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Helping Clients Shift from Sexual Obligation to Pleasure and How Attachment Styles Impact Sexual Desire

Previously Recorded
Rivka Sidorsky, LCSW, AASECT
$59.99 Cost For Member: $39.99

This 3-hour CE training explores how attachment dynamics and cultural or religious beliefs shape individuals’ experiences of sexual desire—particularly in relational contexts. The first half delves into attachment theory, offering a clinical understanding of how different attachment styles influence desire and arousal. The second half examines how sociocultural and religious narratives, especially those centered around sexual obligation, affect women’s sexual autonomy and pleasure. Through a culturally sensitive and trauma-informed lens, therapists will learn strategies to help clients (individuals and couples) untangle internalized messages about sex and foster a shift from obligation-based intimacy to authentic, connected desire.

About the Presenter

Rivka Sidorsky is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist Supervisor, an IAPST Certified Psychosexual Therapist, an IAPST Certified Psychosexual Supervisor, a licensed clinical social worker, a Social Work Board Certified Supervisor, a Faculty Lecturer, a published author, a Harvard University research fellowship recipient, and an experienced lecturer. She is the owner and director of a group psychotherapy practice in Silver Spring, Maryland. She was personally mentored and was trained in sexual dysfunction and sex therapy from internationally renowned Dr. Laura Berman, Oprah’s relationship and sex expert, at the Berman Center in Chicago. She teaches sex therapy on topics such as female sexual dysfunction, sexual pain, vaginismus, sexual aversion, couples sexual issues, and performing sex therapy with diverse religions and cultures. She lives in Silver Spring with her husband and their five children

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify and assess various adult attachment styles and explain their impact on sexual desire and relational dynamics.
  2. Describe clinical strategies for addressing attachment-related sexual challenges in both individual and couples therapy.
  3. Explain at least three cultural or religious sources of sexual obligation that commonly affect women’s sexual narratives.
  4. Utilize three therapeutic interventions to help clients reframe sex from a duty to a source of mutual pleasure and agency.
  5. Apply culturally sensitive and attachment-informed approaches to support clients navigating conflicts between desire, obligation, and identity.

Agenda:

Attachment theory, offering a clinical understanding of how different attachment styles influence desire and arousal. (1 Hour)

Case study on Attachment (20 Minutes)

BREAK (10 Minutes)

Examine how sociocultural and religious narratives, especially those centered around sexual obligation, affect women’s sexual autonomy and pleasure (1 Hour)

Case study on sexual obligation (30 Minutes) 

This workshop offers 3 Continuing Education Credits
This webinar is recorded and will not grant live credits.

This presentation is open to:
  • Social Workers
  • Professional Counselors
  • Therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
  • Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
  • Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
Course Level: intermediate
Level of Clinician: intermediate
  • New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
  • Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
  • Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
  • Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives

Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.

Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification. Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling. The grievance policy for trainings provided by NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here Satisfactory Completion Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire workshop, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
  • CE You! is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for continuing education credits for licensed social workers in Maryland.
    CE You! maintains responsibility for this program.
Refund Policy:
Full Refund until 48 hours before scheduled date.
48 hours before: full refund less $5.00 processing fee. After event no refund will be given.
*exclusions apply for reasonable need and cause.