Call for Presenters | Virtual Pop-Up on Interdisciplinary Approaches to Sexual Pain and Dysfunction in Younger Populations

Call for Proposals

The Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy (APTA Pelvic Health) is seeking four members to co-present with the International Pelvic Pain Society (IPPS) at the future IPPS + APTA Pelvic Health Virtual Pop-Up on Interdisciplinary Approaches to Sexual Pain and Dysfunction in Younger Populations (April 27-30, 2026).

The event will feature 4 educational sessions. Each session will be 90 minutes in total duration and will feature:

• 30 minutes – One APTA Pelvic Health presenter

• 30 minutes – One IPPS presenter

• 30 minutes – Joint live Q&A with both presenters

The Academy and IPPS are hosting their respective speaker selection processes separately. If you are a non-PT professional and are interested in representing IPPS, please visit the IPPS website  https://www.pelvicpain.org for guidance.

All proposals are due by 11:59 pm EST, Sunday, February 22, 2026.

📝 SUBMIT PROPOSAL

Theme & Topics

The Academy will select 1 presenter per topic listed below. When submitting your proposal online, you will have the opportunity to choose your desired topic # from a drop-down menu. The goal of this interdisciplinary educational series is to equip physical therapists and collaborating health care providers with a shared, pain science–informed framework, language, and clinical strategies to collaboratively assess and address sexual pain and dysfunction in younger adult populations, with a primary focus on pre-menopausal women and pre-andropausal men, most commonly in their 20s and 30s. The series emphasizes shifting care from tolerance-based approaches toward meaningful sexual participation during the reproductive and early adult lifespan.

Below is a list of session themes with a list of sub-topics the Academy wants the PT/PTA presenter to present. The Academy will select 1 speaker per topic.

1. Topic 1: Attitude and Words Matter! Shifting Provider Language from Sexual “Tolerance” to Participation 

Focus on pre-menopausal women and pre-andropausal men, most commonly in their 20’s and 30s:

• • • Sexual participation through an ICF and biopsychosocial lens

    • Integration of the plissit model to normalize discussion of sexual health and clarify their sexual participation goals

    • Pain science considerations for terminology in discussing sexual activity

    • Language that reduces fear and supports sexual participation over “tolerance”

1. Topic 2:  “A Glass of Wine” Not Cutting It – Painful Intercourse in Younger Women 

Focus on pre-menopausal women, most commonly in their 20s and 30s:

• • • Differentiating diagnoses under mechanical sexual dysfunction, including vulvodynia, vaginismus, and dyspareunia

    • Prioritizing treatment based on impairments from examination

    • Key treatment strategies and tips based on impairments and patient goals

1. Topic 3: Timing Matters! – The Female Sexual Response Cycle & Sexual Pain 

Focus on pre-menopausal women, most commonly in their 20s and 30s:

• • • How insufficient arousal affects tissue compliance and pain

    • Transitioning from treatment to sexual participation

    • Individuality in the “best” time in the sexual cycle for intercourse

1. Topic 4: What About Ken?: Sexual Dysfunction and Pain in Younger Men? 

Focus on pre-andropausal men, most commonly in their 20s and 30s:

• • • Applying a pain science–informed, biopsychosocial approach to assess neuromusculoskeletal, pelvic floor, and nervous system contributors to sexual pain or dysfunction in heterosexual and homosexual men
    • Using affirming, trauma-informed communication strategies—particularly when the physical therapist is a female provider—including direct language, appropriate humor, and clear boundaries to reduce discomfort and support open discussion of sexual concerns
    • Delivering patient-centered education and interventions (e.g., graded exposure, self-management, expectation setting) that support sexual participation and integrate within interdisciplinary care pathways

Timeline

This timeline is subject to changes by the event organizers. 

• Sunday, February 22, 2026 - All proposal applications are due by 11:59 pm EST.
• February 23-March 1, 2026 - Proposal applications are reviewed by the APTA Pelvic Health's selection task force.
• Monday, March 2, 2026 - Abstracts selected and speaker contracts are distributed; Speakers must sign honorarium contracts. Speakers are encouraged to start outlining their PowerPoint presentations.
• Thursday, March 5, 2026 - Mandatory organizer and speaker meeting for topic alignment (8pm EST) - Speakers from both APTA Pelvic Health and IPPS are required to attend a group Zoom meeting at 8:00 PM EST with the event moderators to discuss presentation content and flow for best cohesion. Moderators may provide guidance for each speaker to adjust the emphasis on specific topics to best align with the overall theme of the session.
• Friday, April 10, 2026 - Presentations, Video Recordings, Handouts, and Quizzes Due - Speakers must submit their finalized PowerPoint presentation file, video recording of their respective 25-minute session, a 5-question quiz, and any corresponding handouts/pre-readings they would like the audience to be able to access.
• April 27-30, 2026 - Virtual Pop-Up (Monday-Thursday) - Speakers must participate in their scheduled sessions and live Q&As from 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM EST.

