Quote from AStubbs on April 19, 2021, 7:20 pm

How might the information shared about sexual pharmacology impact your practice regarding interactions with clients about their medication regimen (dosing, adherence, side effects, etc.) and your openness to interact more with their prescribers regarding these factors?

Quote from haley.bryant on April 26, 2021, 7:29 pm

Initially in my career, my reaction to client’s discussion of their medication was to anxiously warn that I am not certified to give medical advice. The idea of anyone mistaking my words and making medication decisions has always made me nervous. Over the years, I have found a way to communicate less nervously, hear their concerns, and listen for potential medication effects, urging them to discuss further with their doctor. Prior to training at ISW, this interaction with clients was limited and non-advantageous to the client.

 

Each class in ISW has been thorough on education of sexual side effects, and with my certification I feel much more ethically sounds and confident in recognizing and discussing sexual pharmacology with clients. I am still aware of my professional restrictions for things such as dosing and best suited drugs. However, I do feel that my recognition and understanding of many drug’s side effects, functionality, and especially their sexual side effects has not only been helpful but has saved much grief and time for clients. Imparting the “E” of education from the DEC-R to clients is a stated pillar of sexual wholeness.  Psychopharmacology is a large part of that pillar. The more I have applied this knowledge of pharmacology, the faster and better results I have seen with my clients. In turn, I have grown in confidence discussing these issues still with a professional limitation’s disclaimer, of course. Having more of these conversations has also led to learning from my client’s experience which has compounded my understanding of drug interaction on sexuality.

 

In November, my practice opened up a clinic, providing Nurse Practitioner care. Here, clients turn into patients and can receive prescriptive care. Our nurse practitioners can prescribe for mental and emotional needs and can treat with more knowledge as we are in contact and can collaborate more effectively, having more knowledge and understanding of medication regimens. I feel that training in this area has led me to ask the right questions and we are encouraging our practitioners to work particularly with sexual issues as we are referring these clients.

Quote from Hal on April 27, 2021, 1:03 am

Haley, I like your perspective and how you have incorporated this into your practice.  I can tell you do indeed feel more confident in doing so.   I am on a slower pace to do that than you.  I found myself doing it more when I worked in a medical setting (HIV/AIDS clinic for 10 years) where I was often talking to doctors and nurses about medications.  In my private practice, it is much harder to contact someone's psychiatrist or prescribing care provider these days.  We are in negotiations with a PhD in Pharmacy to be available to us for questions.  Like you, I am engaging clients more about this however and I find that they respond very well to this.  They tend to come back and update me on med changes after they see their provider which prompts questions regarding why the change was made.  I have gotten some good information from this exchange.  I have also recently had a client tell me they were not taking meds as prescribed which led to a conversation about why this was the case and a commitment from the client to talk with their provider about this.  Additionally, I had a client tell me all kinds of supplements he was taking that he had not shared with his psychiatrist.  He committed to making a list of those and sharing those with his Dr.  That part of the class was like being spoon-fed with a backhoe for me, so I certainly don't feel all that comfortable getting into details.  That being said, it has been helpful in putting it on my radar and in my considering side-effects of meds... especially sexual dysfunction.  It has been very helpful in how I encourage my clients to be proactive and to intentionally work collaboratively with their medical provider and the benefits of doing so.

Quote from ggeorgina29 on April 27, 2021, 7:44 pm

Quote from haley.bryant on April 26, 2021, 7:29 pm

Initially in my career, my reaction to client’s discussion of their medication was to anxiously warn that I am not certified to give medical advice. The idea of anyone mistaking my words and making medication decisions has always made me nervous. Over the years, I have found a way to communicate less nervously, hear their concerns, and listen for potential medication effects, urging them to discuss further with their doctor. Prior to training at ISW, this interaction with clients was limited and non-advantageous to the client.

