Gretchen Blycker, LMHC, LMT, RYT, CST

BORN: January 14, 1974; Westerly, RI
 
EDUCATION  
 
1992 - 1993          University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
1993 - 1994          Seattle Massage School, Seattle, WA (Leading to Being a Licensed Massage Therapist)
1996                      Labor, Birth, and Postpartum Doula Training, Seattle Midwifery School, Seattle, WA
1997                      International Association of Infant Massage, Certified Instructor, Seattle, WA
2000                      B.A., Psychology 3.92 GPA, Salve Regina University, Newport, RI
2000 - 2003          M.A., Holistic Counseling 3.95 GPA, Salve Regina University, Newport, RI
2004 - 2006          Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy Graduate, Hakomi Institute
2008                      Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Mental Health, Salve Regina University, Newport, RI
2011 - 2012          Certified Sex Addiction Therapist Training Modules 1,2,3,4, International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals
2014                      Yoga teacher training and certification, Live Love Teach (Leading to Being a Registered Yoga Teacher)
2020- present       Ph.D. candidate at the International Institute of Clinical Sexology
2022                      Board-Certified Sex Therapist, Therapist Certification Association
2022                      Certified Teacher of Compassion-Based Resilience Training (CBRT), Nalanda Institute 

 
CAREER / INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE
 
1992                      Internship at the Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County working at the shelter for women and their children. Wakefield, RI.
1992 - 1993          Trained advocate through the Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program (SHARPP) taking call to provide support to students in crisis as well           as follow up care.  University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH  
1994 - present      Hälsosam Therapy, sole proprietor in private practice in massage therapy, as a labor and birth doula for pregnant and post-partum women, infant massage instructor for caregivers, yoga therapy, Compassion-Based Resilience Training, with a sole focus on mindfulness-based psychotherapy and sex therapy since 2011.
1997 - 1999           Massage therapist at Muscular Therapy Clinic and Strong House Spa, Quechee, VT
2002 - 2003           Counseling internship working with individuals, group therapy sessions, and court advocacy at the Women’s Resource Center of Newport County, RI
2004 - 2006           Monthly psycho-educational health columnist, for introducing mindful ways of living for the general public, for 02835, a weekly newspaper in Jamestown, RI
2007 - 2008           Clinical internship with the Ophelia Program for adolescent girls with Child and Family Services in Newport County, RI
2008 - 2012           Clinician for outpatient services for the Center for Sexual Health, Psychological Centers, Providence, RI
2010 - present       Instructor, University of Rhode Island, College of Nursing, Kingston, RI.  
2018 - present       Awakening Aphrodite + Adonis, yoga, meditation, and sexual wellness education.
2019 - present       Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
 
 
PRESENTATIONS​

1. "Treatment Needs for Women Impacted by a Partner’s Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder CSBD/PPU",  8th International Conference on Behavioral Addictions in Incheon, South Korea, August 24, 2023.
2. "Aspects of Diversity: Identifying Symptoms of CSBD/PPU in a Romantic Relational System", 8th International Conference on Behavioral Addictions in Incheon, South Korea, August 23, 2023.
3. “Cultivating Female Pleasure Through the Bliss Body With Subtle Body Practices”, at the International Clitoris Summit, May 20, 2023.
4. “Promoting Embodied Sexuality and Loving Intimacy: Embodied Contemplative Approaches to Sex Therapy and Sexual Wellness Education” for the Contemplative Psychotherapy Program, Nalanda Institute, April 3, 2023.  
5. “Political and Sociocultural Aspects of Women’s Mental Health: Promoting Holistic Sexual Wellbeing for Women”, 9th World Congress on Women’s Mental Health, the International Association for Women’s Mental Health (IAWMH). Maastricht, Netherlands, November 9, 2022.  
6. Promoting Sexual Health in Adolescence: Mindfulness-Based Approaches in Clinical Practice and Sexual Wellness Education”, Stronger Together- A Global Virtual Summit to Protect Children from the Online Pornography, February 18, 2022. 
7. “Spirituality in Healing from Sexual and Behavioral Addictions Using the Mindful Model of Sexual Health”, all day workshop for the Columbia University Mind Body Spirit Institute, New York City, NY, January 19, 2020.
8. “Promoting Healthy Relationships With Mindfulness”, Hangzhou Normal University, China, December 13, 2019.
9.  “Promoting Healthy Relationships and Treating Problematic Behaviors: A Mindfulness-Based Approach in Clinical Practice”, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China, December 10, 2019.
10. “Treating Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder: Promoting Mindful Connected Sex With The Mindful Model of Sexual Health,” Researching Addiction: Theories, Methods, and Skills, University of Malta, November 23, 2019.
11. “Promoting Healthy Sex Through Educating College Students About Human Sexuality,” oral presentation for the 6th International Conference on Behavioral Addictions in Yokohama, Japan, June 2019.
12. “The Mind-Body Relationship and Sexual Health” invited plenary for the Columbia University Mind Body Spirit Institute, New York City, NY, June 7, 2019.
13.  “A Mindfulness-Based Approach in Clinical Practice” Beijing Normal University in Beijing, China, November 19, 2018.
14. “Promoting Sexual Health and Treating Problematic Sexual Behaviors” at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary, May 18, 2018.
15. “Sexual and Couples Therapy in Behavioral Addictions: A Neglected Topic”, Universitat de Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain, April 27, 2018.
16. “Gender Considerations In The Correlates Of Problematic Pornography Use”, 5th International Conference on Behavioral Addictions in Cologne, Germany 2018.
17. “Problematic Sexual Behavior and Mindfulness-Based Treatment in Clinical Practice” at the Green Crescent Society in Istanbul, Turkey, April 19, 2018. 
18. “Compulsive Sexual Behaviors: DSM-5 and ICD-11 Considerations and Mindfulness-Based Approaches in Clinical Practice”, Addiction Rounds, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada, May 5, 2017.
19. “Mindfulness-Based Interventions in the Assessment, Treatment, and Relapse Prevention of Compulsive Sexual Behaviors: Experiences from Clinical Practice”, 4th International Conference on Behavioral Addictions in Haifa, Israel, February 21, 2017.
20. “The Clinician’s Response to the Adolescent Regarding Sexual Behaviors”, Adolescents, Alcohol, Drugs, and Risky Sex: Clinical Strategies for Responding to Youth and Families in Tarrytown, NY, December 14, 2016.
21. “Sexual and Relational Health: What every clinician needs to know about problematic sexual behaviors and intimacy disorders: assessment and intervention”, Elements Behavioral Health in Warwick, RI, October 24, 2014.
22. “Mindfulness and Self-Compassion with Hypersexual Patients”, Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health Conference in Boston, MA, September 21, 2013
23. “Introduction to the Interpersonal Model of Sexual Integration”, Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health Conference in San Antonio, TX, September 20, 2012.
24. “Couples Therapy: Helping Couples Uncover their Sexual Potential”, Psychological Centers Continuing Education in Providence, RI, October 21, 2011.         

