Judy Leavitt, Ed.D., instructor

“You’re going to have to put her in a cage when she grows up!”

These exact words of warning were expressed separately by two different men to the mother of an attractively dressed 13 year old daughter. IN A CAGE! NO! What do attitudes like this teach the daughter? That her sexuality puts her in danger! Years of hearing women clients say things to me such as, “I can’t stand it when the first thing he does is grab my breasts” taught me that a protective shield develops around a woman’s body. I call this the Sexual Alarm System. How the alarm functions, how it develops, what triggers it and how it interferes with a woman’s ability to be sexual in an intimate partnership are key topics that we will explore in this workshop. And what does a woman do about her Sexual Alarm System (SAS)? This program presents therapists with a guide to help women with the SAS. Many unique exercises are provided for teaching women how to be safe in their bodies without eliciting the alarm. What if women could celebrate being in their bodies? What if they could feel their physical and sexual sensations and rejoice in the fullness of who they are? This program is designed to help women have these experiences. There are exercises for women to do alone and with a partner plus exercises to learn to add in arousal. The workshop will include ways for therapists to address men directly about women’s SAS. Vignettes and cases from my experience as a sex therapist and psychologist are included.

Upon completion of the program the student will be able to:

·         Describe the Sexual Alarm System in women’s behavior.

·        Explain how the Sexual Alarm System interferes with women’s ability to be sexual.

·        Demonstrate specific exercises; help women overcome the Sexual Alarm System.

Program Code: SAS3 
3 CE Credits
Location: at MSPP, Newton

Judy Leavitt, Ed.D., is a licensed psychologist and Diplomate Certified Sex Therapist. She has a private practice in Wayland, MA. In addition she teaches Couples Therapy and Human Sexuality at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology in Newton. Judy speaks often on issues of sexuality and couples therapy at professional conferences such as the Harvard Medical School conference “Treating Couples” in 2009. Dr. Leavitt is the author of the books Common Dilemmas in Couples Therapy and The Sexual Alarm System: Women’s Unwanted Response to Sexual Intimacy and How to Overcome It.