The March meeting featured Dr. Tracy Carlson presenting on the basics of sex therapy. She covered the history of sex therapy from Freud, to Kinsey, to Masters and Johnson. She discussed modern research that has changed our understanding of sex therapy since the days of Masters and Johnson (including work on the female sexual response cycle). She presented on the typical practice and models guiding of sex therapists today. Dr. Carlson closed with several points on AASECT certification, and readings and resources for professionals.
Dr. Carlson is originally from North Dakota (You betcha)! She completed a doctoral minor through the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction. As part of her training, she completed a pre-doctoral internship at the New Orleans Southeast Louisiana Veteran Health Care System in August 2013.
After earning her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Indiana University-Bloomington (IU), she finished a two-year research and clinical postdoctoral fellowship through the Institute for Sexual and Gender Health (ISGH) at the University of Minnesota. She became a Certified Sex Therapist through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) in 2017. Dr. Carlson fell in love with New Orleans during her doctoral internship and wanted to come back! She was very excited to move back to New Orleans to work as an Assistant Professor through LSU’s Family Medicine Department in 2017.
Dr. Carlson decided to pursue private practice in the beginning of March 2020 and is currently providing psychotherapy and sex therapy via telehealth. She is in the process of growing a group practice through Connections Psychotherapy and Wellness. Her clinical interests include sexual health, genital/pelvic pain disorders, impulsive/compulsive sexual behavior, consensual non-monogamy, couples communication, and sexual communication comfort.