 

Each class in ISW has been thorough on education of sexual side effects, and with my certification I feel much more ethically sounds and confident in recognizing and discussing sexual pharmacology with clients. I am still aware of my professional restrictions for things such as dosing and best suited drugs. However, I do feel that my recognition and understanding of many drug’s side effects, functionality, and especially their sexual side effects has not only been helpful but has saved much grief and time for clients. Imparting the “E” of education from the DEC-R to clients is a stated pillar of sexual wholeness.  Psychopharmacology is a large part of that pillar. The more I have applied this knowledge of pharmacology, the faster and better results I have seen with my clients. In turn, I have grown in confidence discussing these issues still with a professional limitation’s disclaimer, of course. Having more of these conversations has also led to learning from my client’s experience which has compounded my understanding of drug interaction on sexuality.

 

In November, my practice opened up a clinic, providing Nurse Practitioner care. Here, clients turn into patients and can receive prescriptive care. Our nurse practitioners can prescribe for mental and emotional needs and can treat with more knowledge as we are in contact and can collaborate more effectively, having more knowledge and understanding of medication regimens. I feel that training in this area has led me to ask the right questions and we are encouraging our practitioners to work particularly with sexual issues as we are referring these clients.

Hi Haley. Thank you so much for sharing this and for your perspective. You are so right about how important and also our role to use the E in the DEC-R model when we need to and pharmacology is a big one! To educate ourselves on relevant information, use resources and practitioners available to us for education, and to educate our clients with the information we know and can share with them, as well as having the hard conversations that might not always get to have with their medication prescriber practitioners. Now you have me thinking in DEC-R terms and also the importance on incorporating R as well regarding medications. I am also encouraged to hear that your confidence level about this topic increases as your take more SWI courses as that is one of my goals as well.

Quote from ggeorgina29 on April 27, 2021, 7:46 pm

I have felt where overwhelmed when thinking about how I will handle and what I will say or most likely not say with clients who are on a medication regimen. First of all I do not feel equipped to learn the details of pharmacology although I try and classes at SWI are helping. I feel it will be a continued journey and area of growth for me personally as I work with clients who most likely will be on medications. As a new counselor I am learning fast that many clients I see and will see in the future will be on some type of medications. Becoming more aware of this I have learned that it is valuable to put forth more effort as a counselor to learn more about pharmacology overall and be aware of side effects. While what I say and the focus I will have about this piece with my client will be limited it is important to be knowledgeable about what I do know and to have resources and referrals available to best support my clients.

With my limited knowledge and experience thus far I have come into contact with clients and even friends who are on medications and do not stick to recommended medication treatment plans and dosages and the effects are noticeable. I have learned from past psychopharmacology classes that adherence to medication prescribed and dosage is extremely important and helping the client discuss side effects, fears related to medications, etc. is an important role that I have as a counselor. Information shared in this course related to pharmacology impacted me in increasing my personal motivation to learn more about neurotransmitters, how medications interact with our bodies and vice versa, and how I can have appropriate conversations with my clients when it comes to medications. To be able to develop relationships with medical professionals prescribing medications with my clients is an important way to support my clients in their overall journey to healing.

Quote from cindy271 on April 29, 2021, 4:15 am

Quote from ggeorgina29 on April 27, 2021, 7:46 pm

I have felt where overwhelmed when thinking about how I will handle and what I will say or most likely not say with clients who are on a medication regimen. First of all I do not feel equipped to learn the details of pharmacology although I try and classes at SWI are helping. I feel it will be a continued journey and area of growth for me personally as I work with clients who most likely will be on medications. As a new counselor I am learning fast that many clients I see and will see in the future will be on some type of medications. Becoming more aware of this I have learned that it is valuable to put forth more effort as a counselor to learn more about pharmacology overall and be aware of side effects. While what I say and the focus I will have about this piece with my client will be limited it is important to be knowledgeable about what I do know and to have resources and referrals available to best support my clients.

With my limited knowledge and experience thus far I have come into contact with clients and even friends who are on medications and do not stick to recommended medication treatment plans and dosages and the effects are noticeable. I have learned from past psychopharmacology classes that adherence to medication prescribed and dosage is extremely important and helping the client discuss side effects, fears related to medications, etc. is an important role that I have as a counselor. Information shared in this course related to pharmacology impacted me in increasing my personal motivation to learn more about neurotransmitters, how medications interact with our bodies and vice versa, and how I can have appropriate conversations with my clients when it comes to medications. To be able to develop relationships with medical professionals prescribing medications with my clients is an important way to support my clients in their overall journey to healing.

