Sexuality and Mental Health (2 days)

“Service users in moral danger!” “Not able to exercise any responsibility!” “Open to abuse!” These are terms with which we are very familiar.
This training course will examine both the ethical, legal and professional practice implications involved and the difficulties experienced by some service users. Solutions to current challenges will be sought.

Learning objectives:

By the end of this course learners should be able to understand:

• A range of definitions including Sexuality, Sexual orientation, Sexual abuse etc.
• The different ways in which sexuality can be expressed
• Sexuality as a human need
• The history of the abuse of Gay Men and Lesbians by Psychiatry, the Law and society in general
• Sexuality and its relationship to Mental Health e.g. Loss of libido, effects of medication, low self-esteem etc.
• What is meant by sexual abuse and the different ways in which this can happen
• Issues of discrimination ( for Gay Men, Lesbians, Bi-sexual people, and Transgender people)
• How helpers have traditionally regarded sexuality and service users as sexual beings:
        -Gender
        -Orientation
        -Role stereotypes
        -Marriage
        -Children
        -Termination etc
• The move from institutional care to the community; how expectations changed
• The difficulties experienced by service users in the community
• Ethical and Good Practice considerations (Including confidentiality, Safeguarding and risk taking
• The law incl. The MCA
• A pro-active approach to supporting service users (including the risks):
        -Provision of ‘special’ services
        -Sex workers (the legal and ethical considerations)
        -Dating agencies etc.
• Sex Education and Sexual Health
• Valuing Diversity-supporting GLBT service users
• Sexuality & Older service users

Training methods:

• Tutor Presentations
• Chalk & talk
• OHP/PowerPoint
• Handouts
• Word shower method
• Chalk and talk
• Large group work
• Smaller group work
• Pairs work

CP83/4.9