VISTAS Physical Health and Counseling Issues

VISTAS Online is an innovative publication produced for ACA by Dr. Garry R. Walz and Dr. Jeanne C. Bleuer of Counseling Outfitters, LLC. Its purpose is to provide a means of capturing the ideas, information and experiences generated by the annual ACA Conference and selected ACA Division Conferences. Papers on a program or practice that has been validated through research or experience may also be submitted. This digital collection of peer-reviewed articles is authored by counselors, for counselors. VISTAS Online contains the full text of over 900 proprietary counseling articles published from 2004 to 2017.



Integration of Sex and Sexuality Into Counseling Programs

Keleigh C. Blount, Caroline Booth, Tammy Webb, and Robin Guill Liles

2017

Many Americans have sexual dysfunction or behavioral concerns and are seeking assistance from mental health clinicians. Unfortunately, there is limited curriculum on sexuality counseling and sexual behavior in clinical mental health counselor education programs. This lack of education and discussion can result in counselor bias and lack of self-efficacy in therapeutic sessions. Researchers have found that medical assistance alone does not offer effective results when discussing sexual dysfunction or non-normative sexual behavior. Individuals engaged in various counseling interventions alongside sexuality counseling found reduction in sexual dysfunction and comorbid symptoms, such as anxiety or depression. This literature review seeks to highlight the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and different sexual behaviors facing possible clients, the existence of counselor bias and its effect on sexual topics in counseling, and the need for sex and sexuality to be integrated into counseling programs.

Keywords: counselor education, sexual behavior, sexual dysfunction, sexual
health

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