I can so relate to this frame of mind when it comes to anything medical in the counseling office.  I have always been very leery of wandering into the doctor’s lane and taking over in a way that I can’t legally do.  As I have grown as a therapist, I have found myself feeling more and more confident in having conversations with clients about their meds.  Usually, the way that I handle it is to continually educate myself on the relevant medications, how they function, and the potential side effects.  This has been an ongoing process that will probably never end.  Then I educate my clients on the different medication options available to them and arm them with the necessary information to go to their doctor with.

It has also been helpful for me to coach clients on how to interact with their physicians.  Many of my clients have the attitude of, “well the doctor didn’t seem all that concerned about my concerns, so maybe my concerns are not valid.”  This can be a troubling mindset that could have serious consequences, so it is important to me to help them find new ways of interacting with their medical professionals.  Coaching a client to develop a mindset of an educated healthcare consumer is particularly helpful in overcoming this problem.

Quote from Stephen Dorsey on April 30, 2021, 8:47 am

Haley, thank you so much for your post!  Your first paragraph describes me so well, it was refreshing to read.  I have always felt uneasy about the entire "what medications are you taking" discussion because of my ignorance of them.  After all, I can't be an MFT and an expert in pharmacology as well.  But I knew that I was doing my clients a disservice by not becoming more knowledgeable in the field.  This all came into focus recently when a cancer survivor reported low libido due to the cancer meds he was on.  I was reluctant to enter into that conversation for fear it would expose my ignorance.  I have to do better, and the training was a great down payment to build upon.

Quote from Crista Newman on May 2, 2021, 6:51 pm

Quote from haley.bryant on April 26, 2021, 7:29 pm

Initially in my career, my reaction to client’s discussion of their medication was to anxiously warn that I am not certified to give medical advice. The idea of anyone mistaking my words and making medication decisions has always made me nervous. Over the years, I have found a way to communicate less nervously, hear their concerns, and listen for potential medication effects, urging them to discuss further with their doctor. Prior to training at ISW, this interaction with clients was limited and non-advantageous to the client.

 

Each class in ISW has been thorough on education of sexual side effects, and with my certification I feel much more ethically sounds and confident in recognizing and discussing sexual pharmacology with clients. I am still aware of my professional restrictions for things such as dosing and best suited drugs. However, I do feel that my recognition and understanding of many drug’s side effects, functionality, and especially their sexual side effects has not only been helpful but has saved much grief and time for clients. Imparting the “E” of education from the DEC-R to clients is a stated pillar of sexual wholeness.  Psychopharmacology is a large part of that pillar. The more I have applied this knowledge of pharmacology, the faster and better results I have seen with my clients. In turn, I have grown in confidence discussing these issues still with a professional limitation’s disclaimer, of course. Having more of these conversations has also led to learning from my client’s experience which has compounded my understanding of drug interaction on sexuality.

 

In November, my practice opened up a clinic, providing Nurse Practitioner care. Here, clients turn into patients and can receive prescriptive care. Our nurse practitioners can prescribe for mental and emotional needs and can treat with more knowledge as we are in contact and can collaborate more effectively, having more knowledge and understanding of medication regimens. I feel that training in this area has led me to ask the right questions and we are encouraging our practitioners to work particularly with sexual issues as we are referring these clients.

Haley,

If I am being completely transparent, this is a topic about which I feel rather overwhelmed. As you mentioned having some anxiety and hesitancy to approach medications at the beginning of your clinical career, I am still very hesitant to explore the effects of client's pharmacological usage in session. For me, I believe that it is due to a lack of comfort in the knowledge that I have accumulated from the course work. This is my third ISW course completed on my journey toward certification, however it was the first to address sexual pharmacology in detail. At this point, I feel very overwhelmed by the wealth of information that I still need to review and learn. However, it is very encouraging to read that this too was your experience and that you feel you have grown in this competency over time.

Crista