Ateret Gewirtz-Meydan

Dr. Ateret Gewirtz-Meydan is a social worker (MSW) and a certified sex therapist (by the ISST). Her work focuses on sexual health and wellbeing of populations that are traditionally excluded from sexual discourse (e.g., individuals of advanced age) and suffer from sexual disorders, disrupted sexual self-concept and sexual stigma. In the past decade, Dr. Gewirtz-Meydan was involved in research as well as in practice. In practice, she has been treating individuals and couples suffering from sexual disorders at the Sex and Couple Therapy Unit at Meir Medical Hospital in Israel. In her research, she has investigated couple’s and older adult’s physical, emotional, mental and social wellbeing in relation to sexuality. She has published over 15 papers in peer-reviewed journals examining these issues from various perspectives using varied research methods. In the present year (2017-2018), supported by the Haruv Institute, Dr. Gewirtz-Meydan is hosted by Prof. David Finkelhor as a postdoctoral fellow at the Crimes against Children Research Center (CCRC) at the University of New Hampshire. During this time, she has been investigating issues related to child sexual abuse and assault, risky sexual behaviors among children and child pornography. Dr. Gewirtz-Meydan hopes her work this year will assist in facilitating a theory-based intervention aimed at ameliorating the sexual health consequences associated with child sexual abuse. Such an intervention could be used as an alternative to sex therapy based on traditional approaches, which may not take into account their unique histories and needs.