelley R. Holladay, W. Bryce Hagedorn

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

The present investigation sought to address the gap of research surrounding rape myth acceptance attitudes and cyber-sexual assault (CBSA). Researchers examined data collected from a college sample of 94 undergraduate psychology students. The purpose of this investigation was to explore whether this sample of college students reported any potential stereotypes pertaining to cyber-sexual assault victims and whether the college students utilized technology for sexual exploration (e.g., creation, distribution, and receiving of sexually explicit material). In addition to identifying cyber-sexual victims, this study explored the correlation of gender with those responses. Results are reported, and suggestions for counselors are offered. The …

Too Taboo?: Preliminary Explorations Of Counselor Experiences Of Client Sexuality, Molly R. Wilson

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

For many years, researchers and clinicians have discussed the weakness in the counseling profession surrounding education and training specific to sexuality. Previous research has largely focused on quantitative approaches to explore why client sexuality is a source of discomfort for counselors. This study sought to explore the qualitative experience of two counselors to begin filling in the gaps left by similar quantitative research. Through narrative interviews, themes related to avoidance of and motivators for discussing sexuality with clients were identified. Results from this research can help influence counselors in practice, counselor educators and future areas of sexuality counseling research.

A Population At Risk: Counseling Sexual Minorities With A Serious Mental Illness, Anthony Zazzarino, Corinne W. Bridges

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Sexual minorities are at a greater risk for experiencing a serious mental illness (SMI) compared to heterosexuals, and sexual minorities suffering from a SMI experience stigma and discrimination that leads to a greater need for counseling services. Current research does not address the needs of sexual minorities with a SMI and how to prepare counselors to work with this population, as most sexual minorities with a SMI find that counseling services do not meet their unique needs. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study, grounded in a Husserlian philosophical and minority stress model conceptual framework, was to explore the experiences …