We are pleased to introduce the Southwest Sexual Health Alliance based in Austin, Texas. Heather M McPherson LPC-S, LMFT and the Texas Section Leader for AASECT and Dylan Davies LMFTA launched the organization this past summer in efforts to provide provocative dialog and radical collaboration around sexual health issues. Our mission is to provide educational opportunities in sexual health to students, psychologists, physicians, social workers, educators,  therapists and sexual health professionals.

Dr. Martha Tara Lee, DHS, MA, Author of Love Sex and Everything In Between, has written a new book: Orgasmic Yoga: Masturbation, Meditation and Everything In-Between. 

Though I am sad this is my last entry as President of AASECT, I’m excited to look at all we have accomplished. The changes may not immediately be obvious to the membership, but the internal working of the Board, with our very active committees and management company, has had a wonderfully productive two years.  EVERY committee has instituted change based on feedback from the membership and committee members.

Greetings from the Conference Co-Chairs!   The 2016 AASECT Annual Conference Theme is Putting the Pieces Together: Inclusivity in Practice. A mosaic is made of numerous pieces, each one unique, and equally important in the end result. In order to construct one, intricate and unique tiles are brought together to create an overall picture. If a single piece is unaccounted for, the mosaic is unfinished. The full beauty of a landscape cannot be actualized if any piece is lost, neglected or destroyed.  

The 2016 AASECT Summer Institute will take place August 11-14, 2016 in St. Louis, MO. The theme for the institute is Revisiting 'Sex Addiction': Transformative Ways of Addressing Out of Control Sexual Behavior. The program is designed to help educators and clinicians define out of control sexual behavior using current empirical evidence and evaluate treatment models and tools consistent with this evidence.

Meet the 2016 Annual Conference Planning Committee!   Mariotta Gary-Smith, MPH, CSE - Conference Co-Chair

Welcome to #AASECT16! As your social media sub committee co-chairs, we are excited to have you share your conference experience across our social media accounts.  AASECT will be using three platforms that we encourage you to utilize throughout the conference: Facebook (AASECT) Twitter (@theAASECT) and returning this year, our Instagram (@theaasect)! We encourage you to post, tag, hastag (#AASECT16), share your experiences and pictures (with permission from others if needed), and engage with us as we come together in San Juan!  

A new addition to the Saturday night line up at the AASECT 48th Annual Conference is a short documentary and in depth discussion with AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator, Counselor, Supervisor Mitch Tepper, PhD, MPH. Mitch added filmmaker to his body of work in the field of sexuality with Making Love after Making War: Supporting Intimate Relationships for Wounded Warriors and their Families. Mitch was kind to share his thoughts about the purpose of the documentary and how sexuality professionals might use the documentary in the interview below.

Calling all AASECT members: Do you have knowledge you want to share with others? Do you need to learn more about your chosen sexuality field? Are you interested in learning more about how you can benefit more from your AASECT membership? Join the AASECT mentoring committee to learn more about the program and become a mentor or a mentee. If you are already a part of this wonderful program, please plan to meet face to face at this event, share knowledge, and have fun!    Objectives:

AASECT is excited to announce the two recipients of the 48th Annual Conference Creating Community Scholarships! We look forward to welcoming Jantel Jordan, MA and Martha Juarez to the Annual Conference! The fund was created to aid in overcoming obstacles that may prohibit those from attending its annual conference. Because of the generosity of our members and supporters, we are excited to offer these two scholarship opportunities for this year's conference.