International Episode 25: Sophia (Germany)

In this episode I speak with Sophia, a social worker, sexologist, and relationship counsellor from Germany. She has worked in child protection and youth services in both Germany and Australia, including child and family welfare services, therapeutic residential crisis care for children and young people, and specialised crisis support for girls who have experienced sexual violence and abuse. Sophia has worked as a lecturer in sexology, and is the founder of Sexology Hub, where she offers sexuality and relationship counselling, individual coaching, as well as educational programs, workshops, and professional training for diverse audiences.Links to resources mentioned in this week’s episode:Trauma-informed work and recoverySanctuary Institute - https://www.thesanctuaryinstitute.org/Creating Sanctuary by Sandra Bloom - https://sandrabloom.com/book/creating-sanctuary-toward-the-evolution-of-sane-societies/Trauma and Recovery by Judith Herman - https://openlibrary.org/books/OL1563764M/Trauma_and_RecoveryThe Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk - https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/resources/the-body-keeps-the-scorePractical resources and research on sexual violenceRAINN - https://rainn.org/Caste-based discrimininationInternational Dalit Solidarity Network - https://idsn.org/International Cooperation WorkPedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire - https://fsi-ebcao.princeton.edu/sites/g/files/toruqf1411/files/media/freire.pdfDecolonizing Methodologies by Linda Tuhiwai Smith - https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/decolonizing-methodologies-9781786998125/Social Work Crisis in BerlinAG Weiße Fahnen, DBSH Berlin, GEW BERLIN "Die Berliner Jugendhilfe befindet sich im Kollaps" | GEW - Berlin - https://www.gew-berlin.de/presse/detailseite/ag-weisse-fahnen-dbsh-berlin-gew-berlin-die-berliner-jugendhilfe-befindet-sich-im-kollapsSexuality and relationship counselling/therapyA Clinician's Guide to Systemic Sex Therapy by Gerald Weeks et al. - https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781315817392/clinician-guide-systemic-sex-therapy-gerald-weeks-katherine-hertlein-nancy-gambesciaPrinciples and Practice of Sex Therapy by Hall & Binik - https://www.guilford.com/books/Principles-and-Practice-of-Sex-Therapy/Hall-Binik/9781462543397Personal / Professional ResourcesSophia’s open-access publication on Problematic Porn Consumption among Men: Males’ Lived Experience with Self-Perceived Pornography Addiction: A Qualitative Study of Problematic Porn Use - https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/2/1497Sophia’s website - https://sexologyhub.com/This episode's transcript can be viewed here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vmORcM52JnAuYjakfttLbPmLQHqEH2JH5fOPG8AmOC8/edit?usp=sharingThanks to Kevin Macleod of incompetech.com for our theme music.