World Association of Sexual Health 25th Annual Congress

Chemsex and the Barriers to Support

I feel very privileged, honoured (and surprised!) that I have been asked to carry out a presentation on Chemsex for @was2021congress

Two weeks ago, I and two incredibly knowledgeable colleagues spoke on Breaking Barriers within the sexual health field for @wasworldsexualhealth and @sexualhealthassociation . I spoke about 'Chemsex and the Barriers to Care'. In my presentation for the Congress I go into more detail, discussing;

•How the research has routinely come from a place of epidemiology rather than phenomonology (in other words from a public health angle rather than the voices of lived experience).

•How this is important in the impact of the biases and perceptions that society and health professionals hold.

•I speak about the importance and cultivating space to speak about the pleasures alongside the pain in order to be able to support people in a more holistic, balanced manner.

•I also discuss the possible avenues that need to be explored in relation to therapy. I believe Therapy must be person-centred and incorporate the subjective experience, and by doing that see how therapies such as EFT, EMDR, Existential Psychosexualtherapy (thank you to @meg_john_barker for their inspirational writing) could be drawn upon.

•Finally, it looks at the various ways by which we can shift these narratives, both on an organisational level but on a personal one too. Ultimately, allowing us to be better informed and equipped clinicians for our clients.

If you are a clinician in sexual health I would implore you to join us at the Congress. There are just a wide range of topics that are really pushing boundaries and exploring avenues that have been much negated.