Welcome to episode 169 of the Sexology Podcast! Today it’s my pleasure to welcome Dr. Eileen Crehan to the podcast. In this episode Dr. Crehan speaks to me about sexuality and autism, how an autism diagnosis might get in the way of sexual desire, the importance of being pro-active about what you want sexually and recommendations for individuals with ADS who would like to have fulfilling sex lives.

Dr. Crehan is a clinical psychologist and specialist in autism spectrum disorder. In particular, she focuses on adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder and promoting healthy development in the domains of sexuality, physical health, and social abilities. Dr. Crehan’s lab at Tufts University integrates the perspective and insights of autistic individuals through an advisory board and by surveying autistic adults about their priorities for research on autism across the lifespan.

Currently, she is focused on exploring best structures for sexuality education programming, adapting teaching materials to the learning needs of autistic individuals with a range of intellectual and language abilities, and disseminating sexuality education curricula using telehealth systems.

In This Episode You Will Hear:

How does an autism diagnosis impact one’s pursuit of romantic and sexual relationships?
How an autism diagnosis might get in the way of sexual desire
What are some of the myths about sexuality when it comes to this population?
Practical measures people with autism can take to better pursue a healthy sex life
How can a parent of a child with ASD talk about sex with their child?
Making sure to find the correct and right resources
Understanding that people with autism can have a great sex life
Looking at online dating sites for those with autism
The importance of being pro-active about what you want sexually
What are your recommendations for individuals with ADS who would like to have fulfilling sex lives?