Elephants and Tea - December 2021 - 30

Sexuality INTIMATE ISSUES WITH MARLOE
are often a critical piece of the sexual wellness
rehabilitation puzzle after cancer!
PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE
* Sexuality Counseling
Sexuality counseling is a problem-specific,
solution-focused approach to addressing
sexual challenges that may arise as a result
of changes in health, illness, aging, or
other life circumstances. Counseling aims
to improve sexual wellness and function
through assessment, education, strategic
goal-setting, and incorporating specific suggestions
into your plan of care. Professionals
providing counseling will work with you to
identify your needs and priorities, and to
implement practical strategies to achieve
desired outcomes.
Any of the professionals listed above may
provide sexuality counseling as part of their
care, within their scope of practice and role
responsibilities. Clinicians often integrate
different sexuality counseling techniques
into health visits like pelvic floor PT consultations,
nursing education sessions,
treatment follow-up appointments, or survivorship
clinic encounters. They may also
offer one-on-one counseling sessions that
focus on addressing a specific sexual issue.
Examples of topics that sexual counseling
can address include contraception and safer
sex practices, partner communication, intimacy,
sexual pleasure, practical guidance
for adapting to physical changes, and more.
* Sex Therapy
Sometimes sexual challenges can be pretty
complex. They may coincide with struggles
such as anxiety or depression, substance
abuse, significant conflict in your relationships,
or sexual trauma and violence. Sometimes,
treatments for cancer can trigger
post-traumatic stress symptoms, significant
grief over cancer-related losses, or negative
changes in body image or self-concept. If
these experiences resonate with you, or
if you have tried sexuality counseling but
have not seen an improvement, you may
be best served by working with a licensed
mental health professional. Sex therapists
are licensed therapists with specialized
training in treating sexual issues, and all of
the complicated components that can contribute
to them.
Clinicians may choose to become certified
in sexuality education, counseling, or
therapy through a professional organization
(such as AASECT). Certification requires
additional training in sexual health competencies
and skills beyond what is needed
for their professional role.
YOUR PARTNER AND YOU!
Partners can also be a valuable part of your
sexual wellness recovery team. If you are
currently partnered, enlist their help and
support! Because of their unique perspective,
partners make great advocates and allies when
discussing sexual concerns with professionals,
and can be actively involved in problem-solving
and implementing any plans of action to help
you get your sex life back on track.
And last but not least, you! As the expert of
your own body, your health care team counts
on you to share with them what your experiences,
concerns, and priorities are, and what
you most need from them to achieve a state of
health and well-being.
For tips and tricks on communicating about
sex (with both partners and providers), check
out a past article from Elephants and Tea titled
" Speaking of Sex: Be H.E.A.R.D.! "
BOTTOM LINE
There are lots of people available to help answer
questions and provide guidance regarding
sexual concerns. A team approach is helpful,
since different professionals will bring unique
skills and expertise to the table. Some cancer
centers offer multidisciplinary sexual health
services as a part of their survivorship or quality-of-life
clinics. If that's not the case where you
get your care, ask your provider to help you build
your own! l
Bibliography/Resources:
American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists
(AASECT). (n.d.). Certification overview. Retrieved on September 24, 2021, from
https://www.aasect.org/aasect-certification
American Medical Association (AMA). (2021). Specialty guide. FREIDA. https://
freida.ama-assn.org/specialty
Fausto-Sterling, A. (2018, October 25). Why sex is not binary. The New York
Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/25/opinion/sex-biology-binary.html
National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). (2021). Survivorship [Version
3.2021]. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. https://www.nccn.org/
professionals/physician_gls/pdf/survivorship.pdf
MARLOE ESCH, RN, BSN, ONCOLOGY CERTIFIED NURSE (OCN), AND YOUNG
ADULT CANCER SURVIVOR, GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
- MADISON SCHOOL OF NURSING (GO BADGERS!) IN 2008. SHE ENJOYS
EDUCATING BOTH SURVIVORS AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS ON THE
TOPIC OF CANCER AND SEXUALITY, AND HAS PRESENTED FOR THE YOUNG
SURVIVAL COALITION, THE ONCOLOGY NURSING SOCIETY, AND PLANNED
PARENTHOOD OF WI, AMONG OTHERS. SHE HOLDS A CERTIFICATE FROM
THE SEXUAL HEALTH CERTIFICATE PROGRAM THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN AND IS CURRENTLY PURSUING HER DOCTOR OF NURSING
PRACTICE (DNP) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MILWAUKEE. AN
ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTER OF SEXUAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, MARLOE IS
MAKING IT HER MISSION TO BRING SEX INTO THE SURVIVORSHIP SPOTLIGHT.
30
ELEPHANTSANDTEA.COM
DECEMBER 2021

https://www.aasect.org/aasect-certification https://freida.ama-assn.org/specialty https://freida.ama-assn.org/specialty https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/25/opinion/sex-biology-binary.html https://www.nccn.org/login?ReturnURL=https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/survivorship.pdf https://www.nccn.org/login?ReturnURL=https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/survivorship.pdf http://www.ELEPHANTSANDTEA.COM

Elephants and Tea - December 2021

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