Constance Avery-Clark has been an active and successful private clinical practitioner and psychologist for nearly 30 years, providing therapy for couples’ and individuals’ sexual, intimacy, and relationship concerns and enhancement in South Florida. Also Co-Director of the Institute for Sexual & Relationship Therapy & Training, and an AASECT-Certified Diplomate in Sex Therapy. https://www.draveryclark.com/
Melanie Barnum (Bethel, CT) is a psychic medium, intuitive counselor, life coach, and hypnotist who has been practicing professionally for more than fifteen years. She was a VIP Reader at Psych Out, a gathering of the nation’s foremost psychics, organized by Court TV. Barnum is also an Angelspeake Facilitator, a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH), and the International Association of Counselors and Therapists (IACT).
Dr. Lori Brotto is a Professor in the UBC Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and a Registered Psychologist in Vancouver, Canada. She has been the Executive Director of the Women’s Health Research Institute of BC located at BC Women’s Hospital since 2016. Dr. Brotto holds a Canada Research Chair in Women’s Sexual Health. She is the director of the UBC Sexual Health Laboratory where research primarily focuses on developing and testing psychological and mindfulness-based interventions for women with sexual dysfunction and those who experience chronic genital pain. Dr. Brotto is an Associate Editor for the Archives of Sexual Behavior, has >180 peer-reviewed publications, and is frequently featured in the media on topics related to sexuality. Her book, Better Sex Through Mindfulness: How Women Can Cultivate Desire (2018) is a knowledge translation product aimed at sharing the science of sexual desire with a broad audience. She is a strong advocate for empowering women to take on leadership roles.
Bryony Cole is an international speaker, published writer and producer, who has been featured on shows like Viceland and Technopia, and articles in Wired, TechCrunch, The New York Times, Playboy, Mashable, Motherboard, ABC, Financial Review, Brides, Glamour and many other global media.Recent stage engagements include TEDx (Romania), Open Innovation Forum (Russia) and Tech Open Air (Germany) and Login Festival (Lithuania).
Reverend Beverly Dale is a published writer, vocalist, and performer, in addition to being an ordained minister. Her ministry has taken her from being a Pastor in a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) parish in Illinois for 6 years to 21 years of campus ministry at the University of Pennsylvania and now as the Founder and Chair of the Incarnation Institute for Sex & Faith. This is an educational non-profit that teaches an inclusive, science-friendly and sex-positive Christianity.
Lena Derhally, MS, MA, LPC, is a licensed psychotherapist certified in Imago Relationship Therapy. She is part of the clinical faculty in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the George Washington School of Medicine where she mentors medical students, and is the co-host of the podcast, Sessions with Bob and Lena. Her writing has been published in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post and more, and she is also the author of the Amazon best-selling true crime book, “My Daddy is a Hero:” How Chris Watts Went from Family Man to Family Killer.
Dr. Pamela Finnerty has been a therapist in private practice specializing in relationship and couples therapy for over 30 years. Sexuality and aging have been areas of specialization since her earliest training in the 1970’s at the height of explosive shift in paradigms of women’s sexual freedom. She ran women’s sexuality groups and taught human sexuality classes in the 1970’s and in the early 1980’s completed a certificate in gerontology as part of her doctorate. She went on to develop and teach one of the first courses in the country on Counseling Older Persons as part of her full-time academic career at George Washington University. Pamela is now an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist as well. In this later chapter of her long career, she is writing and teaching about the importance of sexual vibrancy and aliveness to the vitality and health of women and men as they age. The blossoming of her career long priority to help older people free and become their best sexual selves is an important element of her own continuing power, strength, and joy.
Over the course of his adult life, Brian Gibney has worn many hats: research scientist (MA, Molecular biology; Masters, Microbiology), teacher, professional artist, performer, and parent. The common thread that has run through all of those vocations was the joy of learning, discovery, and improvement. Concurrently, he has always enjoyed sharing with others to learn their stories, hopes, and dreams, realizing that these are common elements of the human experience that bind us all together. In surrogate partner therapy I welcome the ability to utilize my unique skills, disposition, and life experiences to guide others around obstacles to emotional and physical intimacy.
