World Sexual Health Day
12 September 2025
Virtual event hosted by Relationship Panoramic, Inc.
2025 Agenda and Presenters
Mark your calendars for September 12, 2025, as we celebrate World Sexual Health Day with a theme that centers on body positivity and neutrality.
This day is a reminder to embrace our bodies as they are—without judgment or comparison. Let’s foster a culture where everyone can feel empowered, confident, and at peace with their bodies, focusing on health, respect, and acceptance.
Join us as we promote sexual health and wellbeing for all by honoring and loving the bodies we live in.
Agenda
- 9:00 – 10:00 AM, Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh & Dr. Faysal El Kak
Bodies Without Borders: Reimagining Sexual Wellbeing for a Changing World: A visionary dialogue exploring sexuality beyond geographical, cultural, and political boundaries, centering equity, dignity, and global justice. - 10:00 – 11:00 AM: Rae McDaniel, MEd, LCPC, CST
Gender Magic: Play, Pleasure, and Possibility: What if gender could be a source of joy, curiosity, and freedom? In this inspiring and practical talk, Rae McDaniel Certified Sex Therapist and author of Gender Magic, invites us to reimagine gender not as a box to fit into, but as a playground of self-discovery, self-love, and possibility. Whether you’re a therapist, educator, or exploring your own gender journey, this keynote offers tools to help move from fear and anxiety toward confidence, authenticity, and meaningful connection. - 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Dr. Scott Lyons
Reclaiming the Body: Somatics, Safety, and Sexual Healing: A guided journey into the nervous system, trauma integration, and reclaiming pleasure as a path to wholeness. - 12:00 – 1:00 PM, Dr. Emily Jamea
Beyond Body Image: The True Anatomy of Desire: Unpacking the emotional, psychological, and relational roots of desire, beyond surface perceptions of the body. - 1:00 – 2:00 PM, Dr. Chris Walling
Bridging Minds and Bodies: Advancing Sexual Well-Being in Embodied Psychoanalysis: An exploration of how contemporary psychoanalysis integrates the body and mind to support sexual healing and relational intimacy.
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Sara Nasserzadeh, PhD
Author, Chair: World Sexual Health Day North America
Bodies Without Borders: Reimagining Sexual wellbeing for a Changing World
A visionary dialogue exploring sexuality beyond geographical, cultural, and political boundaries, centering equity, dignity, and global justice.
Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh, Ph.D., is a world-renowned Author, Speaker and Relational expert. She has a PhD in social psychology and specializes on sexual health and relationships at macro and micro levels. Dr. Nasserzadeh has been a senior cultural advisor for governments, UN Agencies, academic institutions, and Fortune 500 companies. She has multiple articles, books, and book chapters to her credit with her newest book, Love by Design: 6 ingredients to build a life time of love. Dr. Nasserzadeh’s uses proven research to convey how six ingredients are needed for any thriving relationship—from the bedroom to the boardroom. These six ingredients: attraction, respect, trust, a shared vision, compassion, and loving behaviors can be explored with any audience to attain a unified language, common values, and shared aspirations. Dr. Nasserzadeh’s work has been featured on NPR, the BBC, ABC, CNN, New York Times, and in USA Today. Dr. Nasserzadeh has been a Board member of various professional organizations including the California Psychological Association where she was the elected president of Division VII (dedicated to Diversity and Social Justice), chair of the Communication committee at the American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and the Acting vice president of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS). She is an Approved training provider by AASECT, a senior accredited member and a registered supervisor by the College of Sex and Relationship Therapists in the UK (COSRT) and since she moved to California, she is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) and a member of CAMFT. Dr. Nasserzadeh is based in Los Angeles, and travels widely. Learn more about Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh at www.Sara-Nasserzadeh.com and join her online community here.
Instagram: @dr.saranasserzadeh
Website: Sara-Nasserzadeh.com
Book: Love by Design: 6 ingredients to build a lifetime of love (2024). Balance. New York.
Monthly Newsletter: The Common Ground
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Dr. Faysal El Kak
President of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS)
Bodies Without Borders: Reimagining Sexual wellbeing for a Changing World
A visionary dialogue exploring sexuality beyond geographical, cultural, and political boundaries, centering equity, dignity, and global justice.
