Overview

The Melbourne Branch presents an in-person event, Porn Addiction: Assessment & Treatment of Adolescents & Adults. This full day workshop (9.00am-4.30pm) aims to equip clinicians with the knowledge and skills to assess and treat pornography addiction experienced by adolescent and adult clients. 

The workshop will explore the impact of pornography use on young people’s relational, cognitive and sexual developmental milestones and we will explore how to best empower young people to critically evaluate the content they consume and make informed choices. The training will outline the bio-psych-social contributors to pornography addiction including the role of neurological reinforcement and desensitisation. We will explore a model for identifying addiction cycles and mapping perpetuating factors for individual clients. Finally, we will explore how to identify points of intervention, and effective treatment approaches including behavioural, cognitive, and sensate techniques. The workshop will include interactive activities and case study examples.

Refreshments to be provided

Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea

Targeted audience

This activity is aimed at psychologists and health professionals.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this workshop, participants will have an understanding of the following;

• The bio-psycho-social impacts and drivers of pornography use and how addiction develops,
• How to identify and assess addictive patterns of pornography use,
• The impact of pornography use on psychological, social and relational development,
• How to identify treatment targets collaboratively with clients, and 
• What treatment techniques can be used to address the targets and resolve addictive patterns. 

Presenter(s)

Dr Sarah Ashton (Clinical Psychologist)

About the presenter(s)

Dr Sarah Ashton (she/her) is the Director and Founder of SHIPS, the first organisation dedicated to inclusive, trauma-informed, evidence-based sexual health psychology treatment. She is also the Founder and Lead Training Author of Sexual Health and Intimacy Psychological Training and the Coordinator of the MHPN Sexual and Mental Health Primary Health Network. She is a registered psychologist (AHPRA) and board approved supervisor (AHPRA) and member of the Society of Australian Sexologists. Dr. Ashton is also a lecturer and academic at RMIT and Deakin University and has recently co-authored Deakin's first Sex and Sexuality Unit. Her research on pornography has been published in The Journal of Sex Research, Porn Studies, and Feminism & Psychology as well as The Conversation and Red Magazine. Dr Ashton is passionate about liberating our fearful relationship with sex on a cultural level, making visible the voices of erotically marginalised communities, providing exceptional sexual health care for our community and raising the bar of healthcare by empowering practitioners with skills and knowledge. Here are some selected publications on pornography by Dr Ashton: Ashton, S., McDonald, K., & Kirkman, M. (2018). Women’s experiences of pornography: A systematic review of research using qualitative methods. Journal of Sex Research, 55(3), 334-347. doi: 10.1080/00224499.2017.1364337 Ashton, S., McDonald, K., & Kirkman, M. (2019). Pornography and women’s sexual pleasure: Accounts from young women in Australia. Feminism & Psychology, 0, 1-24. doi:10.1177/0959353519833410 Ashton, S., McDonald, K., & Kirkman, M. (2019). What does “pornography” mean in the digital age? Revisiting a definition for researchers. Porn Studies. doi:10.1080/23268743.2018.1544096. Ashton, S., McDonald, K., & Kirkman, M. (2020). Pornography and sexual relationships: Discursive challenges for young women. Feminism & Psychology, 30(4), 489–507. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353520918164 Ashton, S & Kirkman, M. (2019, 10 May). Many you women find pleasure is sexually explicit material but it still reinforces gender inequality. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/many-young-women-find-pleasure-in-sexually-explicit-material-but-it-still-reinforces-gender-inequality-114370 Ashton, S & Kirkman, M. (2019, 18 March). We need a new definition of pornography – with consent at the centre. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/we-need-a-new-definition-of-pornography-with-consent-at-the-centre-111994

Notes

It is up to attendees in attendance to assess and determine how learning from this event aligns with the requirements of their learning plan. The providers accordingly do not make any representation that the event counts towards attendees CPD learning requirements. If an attendee determines themselves that the learning they complete aligns to their learning plan, then they can decide to count those hours towards their CPD requirements for the registration cycle. The information in this presentation has been prepared in good faith and for educational purposes only. Therefore, the information is general in nature and should not be relied upon in the treatment of any condition and you should seek your own independent professional and/or legal advice concerning any specific issue. The APS accepts no responsibility for any errors, omissions or decisions relating to the information. The content should not be reproduced without permission or unless permitted by law.  If you are experiencing registration difficulties, please contact APS Events Support.