Brian received his training in surrogate partner therapy from IPSA (the International Professional Surrogates’ Association) in 2016 and is currently in the intern phase of his work. Under the supervision of an experienced mentor, he works with female-identifying clients to aid them in overcoming obstacles that prevent them from experiencing healthy intimate relationships.
Based in Washington, DC, Michael Giordano has been a Clinical Social Worker since 1999. He earned his MSW from the University of Maryland, Baltimore and worked in small non-profits before entering private practice in 2007. His main interests are gender identity, trauma, and sex therapy. In his free time, Mike is a harried dad and an avid yogi. www.WhatIHearYouSaying.comMike.Giordano.MSW@gmail.com
Gail Guttman, LCSW, specializes in the integration of couples and sex therapy. Gail has been a Certified Imago Therapist since 1994 and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist since 1984. Gail offers consultation and supervision groups. She has been twice recognized by Washingtonian magazine as a “Top Therapist” in sex and couples therapy. Gail is also an AASECT CE Provider, AASECT Certified Sex Therapy Supervisor and an Imago Clinical Consultant. She is passionate about helping therapists to integrate couples and sex therapy and welcomes different theoretical orientations in order to help each therapist find their own path.
Gail has presented on the subject of couples and sex therapy at the Integrative Sex Therapy Institute, Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Workers, previous Imago therapy conferences, the University of Maryland and other professional organizations. She can be found at www.gpatherapy.com.
Jennifer Gunsaullus, Ph.D., is the author of the new book, From Madness to Mindfulness: Reinventing Sex for Women.
In addition to being a sociologist and sexologist, Dr. Jenn is a mindful intimacy coach and frequent speaker about sexual consent, healthy relationships, body image, erotic play, women’s sexual empowerment, sexual health, and mindfulness. She has presented two TEDx Talks, is a writer on sex and relationships, and a recurring intimacy expert on the San Diego morning news. Dr. Jenn is also an active philanthropist with Women Give San Diego, the founder of World Sexual Health Day–San Diego, and on the executive team for Sex Positive San Diego. Her In the Den with Dr. Jenn educational video series has 1.5 million hits on YouTube and she is an expert in the documentary on masturbation, called Sticky: A (Self) Love Story. https://www.drjennsden.com/
Nancy Hyatt brings over twenty years of experience as a transformational couples and individual therapist. Her unique immersive process has helped hundreds of couples and individuals shift from lives of coping in old self-defeating patterns to living in alignment with purpose, aliveness, and vitality.
Nancy is an Advanced Imago Relationship Therapist, a Certified EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) trauma therapist, a Master Student of Encounter-Centered Couples Therapy, and an Outward Bound Wilderness Therapist. Her work is also influenced by her studies with Dr. Sue Johnsonn EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) and Thomas Heubl. Her greatest source of relational learning continues to be in her own marriage of 27 years and as a mother. After receiving her Masters in Social Work from NYU, Nancy completed a Post Graduate Fellowship in the Outpatient Psychiatry Department of Boston Children’s Hospital. She has been in private practice since 1995.
