Use it, abuse it, ignore it, exploit it, pamper it, or neglect it. But do you know your body’s cues? Are you attuned? Knowing your body is the beginning of knowing yourself, your emotions, your limits, and also your potential. As the body transitions from infancy to childhood, puberty and maturity, from health to illness and back to health again, emotions tag along. Thoughts happen in the body, and so do emotions. Learn to gentle yourself through life’s transitions for a healthier, happier you.
Clinical health psychology is the study of how biology, behavior, and social context (including culture) interact to influence health and illness. Sexual and reproductive health psychology focuses specifically on the reproductive life cycle--puberty, sexuality, fertility, childbirth, postpartum depression, and the sexual pauses that come with aging.
The subspecialty of sexual and reproductive health encompasses
sex therapy and infertility therapy as well as therapy for postpartum depression.
There are many different kinds of mental health professionals who treat sexual and reproductive health issues. Therapists who deal just with sexual health are usually certified sex therapists and the certifying body for sex therapists is the American Association of Sex Educators, Therapists and Counselors or AASECT. Sexual and reproductive health professionals who deal with infertility are licensed in their own discipline without any special certification necessary to practice infertility therapy. Many mental health professionals also treat postpartum depression but someone who specializes in sexual and reproductive health is likely to better understand the complexities that men and women face in this life transition. Dr. Rosenquist has written a book on postpartum depression with the intent of empowering the reader to prevent postpartum depression from happening when possible and empowering others to best select a therapist who can effectively treat postpartum depression when prevention isn’t possible.
Certification by a specialty board is the highest credential a psychologist can attain. The American Board of Professional Psychology has been the credentialing body for specialty psychologists for over forty years. Clinical health psychology is one of those specialty areas. To learn more about what it means to be a board certified clinical health psychologist, visit
the ABPP website.
