Healthy Relationships and Healthy Sexuality for People with Developmental Disability

RRTCDD 2016/17 Fall/Winter Health and Wellness Series

Presenter: Susan Kahan, MA, LCPC (skahan@uic.edu)

Play recording (1 hr 4 min)

Download Sexuality and Healthy Relationships PowerPoint Presentation 

Thursday, January 19, 2017

3:00pm | Eastern Daylight Time

Presenter Biosketch:

Susan is the clinical staff at the University of Illinois at Chicago Developmental Disability Family Clinics, Susan, provides individual and group therapy for clients with a broad range of mental health and behavioral concerns, with a special focus on trauma and sexual abuse of individuals with disabilities. Susan’s clients include children, adolescents and adults. As a member of the Coalition Against Sexual Abuse of Children with Disabilities, she provides consultation and training on trauma-focused intervention for children with disabilities to both trauma and disability agencies, and has spoken at national and international conferences on sexual abuse prevention and intervention for people with IDD. She also provides consultation on working with children with disabilities for law enforcement and child protection agencies. In addition, Susan conducts trainings on healthy sexuality and sexual abuse prevention for provider agencies, schools and parent groups.

Abstract

Everyone desires to love and be loved. The myths and misconceptions about people with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) often lead to rules and restrictions that make healthy relationships difficult to obtain. This webinar will explore the facts and myths around relationships and sexuality for people with IDD. We will discuss the importance of laying the foundation for healthy relations early on through social skills and sexuality education. Resources and strategies for teaching healthy sexuality will be presented. In addition, we will discuss the role of healthy sexuality education as a primary prevention tool for sexual abuse and other strategies to promote sexual abuse prevention.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the myths and misperceptions about individuals with IDD and their impact access to education on healthy relationships and sexuality.
2. Identify tools and strategies for teaching individuals with IDD about healthy relationships and sexuality.
3. Understand the role of healthy relationship and sexuality education as a primary sexual abuse prevention strategy.