Dr. Faysal El Kak is a world renewed, Lebanese obstetrician-gynecologist and public health scholar, serving as Clinical Associate in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of the Women Integrated Sexual Health (WISH) Program at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, where he is also a Senior Lecturer in Health Behavior, Sexuality, and Public Health at AUB . He has advised numerous global health organizations, including WHO, UNFPA, UNESCO, and UNICEF, and held leadership positions such as President of the East Mediterranean Federation of Sexual Health and Vice President of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO). An author of over 65 peer-reviewed publications on reproductive and sexual health, he is widely recognized for his advocacy in marginalized communities. In 2025, he was elected President of the World Association for Sexual Health, leading the organization’s global mission to promote sexual health for all.
Instagram: @docfaysal
Website: American University of Beirut
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Rae McDaniel, MEd, LCPC, CST
Gender and Sex Therapist and Author of Gender Magic
Gender Magic: Play, Pleasure, and Possibility
What if gender could be a source of joy, curiosity, and freedom? In this inspiring and practical talk, Author of Gender Magic and Certified Sex Therapist, Rae McDaniel invites us to reimagine gender not as a box to fit into, but as a playground of self-discovery, self-love, and possibility. Whether you’re supporting others as a therapist or educator—or exploring your own gender journey—this keynote offers tools to help anyone move from anxiety and fear toward confidence, authenticity, and connection.
Rae McDaniel (Phonetics: Ray Mac Daniel)(they/them) is a non-binary Speaker, Author, Therapist, Certified Sex Therapist, Coach, and Gender Freedom Educator.
Rae helps audiences gain the sheer audacity to be themselves in the world through play, pleasure, and possibility.
Their book Gender Magic is a first-of-its-kind practical guide to achieving gender freedom with joy, curiosity, and pleasure for transgender and non-binary individuals, gender explorers, and those who love them (May 2023.) They have been featured in high-profile media such as The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, Time, and Women’s Health. As a sought-after professional speaker, Rae has spoken at Rutgers University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Chicago, Soho House, The Wing, and Rachel’s Rodgers’ ROI: The Millionaires Summit.
Rae is also the founder of Practical Audacity, a Gender & Sex Therapy practice in Chicago, serving over 400 clients yearly.
When Rae isn’t educating audiences and bettering the world, they can be found drinking too much coffee, snuggling with their dog Gizmo (who might actually be a gremlin), or sipping whiskey with a good book.
Instagram: @theraemcdaniel
Website: Www.rae-mcdaniel.com
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Dr. Scott Lyons
Body-Based Tauma Expert
Reclaiming the Body: Somatics, Safety, and Sexual Healing
In this powerful talk, Dr. Scott Lyons explores how somatic therapy and trauma-informed practices can support individuals in reconnecting with their bodies, healing sexual wounds, and cultivating deeper intimacy. Through the lens of nervous system regulation and embodied consent, this session offers insight into how past trauma disrupts our capacity for pleasure, boundaries, and connection, and how we can gently rewire for safety, sovereignty, and sensual aliveness.
Dr. Scott Lyons is an international keynote speaker, serial entrepreneur, licensed clinical psychologist, and Doctor of Osteopathy (Spain), known for bridging science, trauma-informed care, somatic education, and purpose-driven innovation.
He is the founder of The Embody Lab, the world’s largest online learning platform for body-based trauma therapies, serving over two million practitioners in more than 30 countries. He is also the creator of Somatic Stress Release™, a holistic process for restoring biological resilience.
Recognized as an innovator in transformative wellness, Scott was dubbed “the Beyoncé of trauma therapy” by Oprah Daily. As an executive coach and wellness consultant, he has worked with top leaders, celebrities, and CEOs across a wide range of industries—helping them relieve stress and anxiety and restore vitality.
He is the author of Addicted to Drama: Healing Dependency on Crisis and Chaos in Yourself and Others, the host of The Gently Used Human, and co-host of the Sex With Emily podcast.
Instagram: @drscottlyons
Website: drscottlyons.com
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Dr. Emily Jamea
Sex & Relationship Therapist, Best Selling Author
Beyond Body Image: The True Anatomy of Desire
True eroticism isn’t about how we look, but how we feel–in our bodies and in connection with others. Body neutrality offers a powerful shift from self-judgment to self-attunement. When we stop performing and start sensing, desire becomes more accessible, more authentic, and more alive. This talk will highlight how practices like curiosity, presence, and sensual attunement can help people reconnect with their optimal sexual selves. Because pleasure isn’t reserved for those who like their bodies; it’s available to those who are willing to listen to them.