PUBLICATIONS

1. Blycker, G. (2023). Women's Wellbeing: Illuminating the Harmful Impact of a Partner's Compulsive Sexual Behaviours. In Behavioural addiction in women : An international female perspective on treatment and research. (pp 18-39) Routledge.
2. Prever, F., Blycker, G., & Brandt, L. (Eds.). (2023). Behavioural addiction in women : An international female perspective on treatment and research. Routledge.
3. Mestre-Bach, G., Blycker, G. R., & Potenza, M. N. (2022). Behavioral Therapies for Treating Female Sexual Dysfunctions: A State-of-the-Art Review. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11(10), 2794. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11102794
4. Brandtner, A., Antons, S., King, D. L., Potenza, M. N., Tang, Y.-Y., Blycker, G. R., Brand, M., & Liebherr, M. (2022). A preregistered, systematic review considering mindfulness-based interventions and neurofeedback for targeting affective and cognitive processes in behavioral addictions. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 29(4), 379–392. https://doi.org/10.1037/cps0000075
5. Mestre-Bach G, Blycker GR, Actis CC, Brand M, Potenza MN. (2021) Religion, Morality, Ethics, and Problematic Pornography Use. Curr Addiction Rep. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-021-00388-2
6. Slavin, Melissa N; Blycker, Gretchen R; Potenza, Marc N; Bőthe, Beáta; Demetrovics, Zsolt; Kraus, Shane W (2020) Gender-Related Differences in Associations Between Sexual Abuse and Hypersexuality. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 
7. Mestre-Bach G, Blycker GR, Potenza MN (2020) Pornography use in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic. J Behav Addict.
8. Slavin MN, Scoglio AAJ, Blycker GR, Potenza MN, Kraus SW (2020) Child Sexual Abuse and Compulsive Sexual Behavior: A Systematic Literature Review. Current Addiction Reports 7:76-88.
9. Brand M, Blycker GR, Potenza MN. (2019) When Pornography Becomes a Problem: Clinical Insights. Psychiatric Times Dec 13 issue. 36(12)
10. Lin CY, Potenza MN, Broström A, Blycker G, Pakpour A. (2019) Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Sexuality (MBCT-S) improves sexual functioning and intimacy among older women with epilepsy: A multicenter randomized controlled trial". Seizure 73:64-74. 
11. Blycker G, Potenza MN. (2018) A Mindful Model of Sexual Health: A Review and Implications for the Treatment of Individuals with Compulsive Sexual Behaviors. Journal of Behavioral Addictions 7(4): 917-929.
12. Slavin MN, Kraus SW, Ecker A, Sartor C, Blycker GB, Potenza MN, Dukes K, & Foster DW. (2017) Marijuana Use, Marijuana Expectancies, and Hypersexuality among College Students. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity 24(4): 248-256.

COURSES TAUGHT

1. ​Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingstown, RI 2010
2. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Kingston, RI  2011
3. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Providence, RI  2011
4. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingston, RI  2011
5. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Providence, RI  2011
6. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Kingston, RI  2012
7. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Providence, RI  2012
8. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingston, RI  2012
9. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Providence, RI  2012
10. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Kingston, RI  2013
11. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Providence, RI  2013
12. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingston, RI  2013
13. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Providence, RI  2013
14. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Kingston, RI  2014
15. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Providence, RI  2014
16. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingston, RI  2014
17. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Providence, RI  2014
18. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Kingston, RI  2015
19. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Providence, RI  2015
20. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingston, RI  2015
21. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Providence, RI  2015
22. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Kingston, RI  2016
23. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Providence, RI  2016
24. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingston, RI  2016
25. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Kingston, RI  2017
26. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingston, RI  2017
27. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Kingston, RI  2018
28. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingston, RI  2018
29. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Kingston, RI  2019
30. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingston, RI  2019
31. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Spring semester, Kingston, RI  2020​
32. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingston, RI  2020​
33. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingston, RI  2021
34. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingston, RI  2022
35. Human Sexuality NUR 150, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Instructor, Fall semester, Kingston, RI  2023