Society of Australian Sexologists Ltd upcoming events

The Clinical Depth of Compulsive Sexual Behaviours and Porn-Related Distress with International Expert Silva Neves (28 Apr 2026)

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The topics of sexual compulsivity and pornography are emotive subjects, shrouded in myths, bringing significant confusion with clinicians and the public. This workshop will help de-mystify those topics, clarify some facts, and offer some nuance to the conversation. This will help clinicians make a more informed assessment with clients who present with compulsive sexual behaviours and porn-related distress, formulate the clinical presentation with the primary lens of sexology, and offer a pluralistic, sex-positive and ethical model of treatment, to help clinicians work with clinical depth. The workshop will be interactive and illustrated with case studies. It will also be an opportunity for practitioners to reflect on their biases and embrace their learning edge.

In this workshop, attendees will learn:

The pros and cons of porn: based on scientific research
Porn-related distress: how to make an assessment
The three phase model working with clients who struggle with compulsive sexual behaviours
Pluralistic treatment: recommendation of a sex-positive and ethical practice

Bio

Silva Neves is an award-winning, COSRT-accredited and UKCP-registered psychosexual and relationship psychotherapist based in London, UK.

Silva is a member of the editorial board for the leading international journal Sexual and Relationship Therapy.

Silva is the author of three books: Compulsive Sexual Behaviours, A Psycho-Sexual Treatment Guide for Clinicians (Routledge), Sexology: The Basics (Routledge), Sexual Diversity (Karnac). He co-edited three textbooks: Erotically Queer (Routledge), Relationally Queer (Routledge), Gender, Sex and Relationship Diversity Therapy (Routledge). He also edited The Routledge International Handbook of Sexual Compulsivity and Clinical Sexology (Routledge).

He speaks internationally.

Website: https://www.silvaneves.co.uk

Facebook: Silva Neves – Psychotherapy

X: @SilvaNeves3

Instagram: @silvanevespsychotherapy

Threads: @silvanevespsychotherapy

SAS National Book Club - May 2026 (11 May 2026)

Mon, 11 May 2026 09:30:00 GMT

ABOUT THE BOOK

The smell of leather. The flash of a harness. The snap of a latex glove. Welcome to the radical, vibrant world of sexual fetishists.

In 21st century commodity culture, we are all intimately involved with objects: we covet a Birkin bag; we keep trainers box-fresh. We are, in a sense, all fetishists. But occasionally this desire spills into something more subversive. Second Skin offers a tour through the materials, objects and power dynamics commonly fetishised, unpacking their histories, their expressive potential, and the communities they give rise to. Drawing from her encounters with fellow fetishists and kinksters, it is also the story of Anastasiia Fedorova's own journey: of what it means to come to terms with one's sexuality.

Brave and searching, Second Skin reveals how what we deem 'taboo' is never static, while asking: do we have the courage to look at these desires directly, and express them unapologetically?

ABOUT THE BOOK CLUB

The Book Club meetings are facilitated by Martin Gladman (Clinical Sexologist, Relationships Counsellor and Accredited Mental Health Social Worker) and Deborah Vanderwerp (Educator and Counsellor), both of whom are SAS members from Victoria.

3 CPD points are available after the quiz is completed.

Attending members choose the next book club meeting book from the recommendations.

A SAS book list is available here https://societyaustraliansexologists.org.au/faq

The books that were recommended by attendees for the May book club meeting were;

Love in a F*cked-Up World How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell Together by Dean Spade, 2025
Perv: The Sexual Deviant in all of us by Jesse Bering, 2014
Queer Footprints by Dan Glass, 2023
Second Skin: Inside the Worlds of Fetish, Kink and Deviant Desire by Anastasiia Fedorova, 2026
Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid, 2019

Ethics: Staying on the Right Side of Complaints with Trish Purnell-Webb (19 May 2026)

Tue, 19 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

About

One of the most stressful situations a health professional can find themselves in is dealing with a professional complaint through our state authority and/or professional body. Tens of thousands of notifications about psychologists, social workers, counsellors and psychotherapists are made every year across Australia. This workshop will explore the most common notifications made about health professionals offering sex therapy as part of their services. The workshop will be interactive and illustrated with case studies. Tips for protecting your practice will be offered.

Presenter

Trish Purnell-Webb is a Clinical Psychologist, Certified Gottman Therapist, Advanced Clinical trainer and Consultant for the Gottman Institute. Trish has worked with couples for 30 years in her private practice based on Burleigh Heads, QLD and is the founder of Relationship Institute Australasia, a training organisation for those wishing to work therapeutically with couples.

Trish is an active educator teaching into Masters programs in several Australian and Singaporean universities as well as being a board-approved supervisor (AHPRA), Assessor for the Supervisor Training Accreditation Program and Supervision Masterclass Facilitator (AHPRA).

Trish regularly provides support and supervision to professionals facing notifications and conditions set by AHPRA, QCAT, HPCA and regularly provides professional development workshops for many community and professional organisations throughout Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the USA.

Beyond Shame: Integrating Faith and Sexuality in Clinical Practice with Monica Cook (22 Jun 2026)

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 09:30:00 GMT

About

Many clients seeking support for sexual difficulties come from conservative or faith-based backgrounds where sexuality has been shaped by rigid beliefs, shame, or silence. For clinicians, this can create a complex therapeutic space where sex-positivity, religious values, and psychological safety must all be carefully navigated.

This professional development session is designed for sexologists, counsellors, psychologists, and allied health professionals who want to work more competently, respectfully, and effectively with conservative Christian clients experiencing sexual distress.

Drawing on clinical practice and theology-informed understanding this training will explore:

What it means to be spiritually and culturally respectful and common clinical missteps that unintentionally alienate Christian clients.
How to affirm sexual wellbeing without invalidating deeply held faith values especially with regards to topics such as masturbation, desire, fantasy and sex toys.
Common presentations when working with Christian clients (spiritual shame and guilt, self sacrifice and sexual entitlement).
Trusted resources including books, podcasts, and faith-sensitive educational tools that clients can engage with safely.

Participants will leave with a clearer framework for working with Christian clients in a way that is ethically sound, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and clinically effective, while honouring both sexuality and faith as meaningful parts of the human experience.

Presenter

Monica Cook - Sexologist & Educator

https://www.reconceived.com.au

Monica is a psychosexual therapist and sexuality educator based in Sydney.

In 2018 Monica was offered a position as a Senior Research Fellow at Anglican Deaconess Ministries. It was here she had the unique opportunity to design a sex and fertility program built on theological principles for the Church.

She has also worked for CatholicCare educating engaged couples, is a regular speaker for Family Planning NSW, a subcommittee board member for the Australasian Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine (AIRRM) and managed the Christian Society for Sexual Wellbeing (CSSW).

Monica has had many years of experience in education presenting to a range of audiences including couples, parents, students, doctors and church congregations. She holds a Masters of Sexual and Reproductive Health (Psychosexual Therapy) with additional university qualifications in health education and medical research. She is a member of the Australian Counselling Association and Society for Australian Sexologists (SAS).