Academy Speaker Eligibility Requirements

• The speaker must be a currently active member of the Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy. 

• The speaker must be present for the full session (90 minutes) on the day of the event. The speaker will get 1 free registration for the entire 4-evening event. While they are encouraged to attend the full event, they are only required to attend their scheduled session for which they have been accepted to present.
• The speaker must be available to meet all requirements and deadlines listed in the "Timeline" above, including meeting with APTA Pelvic Health and IPPS to discuss presentation content/flow/cohesion.
• If the speaker is accepted to present, the speaker must be ready to record their 30-min session in advance of the event by the designated deadline, supply a short 5-question quiz, and provide any pre-readings and handouts.

Proposal Expectations

1. Completion: Must include all the component requirements as listed on the call for proposals.
2. Duration: Presentation content must be no more than 30 minutes in duration.
3. Topic Scope: Proposal topic must align with the event theme, APTA Pelvic Health mission, and scope of practice.
4. Originality: Session proposals should be informative, engaging, and relevant to pelvic health physical therapy in the perinatal context. Must avoid presenting repetitive information that duplicates content previously shared at past symposiums. The proposed topic should not be identical or too similar to a CAPP course or an existing Collaborative Course. However, if the proposal is based on a similar topic, it should offer differentiation by exploring the subject in greater depth or approaching it from a unique perspective. Originality and avoiding redundancy are key considerations when preparing and submitting proposals.
5. Evidence-Based: Provides valuable, evidence-based insights and perspectives to the conference attendees.
6. Knowledge Transfer: Topics should include a section of the presentation that explains how clinicians can implement the course content into practice.

Proposal Components

Proposal submissions for symposium sessions must contain the following components:

1. Title (15 words maximum)
2. Session description (200 words maximum).
3. Session learning objectives (four maximum).
4. Minimum of five to seven current bibliographic references (in AMA format), no more than 7 years old at the time of presentation.
5. Speaker information, including name, degrees, credentials, institutions, city, state, CVs, and speaker bios that highlight the relevant experience of the presenter(s).
6. Keywords to help potential attendees search for the session topic.
7. Conflict of interest disclosures 

Speaker Honorarium

If selected, the speaker shall receive an honorarium total of $100.

Inquiries

For inquiries and submission, please contact hello@aptapelvichealth.org. Don't miss this opportunity to share your expertise, connect with fellow professionals!

Event Overview

Sexual dysfunction is common across the lifespan and affects individuals of all genders and backgrounds, with estimates suggesting 30–45% of women and 20–30% of men experience clinically significant sexual concerns at some point. Prevalence is higher among individuals with pelvic floor disorders, chronic pain, menopause or postpartum changes, cancer survivorship, cardiometabolic and neurologic conditions, and mental health comorbidities. Despite its frequency and impact on quality of life, sexual dysfunction is often under-screened and under-treated in clinical practice.

This four-part clinical update is designed for healthcare professionals—including physicians, nurse practitioners, mental health providers, pelvic health physical therapists, and related clinicians—and presents an interdisciplinary, biopsychosocial approach to sexual dysfunction.

Participants will review common clinical presentations and explore how medical, pelvic floor, musculoskeletal, neurologic, hormonal, and psychosocial factors intersect. Emphasis is placed on collaborative care, effective screening and communication, appropriate referral pathways, and trauma-informed, patient-centered strategies to improve sexual health outcomes.

This virtual pop-up event will be co-hosted by the International Pelvic Pain Society (IPPS) and The Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy (APTA Pelvic Health).

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Apply pain science–informed, biopsychosocial, and ICF-aligned language when discussing sexual activity to reduce fear, avoid dismissive or tolerance-based messaging, and support meaningful sexual participation for individuals with sexual pain and dysfunction.
2. Identify common medical and neuromuscular contributors to painful intercourse in younger women, recognize patterns of diagnostic delay or dismissal, and apply interdisciplinary assessment and referral strategies to support effective, participation-focused treatment planning.
3. Explain how the female sexual response cycle—including desire, arousal, and contextual influences—affects tissue tolerance and pain and integrate this understanding into patient education and clinical strategies that support comfortable and meaningful sexual participation.
4. Recognize medical, psychosocial, and neuromuscular contributors to anodyspareunia in men who have sex with men, and apply inclusive, interdisciplinary assessment, education, and treatment strategies that promote safe, confident, and participatory anal sexual activity.

Format: Live Webinar with pre-recorded sessions, registrants will also get a copy of the recording.

Contact Hours: 6