Neurodivergent Sexuality & Relationships

A series of therapeutic workshops
Number of sessions: 10 Start date: September 27th Frequency: Sessions weekly on Fridays 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Location: In-person, Hadley Office, 4 Bay Rd, Hadley, MA 01035

Registration Deadline: September 9th

Ariel Pliskin, LICSW

Facilitators

Ariel Pliskin, LICSW & E Merten, LICSW

Participants may use insurance or pay out of pocket $50 per group session. 

Description

E Merten, LICSW

Navigating your sexuality, whether through self-connection, dating, or maintaining a long-term partnership, can be challenging. Many of us have been taught there is only one “right” way to be in relationships, even though the same thing doesn’t work for everyone. This group aims to empower you to author the story of your life to achieve relational and sexual satisfaction. Through interactive exercises, participants will clarify their desires and boundaries while learning effective strategies to communicate them. Facilitators will tailor activities to the group’s needs, ensuring that participation is always optional. Drawing inspiration from the autistic community, this group will explore how the neurodiversity perspective can help anyone unmask and discover their authentic voice. It serves as an excellent complement to our neurodivergent mindfulness group.

Session Topics

  1. Introduction

  2. Locating ourselves within social systems

  3. Challenging limiting messages

  4. Evaluating relationships

  5. Setting boundaries

  6. Decoding desire and sexual scripts

  7. Exploring sexual interests

  8. Negotiating consent

  9. Navigating conflict

  10. Conclusion

Participants

If you think you may want to join, the first step is to sign up for an intake session in which we will determine together whether this group is a good fit. This group may benefit people with a wide variety of strengths, challenges, identities, and diagnoses.

Insurances accepted

BCBS Beacon: GIC/Unicare, BMC Healthnet, Fallonhealth, Emblem Health, Mass General Bringham, MBHP: (Most MassHealth), New York State Empire Plan, Optum: Allways, Harvard Pilgrim, Oxford, Providence Plan Partners Commercial, Tufts Public, UMR, United Behavioral Health, United Healthcare,  United Healthcare: Connecticare, Out of network/PPO options

This group will strive to be trauma-aware, anti-racist, HAES-affirming and aligned with a neurodiversity paradigm. It will be sex positive (defined broadly), working for LGBTQIA+, kink, sex worker, and consensual non-monogmay inclusion.