Decolonizing Sexual Functioning: Rethinking Sexual Wellness Beyond Diagnosis and Performance

Presented by Chelsea (Zhe) Yang, LCPC (Maryland), AASECT Certified Sex Therapist

Friday, April 17, 2026

8am-10am PT / 10am-12pm CT / 11am-1pm ET

Event held online via Zoom, link to access provided upon registration.

Contemporary sexual medicine and psychotherapy often conceptualize sexual health through diagnostic and performance-oriented frameworks. Sexual functioning is commonly evaluated through measures such as erection, orgasm, and levels of sexual desire, with deviations from these norms frequently classified as sexual dysfunction within clinical diagnostic systems (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Classic models of sexual response (Masters & Johnson, 1966; Kaplan, 1979) have significantly shaped clinical practice but also reflect culturally specific assumptions about sexuality, embodiment, and relational intimacy. Increasingly, scholars in sexuality studies have questioned whether these frameworks universalize Western norms regarding sexual behavior, gender, and bodily functioning
(Fausto-Sterling, 2008; Lugones, 2007).

This presentation introduces a decolonizing perspective on sexual functioning and explores alternative ways clinicians may conceptualize sexual distress. Drawing on existential psychotherapy and trauma-informed care, the session reframes sexual concerns as experiences shaped by relational context, cultural narratives, and embodied responses to stress rather than solely physiological dysfunction. Participants will examine how pluralistic and culturally responsive frameworks can expand clinical understanding of sexual well-being and will explore implications for therapeutic practice and counselor education.

Zoom link will be available on course page in “My Courses” upon event registration. 

This program, when attended in its entirety, offers 2.0 CEs for Psychologists, 2.0 IL CEUs for Counselors and Social Workers, 2.0 BBS California CEUs for LPCCs, LPSWs, and LMFTs, 2.0 AASECT CEUs for Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, or 2.0 NBCC Clock Hours.

Price: $50.00 

Register Link:  https://tcsppofficeofce.com/product/decolonizing-sexual-functioning/