Educational organization Everyone Deserves Sex Ed (EDSE) has invited dynamic physical therapist, doula and wellness coach Dr. Grace Abruzzo to train attendees of EDSE’s next 25-hour sex educator certification program, scheduled April 18-19 and 25-26 in Los Angeles. Dr. Grace will provide attendees with a well-rounded understanding of the pelvic floor, how it functions, and the various ways the pelvic floor health impacts pleasure, connection, and sexual function.

As of today, the training will take place as scheduled. Should it be postponed due to preventative measures related to COVID-19, attendees will be alerted via email by April 1, 2020.

Dr. Grace is a licensed physical therapist and wellness coach specializing in pelvic health for women and people with vaginas. A certified specialist in obstetric and pelvic physical therapy, Dr. Grace uses an integrative approach to treating people in preparation and recovery from childbirth, and she also spends time in birthing spaces supporting mamas and parents during labor and birth. EDSE attendees will receive a candid and informative education in pelvic floor support and how to talk to clients about the physicality of sexual function.

“I am incredibly passionate about helping women and vagina-owners reach their wellness goals and connect to their bodies in healing ways, and this is an exciting opportunity to teach the teachers!” Dr. Grace said. “In addition to my training and clinical knowledge, my own experience with pelvic pain has helped inspire and inform the way I work with my clients and gives me a valuable perspective on its impact on health and wellness. I look forward to working with the EDSE team and helping EDSE attendees expand their relationship with their pelvic floors!”

EDSE founder and lead educator Anne Hodder-Shipp, ACS, tapped Dr. Grace to teach this portion of the certification because of her enthusiastic, friendly, and accessible teaching style, as well as her expertise in the subject matter. Her integrative approach utilizes a variety of valuable therapeutic techniques, and she is highly trained in supporting people from all walks of life as they learn more about their bodies.

“I met Dr. Grace first as a friend and then as a new client and I have benefitted so much from her expertise and down-to-earth approach to what, for some people, can be a really challenging subject,” Hodder-Shipp said. “I knew I had to find a way to get Dr. Grace into the EDSE classroom and I’m so excited to introduce her to attendees this spring. The pelvic floor is an integral part of sexual pleasure and function and I look forward to Dr. Grace helping us better understand and connect to this powerful part of the body.”

Ideal for budding sex educators, health and social service workers, and anyone looking to bolster their sex ed knowledge, the EDSE certification program prepares attendees to have informed, inclusive and confident conversations about sex. Over the course of two weekends, EDSE attendees will learn key information about human sexuality, intimate health, consent, and communication skills and be trained to respond to sex-related questions in a concise, intersectional, and nonjudgmental manner. Attendees also will leave with new insight into their own sexuality — a fun side effect of sex education training.

The next EDSE certification will take place April 18-19 and 25-26, 2020, in Los Angeles. Individual certification is $2,095, and payment plans are available to those in need.

To apply, fill out the form at https://everyonedeservessexed.com/certification/. An EDSE representative will review and be in contact within 48 hours of submission.

“During my time as a sex educator, and a sex blogger before that, there was one thing I noticed most people had in common: a lack of confidence in, and even a little fear about, talking about sex,” Hodder-Shipp said. “This insecurity has a dramatic trickle-down effect. It leaves professionals feeling unprepared for workplace dynamics, parents terrified of having ‘the talk,’ and service providers caught off-guard during sensitive conversations with their clients. My goal with EDSE is give people access to the kind of professional and educational support so many of us have lacked throughout our personal and professional lives.”

More information about Hodder-Shipp can be found at https://www.annehodder.com/, or email her directly at anne@everyonedeservessexed.com.