Asexual-Affirming Care: Recommendations for Practice

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Abstract

Asexual patients face unique healthcare challenges that result in and maintain health disparities. Among health professionals, a general lack of cultural competence related to asexual identities perpetuates negative healthcare experiences and subsequent avoidance of care. This article provides an overview of asexual communities, the related culture of compulsory sexuality, and healthcare challenges facing asexual patients. Following the overview, the authors outline the necessity of providing asexual-affirming and person-centered mental health care through the presentation of a clinical vignette about a patient questioning whether he identifies as asexual. Through the vignette, a comprehensive, asexual-affirming framework for mental health practice with asexual patients is reviewed, which addresses culturally competent assessment and psychotherapy practices, ethical considerations, common clinical challenges, and incorporation of intersecting minoritized identities.

Continuing Education Information

1 CE Credit, Instructional Level: Intermediate

1 Contact Hour (New York Board of Psychology)

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify the clinical and ethical challenges associated with affirming care and navigating biases.
  2. Discuss the importance of providing asexual affirming and person-centered mental health care.
  3. Describe incorporation of intersecting minoritized identities in this practice.

Disclosures: None

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Boot-Haury et al.

Jared Boot-Haury, PsyD (he/they), is a demisexual and queer-identified agender postdoctoral clinical psychology resident with an LGBTQ+ health focus area at the San Francisco VA Health Care System (SFVAHCS). Dr. Boot-Haury is also an American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) Certified Sex Therapist, and in addition to practicing psychotherapy with LGBTQIA+ communities, he provides sex therapy to individuals and people in relationships.

James Michael Brennan, PhD (he/they), is a queer and genderqueer licensed clinical psychologist at the Comprehensive Gender-Affirming Care Center at the SFVAHCS and a Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor at University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Brennan specializes in the study and treatment of minority stress, particularly concealment of gender and sexual identities.

Kaela M. Joseph, PhD (they/she), is a demisexual, queer, and nonbinary licensed clinical psychologist whose PhD is in clinical psychology with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ psychology. Dr. Joseph has extensive experience in LGBTQ+ healthcare, sexual health, and sex therapy, and has managed clinical and educational programs in LGBTQ+ care in the SFVAHCS and Palo Alto University's Gronowski Center Sexual and Gender Identities Clinic.

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