Navigating Intimacy & Interpersonal Relationships in Counseling

Title of Event: Navigating Intimacy & Interpersonal Relationships in Counseling

Description of Event:

As counselors, we have an ethical imperative to provide clients with mental health counseling through a sex-positive and affirming framework (Alexander, 2019; Augustine, 2023). A part of that process is providing a clinical space that is safe to discuss intimacy and interpersonal relationships openly (Alexander, 2019; Pope et al. 2024). As such, clinicians need to possess an expansive understanding of what intimacy can look like and be able to support clients who may also need to figure out what their boundaries and needs are surrounding intimacy and interpersonal interactions (Pope et al. 2024).

In this presentation, participants will learn that intimacy encompasses emotional, physical, psychological, spiritual, and/or sexual experiences and interactions with oneself or others (Pope et al. 2024). Dr. Lytle will provide examples of what each of these types of intimate experiences might look like and provide opportunities for participants to share examples as well. Dr. Lytle will discuss the importance of counselors having emotional self-awareness and being able to self-regulate as they learn about their own levels of comfort with intimacy and interpersonal interactions, and how they might inform their therapeutic relationships with clients. Finally, Dr. Lytle will identify tangible ways for counselors to expand their knowledge and support clients in their understanding of intimacy and interpersonal relationship dynamics (Augustine, 2023).

Date of Event: February 20, 2026

Time of Event: 10am-12pm CT/ 8am-10am PT/ 11am-1pm ET

Location: Online through Zoom and Recorded

Presenter/Speaker: Juliana Lytle, PhD, LMHC, NCC

Company/Organization Sponsor: Association of Counseling Sexology and Sexual Wellness

Contact Name: Office of CE at The Chicago School

Contact Email: officeofce@thechicagoschool.edu

Event Website: https://tcsppofficeofce.com/feb_20_2026/

AASECT Approved CEs: 2.0