ISSM Webinar on Sexual Pain: A Global Call for Awareness and Change in All Genders
Join us for this upcoming ISSM Webinar on Sexual Pain: A Global Call for Awareness and Change in All Genders which will take place on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 2:00 PM UTC. To see what time that is for you, click here.
Why does sexual pain remain one of the most under-diagnosed conditions in global health? For too long, sexual pain has been relegated to the shadows of clinical practice, leaving patients of all genders to navigate their discomfort in isolation. As we move toward a more nuanced understanding of pelvic health, this webinar will provide a comprehensive update on the physiological, psychological, and surgical factors affecting patients across the gender spectrum. From managing refractory dyspareunia to navigating the complexities of post-surgical care in gender-affirming medicine, our faculty will provide actionable insights for your practice.
Program
2:00 PM UTC Opening by ISSM Representative - Sharon Peleg Nesher (Israel)
2:05 PM UTC Sexual Pain in Gender-Diverse People - Maurice Garcia (USA)
2:20 PM UTC Sexual Pain in Men - Marij Dinkelman-Smit (Netherlands)
2:35 PM UTC Sexual Pain in Women – Mijal Luria (Israel)
2:50 PM UTC Q&A led by moderator
3:00-3:15 PM UTC Estimated closing of webinar
Moderator
Sharon Peleg NesherIsrael
Sharon Peleg Nesher
Rotem Center’s CEO and Co-Director of the Rotem Center.
Sharon Peleg Nesher is a certified nurse specializing in oncology and a certified sex therapist. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Nursing from Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University, respectively, as well as a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the Open University. She specialized in sexual therapy at Bar-Ilan University and completed a fellowship in Sexual Therapy at Hadassah Mount Scopus Medical Center in Jerusalem. She also observed at the Male Sexual and Reproductive Medicine clinic at Memorial Sloan Kettering in 2018.
Sharon has been practicing as a sexuality therapist for chronic patients since 1999, starting as a sexual therapist for cancer patients at the Israel Cancer Association. Between 2005 and 2007, she interned at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. After returning to Israel, she founded the Mila Clinic (Sexuality for Oncology Patients) at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital), leading it until May 2026. In 2009, the clinic received the ICA (Israel Cancer Association) Prize. Sharon is also a lecturer at leading educational institutions in Israel and around the world, including the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences in Tel Aviv and the School of Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Presenter
Maurice GarciaUSA
Maurice Garcia, MD, MAS
Clinical Professor of Urology Department of Urology Chief, Division of Benign Urology Director, Cedars-Sinai Transgender Surgery and Health Program
Speaker
Mijal LuriaIsrael
Dr. Mijal Luria
Dr. Mijal Luria is a Gynecologist and Sex Therapist. She serves as President of the Israeli Society for Sex Therapy (ISST) and is the Past President of the Israeli Society for Sexual Medicine (ILSSM). Since 2004, she has directed the Center for Sexual Health at the Hadassah Mt. Scopus University Hospital, and since 2017, she has been the Co-Director and Clinical Director of the Israeli Center for Sex Therapy – The Rotem Center in Jerusalem. Dr. Luria chairs the “Introduction to Human Sexuality” course at the Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine in Jerusalem, and she developed “Growing Together,” a program for early adolescents and their parents aimed at fostering healthy sexual education.
Her clinical work includes treating sexual difficulties in individuals and couples from diverse backgrounds, with a particular focus on women’s sexual wellbeing. Her therapeutic approach is tailored to each patient’s personal background and belief system.