Her professional leadership experience includes serving as both President and Vice President of MAIT (Mid-Atlantic Association of Imago and Relational Therapists), an organization of over 100 relational therapists. She coaches and advises other psychotherapists in deepening their skill in doing transformational psychotherapy. Nancy joined the transformational faculty of Mobius Executive Leadership in 2017 and has been coaching in its leadership programs in North America, Asia and Europe since that time. http://nancyhyatt.com
Emma Kupferman, MSW, LICSW, LCSW-C – After several years teaching Pre-school and High School Sexual Health Education, Ms. Kupferman completed her MSW at Howard University in 2004. She began a career in social work that focused on trauma recovery for survivors of domestic violence and sexual trauma through work at several residential programs in Washington DC, as well as serving as the Clinical Supervisor of the online hotline at the Rape, Abuse Incest National Network. Since October 2016 Ms. Kupferman has consulted with non-profits on clinical program planning and supervision, taught Practice with Individuals, Psychopathology and Human Behavior at the University of Maryland School of Social Work and provided individual and partner’s therapy to clients at her private practice based out of Freed Bodyworks (www.freedbodyworks.com). Ms. Kupferman’s specialties in her practice include ethical non-monogamy, BDSM, kink, body positivity, and trauma impact on sexuality. Among others she has presented at the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters at The Hauge, Netherlands in 2015, AASECT National Conference in 2017, Embracing Change & Growth: Strengthening Services for Survivors of Sexual Violence from the Sexual Assault Demonstration Initiative in 2019. You can reach Emma at www.freedbodyworks.com.
Joseph Jaafari. Reporter. Photographer. Documentary Filmmaker. I am a seasoned data reporter and doc filmmaker who covers subculture, crime, and health. I graduated from the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism with a focus on urban reporting and specialized in video and data platforms.
Evan Leepson, MBA has more than 30 years of experience creating and implementing effective marketing programs. As a marketing consultant, he has facilitated successful strategic marketing plans through extensive business analysis, and market assessments. He leverages his expertise to generate creative and results-oriented solutions.
Mark A. Michaels and Patricia Johnson are the authors of the new book Designer Relationships: A Guide to Happy Monogamy, Positive Polyamory, and Optimistic Open Relationships (Cleis Press, September 2015). A devoted married couple, they have been creative collaborators––teaching and writing about relationships, sexuality, and Tantra––since 1999. In addition to Designer Relationships, they have written Partners in Passion (Cleis Press), Great Sex Made Simple, Tantra for Erotic Empowerment, and The Essence of Tantric Sexuality (Llewellyn). They are also the creators of the COVR Award-winning meditation CD set Ananda Nidra: Blissful Sleep.
Barry McCarthy, Ph.D. is a professor of psychology at American University, a diplomate in clinical psychology, a Certified Sex Therapist, and a Certified Couple Therapist. He has published more than 110 professional articles, 29 book chapters, and 14 books. Barry has presented more than 450 professional workshops in the United States and internationally. In 2016 he received the Masters and Johnson award for lifetime contributions to the sexuality field.
Estefanía Muñoz is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Board Approved Supervisor in Maryland, and an ASSECT Certified Sex Therapist and supervisor in training. She has worked in the non-profit and governmental sectors in Peru, The Netherlands, and the US. Currently, she has a bilingual private practice in Baltimore, as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Supervisor, and a Certified Sex Therapist and supervisor in training. Estefanía is passionate about supporting migrant populations who have experienced violence and sexual trauma. As well as working with clients from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. She acts as an immigration court expert on gender violence cases involving Latin American migrants. Estefanía is also an academic and is currently working on her PhD dissertation at the California Institute for Integral Studies. Her dissertation addresses the conceptualization of sexual citizenship of migrant Peruvian women living in the US.
Hani Miletski, Ph.D., M.S.W., is a Certified Sex Therapist (Diplomate) and Supervisor by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT). In the July 2009 issue of the Washingtonian, Hani was listed as one of the top psychotherapists specializing in sexual issues. Hani is the author of “Understanding Bestiality and Zoophilia” and “Mother-Son Incest: The Unthinkable Broken Taboo Persists,” and various professional articles. Hani came to the United States from her native country, Israel, in 1987 at the age of 25. She worked at the Embassy of Israel in Washington, DC as the Assistant Senior Representative of the Defense Mission to the U.S. for Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) Programs, and later as the Assistant Press Counselor while going to school. Hani currently has a Private Practice in Bethesda, MD.
