Society of Sex Therapy & Research (SSTAR): 39th Annual Meeting

Welcome to the 39 TH Annual Meeting of SSTAR. The hotel where the meeting is being held is situated in downtown Pittsburgh in the Golden Triangle, where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers join to form the Ohio River. We hope that this will be a fitting metaphor for the presentations and discussions flowing from the sessions to be held over the next two days. We all bring our personal experiences, perspectives, opinions, beliefs, and knowledge to the work that we do. At the end of the meeting, it is our hope that we leave more informed and enlightened than we arrived, united in our efforts to ensure the best possible advice and guidance for the individuals and couples we work with.

This meeting offers an exciting array of topics for discussion and debate. There are opportunities to hear about some controversial topics – problematic sexual behaviors, mother-son incest, aggression in therapy, infidelity – balanced with information about young adult sexuality, cultural influences on sexuality, and what makes for happy relationships. There is also a primer on the role of the pelvic floor that is, after all, literally at the base of physical sexual functioning.

You will notice that the sessions at this year’s meeting are a little longer with fewer panel presentations. This was planned to address feedback from past attendees who wanted the opportunity to hear about topics in greater depth and of course, to have more time for discussion from the floor! We are listening and we hope that you will once again give us detailed feedback in your evaluations this year.

Please take every opportunity to engage your fellow attendees in debate and discussion – the collegiality and respect that is a hallmark of SSTAR meetings is what keeps us all coming back.