by Dr Tarryn Mac Carthy and Meg Dombroski
Jennifer Wiessner, Maine’s only licensed Sex Therapist, designed a workshop to support and empower our community by opening up a conversation on healthy sexuality. She envisioned an open conversation between friends and neighbors to discuss and raise the comfort level with speaking to their children about their bodies and their developing sexuality.
- Please tell us about your background?
I became a clinical social worker with the intention of assisting all people better understand, navigate and live in their environments. Sitting with adults working on shame, intimacy and sexuality made me realize I needed to be doing more to interfere with the patterns of unhealthy shame and disregard for the importance of sexuality. That’s when I created the Raising Sexually Healthy Children (RSHC) workshop series: to break the cycle where it begins, in childhood. This is my passion!
- What is your mission?
My goal is to create a safe, permission-giving space for people to share their sexual selves and to gain understanding of their issues and how it may be affecting them. For the parents, providers and educators that attend my workshops for children birth- 14 years, I empower parents to acknowledge this critical aspect of parenting and give them the tools to feel competent being their child’s source of information.
- How is your mission empowering our communities?
The awe-inspiring response to my workshops has impacted many people who have attended. The potential ripple effect can change how we all view healthy sexuality, consent and body image in our culture. Kids have rights to their bodies and it is our responsibility to give them accurate and timely information as they grow.
- What is your definition of empowerment?
I believe in a functional approach to life and my work; that the answers to life’s questions are within each of us. I tell my son, when we are empowered and empower others we can change the world!
Jennifer Wiessner, LCSW, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist will be speaking at mBrace Orthodontics in Falmouth on January 12th, 2017. Please visit http://mpowerlecture.bpt.me for tickets.
Mbrace Orthodontics specializes in esthetic braces and Invisalign for children and adults
We strive to Mbrace and Mpower our community one smile at a time