Glenn Parkinson is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Dupont Circle, Washington DC offering individual and couples psychotherapy. I use a compassionate and non-judgmental approach in my work with people of diverse backgrounds. My work is solution-focused, aimed at addressing ways people are dissatisfied with or struggle in their lives. Primary areas of work include trauma, depression, anxiety, medical issues, traumatic brain injury, and sexual health and intimacy concerns. I have extensive experience working with active duty military personnel, veterans, and civilians with deployment-related experience. http://www.wolfsprings.org/
Dr. Melvin Lee Phillips, Jr., Ed.D., LCSW, CSAC, CST is in private practice in Washington, DC where he treats chronic illness and sexual dysfunction. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. He is also a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) in Virginia. He is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST). Dr. Phillips has been in private practice for more than a decade, working with couples on sexuality after chronic illness. He lectures on topics including sexuality, chronic pain, anxiety and stress management, caregiving stress, depression in the elderly, mindfulness and cognitive strategies for chronic pain, reclaiming sexuality for couples with chronic illness, ethical decision making, and the assessment of mental disorders. He has published in the Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, conducting a research study on LGBTQ-Affirmative Teaching at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Understanding Program Directors Views. He has been a featured expert in Teen Vogue and The Lily Newspaper. He writes for YourTango, Psych Central, and PsychAlive. He holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Behavioral Health from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ. In addition, Dr. Phillips is an adjunct professor in the Master of Social Work Program with the School of Social Work at Western New Mexico University. He can be found at www.drleephillips.com.
Dr. Tammy Nelson is a sex and relationship expert, an international speaker, and author of several books including, “Getting the Sex You Want; Shed Your Inhibitions and Reach New Heights of Passion Together” and her new book “The New Monogamy; Redefining Your Relationship After Infidelity.” She is a Board Certified Sexologist, an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, and a Certified Imago Relationship therapist. She has been a featured expert in Glamour Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Redbook, MSNBC, Healthy Life Magazine, Shape, Men’s Health, Men’s Health UK, Woman’s Day, Women’s Health, Twist Magazine, New York Times, Washington Post and a source in Time Magazine. She writes for the Huffington Post and YourTango and gives workshops and Intensives for couples and trains therapists around the world on issues relating to sex and relationships. She can be found at www.drtammynelson.com
Thomas Rea is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist in Bethesda, MD. He received his Master of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California and has over 10 years of experience providing individual and relationship psychotherapy to clients with various issues, including LGBTQI-related concerns, substance use disorders, problematic sexual behaviors and male sexual dysfunction. Before opening his private practice, Thomas worked in clinical case management.
Mac Shoen has 24 years of exploration and adventure! London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine studying Reproductive and Sexual Health Research.
Mieke Rivka Sidorsky, LCSW-C, CST (nee Windecker) uses her compassionate nature and warm personality to improve the quality of life for her clients. Clients often describe Rivka as warm, positive, and hard-working. She believes in her clients and helps them gain the strength to believe in themselves too.
Rivka is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, a licensed clinical social worker, a Board Certified Supervisor, a published author, a Harvard University research fellowship recipient, and an experienced lecturer . She is a professional member of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists , the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health , and the International Society for Sexual Medicine . https://www.rivkasidorsky.com/
Chris Straley has over 20 years of experience providing mental health services, primarily to men, individuals and couples, who are struggling with relationship issues, sexual health, and/or substance use issues, my focus is on helping you feel better. If you are struggling to feel connected with your partner, or others in your life, therapy can help. As a relationship specialist and sex therapist, I work with you, to help understand and improve communication, heal past ruptures, and increase intimacy – emotional and sexual. We may also work together to decrease your sexual performance anxiety, increase confidence, and pleasure.
I also work with men struggling with Out of Control Sexual Behavior, and/or substance use. You and I work together to identify what you feel is problematic about your behaviors and then work together to reach your goals.
