Workshop: Male Sexuality: A Sex-Positive Perspective, Gary Gross, LMFT

MARIN COUNTY CHAPTER OF CAMFT

SATURDAY WORKSHOP

Male Sexuality:  A Sex-Positive Perspective

Working with boys and men in psychotherapy can be both frustrating and rewarding. Males are not socialized to verbally express a range of emotions, they typically have difficulty with feelings of intimacy, vulnerability and shame, and many times they believe they are in treatment to appease someone else. Instead of seeing therapy as a proactive and courageous step toward better mental health, entering treatment symbolically represents failure, weakness, or both.  This means therapists often begin their individual or couples work with a built-in handicap.

Male sexuality is often perceived in popular culture as aggressive, selfish and out of control. Every day the media reports another salacious story of men behaving badly. And yet, adolescent males feel considerable pressure to “score,” men are anxious about their “performance” in bed, and most guys receive conflicting messages about how, when and where to express their sexual energy.  This creates insecurity, shame and unrealistic expectations—both for their partners and for themselves.

This workshop will look at the life issues that create problems for men, and address through evolutionary psychology and recent brain research some of the important ways that males and females differ in regard to sexuality.  We will explore the possible effects of pornography on male sexuality, and look critically at the widespread belief that men can become “addicted” to sexual behavior. This belief creates a continuing narrative that male sexuality is dangerous and unmanageable. Treatment is enhanced if we know how to help men navigate these pervasive beliefs with compassion and we can create a working relationship that does not further contribute to their shame.

Gary Gross, LMFT, has been involved professionally with the concerns of boys and men since the late 1970’s when he helped organize the first California Men’s Gathering and taught coursework on Men and Masculinity at City College of San Francisco.  He obtained an M.A. in Sociology in 1976, an M.A. in Clinical Psychology in 1984, and has been in private practice since 1987.  He has worked at several local non-profit agencies, matching boys with men at Big Brothers and Sisters, developing the first (and only) treatment program in Marin for male juvenile sex offenders at Family Service Agency, and running groups for abused boys through FSA’s Child Sexual Abuse Treatment Program.  He specializes in working with boys, men and couples and provides consultation to groups and other professionals regarding best practices with this population.  

FEE SCHEDULE

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

WORKSHOP LEARNING OBJECTIVES

MARIN CAMFT CE POLICIES

• Marin CAMFT encourages those who attend its events to respect the fact that some individuals may have allergies to fragrances and pet dander. We ask that you refrain from introducing these elements into our meeting room. Registered service animals are welcome, of course. 
• Information: For more information about Marin CAMFT's Workshops and about joining the Committee, please contact the Director-at-Large for CE.
• Continuing Education Goal: Marin CAMFT is committed to offering continuing education courses to train licensees to train LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and LEPs to treat any client in an ethically and clinically sound manner based upon current accepted standards of practice. Course completion certificates will be awarded at the conclusion of the training and upon participant’s submission of his or her completed evaluation. 
• Refund Policy: Requests for refunds must be in writing and received by the Director-at-Large for CE  no later than ten days before the program. There will be a $25.00 administrative fee to cancel registration for any program. The refund will be sent within ten days of the request.
• Accommodation for Special Needs: The special needs of persons with disabilities will be accommodated. The Program Committee will endeavor to assure that continuing education program materials, content and venue selections will meet the special needs of the disabled and that reasonable accommodation will be made. A request for accommodation can be made to the Director-at-Large for CE, who will work with the Committee and event venue to meet the need. All instructors will read and adhere to Marin CAMFT’s stated policies.
• Grievance Procedure: Marin CAMFT will respond to complaints in a reasonable, ethical and timely manner, when submitted by program attendees in writing to the Director-at-Large for CE.
• Anti-Discrimination Policy: Marin CAMFT shall not discriminate against any individual or group with respect to any service, program or activity based on gender, race, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, age or other prohibited basis. Marin CAMFT does not require attendees to adhere to any particular religion or creed in order to participate in training. Marin CAMFT will not promote or advocate for a single modality of treatment that is discriminatory or likely to harm clients based on current accepted standards or practice.
• CEU Approvals: This workshop meets the qualifications for 6 CEUs for LMFTs, LCSWs, LEPs and LPCCs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences for license renewal. These will be provided by Marin CAMFT (CEP # 56895), which is approved by CAMFT to sponsor CE for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and LEPs. Marin CAMFT maintains responsibility for this program and its contents  Contact Director-at-Large for CE for more information.
• CEUs for psychologists are provided by the Spiritual Competency Resource Center which is co-sponsoring this program. Spiritual Competency Resource Center is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Spiritual Competency Resource Center maintains responsibility for the program and its content. CE credits for nurses in California are available through the cosponsorship of the Institute of Noetic Sciences (BRN Provider CEP10318). The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for license renewal by LCSWs and LMFTs for programs from approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.   For questions about CE visit www.spiritualcompetency.com or contact David Lukoff, PhD at david.lukoff@gmail.com.