Dr. Emily Jamea is an award-winning sex and relationship therapist and the USA Today best-selling author of Anatomy of Desire: Five Secrets to Create Connection and Cultivate Passion.
Emily speaks nationally and internationally to a diverse range of audiences including educators, health and mental health professionals, executive and corporate groups, and the general public. Her expertise has been featured in Oprah Magazine, CNN, USA Today, NBC, and more.
She is the winner of numerous awards including the 2025 TAMFT “Master Clinician Award” and the Merit Award in digital media for her HealthyWomen.org column. She was selected as one of twenty “Outstanding Women in Medicine” by the Arts of Healing Foundation. She hosts the Love and Libido podcast and writes for Psychology Today. She posts across all the social media channels @dremilyjamea.
Emily attended the University of Texas at Austin where she graduated with Honors. She went on to earn her master’s in counseling and her PhD in Sexology. Her clinical research and writing focus on the relationship between flow state and sexual satisfaction.
In her free time, Emily enjoys spending time with her husband and children, traveling as much as possible, and salsa dancing and painting when she gets the chance.
Instagram: @dremilyjamea
Website: emilyjamea.com
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Chris Walling, PsyD, MBA, FABP
Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist
Bridging Minds and Bodies: Advancing Sexual Well-Being in Embodied Psychoanalysis
In this talk, Dr. Walling will explore his pioneering research project, “An Embodied Psychoanalytic Approach to the 4-D Model.” By integrating embodied psychoanalysis with Dr. Gina Ogden’s Four-Dimensional model, he delves into the intricate connections between body, mind, heart, and spirit in the realms of sex research and therapy. Utilizing the Kinsey Institute’s archives, Dr. Walling’s work emphasizes the foundational role of somatic experiences in psychological development and therapy. He will present a comprehensive framework that captures the complexities of sexual experiences and identities, and discuss his forthcoming book that aims to synthesize embodied psychoanalysis with historical insights, theoretical frameworks, and practical applications. This talk will significantly contribute to the discourse on sex therapy and research, promoting a holistic understanding of sexual well-being that bridges the gap between mind and body, honoring Dr. Ogden’s legacy.
Dr. Chris Walling, PsyD, MBA, FABP is a licensed clinical psychologist, board-certified psychoanalyst, and an active leader in the bio-behavioral sciences. Dr. Walling is an Associate Professor in the Department of Research Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, the Research Chair & Past-President of the United States Association for Body Psychotherapy, and was Associate Deputy-Editor of the International Body Psychotherapy Journal. He is a Fellow of the American Board of Psychoanalysis and a member of the New Center for Psychoanalysis where he serves as Faculty in the Adult Psychoanalytic Training program and serves on their Education Committee & Diversities Committee, Dr. Walling also serves on the American Psychoanalytic Association’s Committee on Gender & Sexuality. Dr. Walling is a Clinical Research Fellow at Kinsey Institute for Research on Sex, Gender and Reproduction located at Indiana University Bloomington and serves on their International Advisory Council. His clinical interests survey the fields of somatic psychotherapy, relational psychoanalysis, human sexuality, and trauma psychology. His peer-reviewed works are published in the American Psychological Association‘s Journal of Psychotherapy and the International Body Psychotherapy Journal. Dr. Walling maintains a private practice in Brentwood (Los Angeles), California.
Instagram: @drwalling
Website: Soma Psychology
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August McLaughlin
Author, Podcaster, Emcee
August McLaughlin is a journalist, author, and host/producer of Girl Boner Radio, which was named “one of the best sex podcasts you should be listening to” by Romper and one of the top feminist podcasts by Bellesa. Her articles and expertise have been featured in Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post, O: The Oprah Magazine, and more. August has presented for TEDx Women and the Centers for Disease Control headquarters, ghostwritten hundreds of works for gynecologists and physicians and participated in orgasm fMRI research at Rutgers University. She’s also a trauma-informed certified sex educator with related expertise in eating disorders and ADHD.
Website: augustmclaughlin.com
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UN | HUSHED
Hard topics the easy way. Sex ed done right.
Here at UN|HUSHED our mission is to break the silence surrounding human sexuality. We achieve this mission by creating, facilitating, and training on curricula for people of all ages (from infancy through older adulthood), academic levels, and professional backgrounds. Our 501(c)(3) home office, founded October 24, 2017, is located in Austin, TX and we are proud to have Board Members from across North America as well as facilitators and translators from around the globe. We are supported by our clients and generous donors like you.