I offer clinical consultation to other clinicians, and am Certified as a Maryland Social Work Supervisor. I am also a Certified Group Psychotherapist (by American Group Psychotherapy Association), and a Certified Sex Therapist (by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists). https://www.christopherstraley.com/
Andrew Tatarsky is an internationally recognized leader in the treatment of problematic substance use and other potentially risky behaviors. He has specialized in the field of substance use treatment for 35 years working as a counselor, psychologist, program director, trainer, advocate and author. He has devoted his career to developing a comprehensive psychobiosocial understanding of the broad spectrum of substance use problems and an integrative harm reduction psychotherapy approach to treating this spectrum. This treatment is described in his book, Harm Reduction Psychotherapy: A New Treatment for Drug and Alcohol Problems, and several professional papers that extend the approach. Dr. Tatarsky is Founder and Director of the Center for Optimal Living in NYC, a treatment and professional training center based on Integrative Harm Reduction Therapy (IHRP) for the spectrum of substance misuse and other high-risk behaviors. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from the City University of New York and is a graduate of New York University’s Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. He is a member of the medical and clinical advisory panels to the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services of New York State. Dr. Tatarsky is a founding member and twice past-president of the Division on Addiction of New York State Psychological Association. https://www.andrewtatarsky.com/about
Lisa Topchik is a couples and individual therapist and has been with Guttman & Pearl Associates for more than 10 years. She specializes in sex therapy, couples therapy, and individuals suffering from anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and the effects of trauma. Prior to joining Guttman & Pearl Associates, Lisa Topchik worked at the Women’s Center of Washington, DC. She is certified by Imago Relationships International (IRI) as an Imago Relationship Singles and Couples Therapist. She has received extensive training in sex therapy and received a certificate in sex therapy from the University of Michigan Sexual Health Program. Lisa has completed the EMDR Level I training. She received her BA degree from Amherst College and her MSW degree from Catholic University. https://gpatherapy.com/about-gpatherapy/lisa-franklin-topchik-licsw/
Ari Tuckman, PsyD, CST is a psychologist, certified sex therapist, and ADHD expert. He is a popular and dynamic presenter who routinely earns excellent reviews for his ability to make complex concepts understandable and useful. He has given more than 400 presentations, across America and in nine other countries. He is the author of four books on adult ADHD, including his most recent book, ADHD After Dark: Better Sex Life, Better Relationship which is the first to explore how ADHD impacts a couple’s sex life and relationship—and how to improve both. https://tuckmanpsych.com/
Mr. Vigorito is a sex therapist, author and consultant. As a psychotherapist, he provides individual, couples and group psychotherapy for a range of sexual and behavioral health concerns: consensual sexual behavior problems, relationship and sexual dissatisfaction, sexual disorders, erotic identity development, and sex-drug linked behaviors. Mr. Vigorito has specialized training in co-occurring disorders (e.g. mental health and substance use disorders), domestic violence, mindfulness and clients living with HIV. Along with providing psychotherapy, he developed a sexual health assessment and treatment protocol with Douglas Braun-Harvey, which was published in Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior – Rethinking Sex Addiction (2016) (SSTAR 2018 Health Professional Book Award Winner). As a sexual health consultant for Behavioral Health Systems Baltimore and University of Maryland – Prevention Research Center, Mr. Vigorito designed and implemented capacity-building initiatives to integrate sexual health into mental health and substance use disorder treatment. http://michaelvigorito.com/about
Dr. Nan Wise is a licensed psychotherapist, certified sex therapist, board certified clinical hypnotherapist, and certified relationship specialist with over three decades of experience. Dr. Wise received her Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience at Rutgers-Newark where she completed her dissertation project, “Genital stimulation, imagery, and orgasm in women: an fMRI analysis” in August of 2012. Her research has attempted to address gaps in the scientific literature regarding the neural basis of human sexuality, and has as a result, garnered international attention. Her work has been featured on ABC News Nightline, Discovery Channel, National, NY Times, The Atlantic, Playboy and Science Daily. She is currently a researcher and professor at Rutgers University.