Taking a cue from Plato, we updated the Symposium, one of the most interactive and lively forms of discourse ever devised. Thoughtful and curious people would gather for good food and drink, while a group of thinkers presented their diverse ideas on a single subject, followed by a freewheeling debate.

Anchoring our symposium were four extended sessions featuring some of the most passionate voices in our field:

Milton Diamond, Ph.D.
I Could Have Been a Map Maker:
Reflections on a Life in Sexology, with Pictures

Charles Moser, M.D.
Sexual Orientation: A New Definition of an Old Construct

Kari Lerum, Ph.D. and Shari L. Dworkin, Ph.D., M.S.
Bad Girls Rule:
How the "Sexualization of Girls" Discourse Ignores Sexual Health & Justice

Lisa Diamond, Ph.D.
Women's Desire and Arousal: Complexities and New Directions

Plenaries were followed by three moderated, 30-minute breakout sessions to promote further discussion in smaller groups. Depending on the topic, each breakout had a focus, such as clinical, educational, or public policy implications.

Saturday's banquet was a symposium-within-a-symposium. Plenary speakers and the audience discussed "What is sexual health?"— it was an interactive idea-fest.

On Friday morning and afternoon, pre-symposium learning sessions offered in-depth training and six hours of CEs:

Mark Schoen, Ph.D.
Smarter Sex Education and Therapy:
Strategic Use of Videos, the Internet and more

Douglas Braun-Harvey, MFT
Getting—and Staying—Sober by Talking About Sex:
A Sexual Health Approach to Improving Drug and Alcohol Treatment

Stella Resnick, Ph.D.
"Essentials of Body-to-Body Intimacy in Love and Desire:
Somatic Keys to Fully Embodied, Highly Arousing, Emotionally-Gratifying Sex"

Instead of the usual concurrent sessions, there were two, one-hour Research and Inquiry Forums consisting of:

Research Reports with specific findings
Inquiry Updates about in-progress projects

Reports and Updates were presented in a roundtable format, with several going on simultaneously. Each included a 30-minute presentation followed by discussion.

Emerging sexologists had a chance to present their research at a Student Poster Session and Cocktail Reception. A Speed-Mentoring event brought together students, presenters and seasoned sexologists. Students chose a mentor for the weekend to introduce them to leaders of the field and others with similar interests.

Symposium Setting

What better way to throw off the winter blahs than to surround yourself with friends and colleagues, stimulated by the program, and enchanted by the vibrant desert oasis of Palm Springs. Noted for its plentiful sun and sizzling summers, springtime in the desert is truly something special. Average early-April highs of 82 and lows of 53 provide a balmy backdrop for the explosion of colorful plant life at its peak. If you haven't seen the desert in spring, you haven't seen the desert. Discover more about Palm Springs.

Completely renovated in 2007, The Holiday Inn Resort is the newest full-service hotel in Palm Springs. Most attendees' rooms were located in the same building for easy networking and socializing.

Feel free to contact us with your comments and suggestions for future Western Region meetings.

Jack Morin, Ph.D.  Symposium Program Chair
Mary Bontorin, M.A.  Symposium Co-Chair
Janice M. Epp, Ph.D.  Symposium Co-Chair
Hernando Chaves, D.H.S.  Student Involvement Chair
Christopher White, Ph.D.  Continuing Education Chair