Self-help workshops to focus on safe-sex practices, relationships

By: Dwan Brumfield

Posted: 9/6/06

The Professional Counseling Center will begin offering self-help workshops for male and female students next week. Participants will be able to talk openly and learn about a variety of issues surrounding safe-sex practices and maintaining emotionally healthy relationships.

The men's workshop will be led by Dr. William Price Curtis, director of the Professional Counseling Center, every Monday from 3-4:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 11.The women's workshop will be co-facilitated by Dr. Yvonne Montgomery, a licensed professional counselor and professor of psychology, and Neniva Haysbert, a Langston University student who has a degree in psychology and will be receiving her master's in rehabilitation counseling this spring. Their meetings will be held every Wednesday from 3-4:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 13.

This is the second year the self-help workshops have been offered. The groups will first learn about safe-sex practices to prevent illnesses such as HIV.

Price Curtis feels that educating students on the HIV virus is important in light of the HIV crisis in this country and particularly in the African-American community.

"The very first thing we do is make sure the participants have good authoritative information about the virus," he said.

Price Curtis will cover how HIV is contracted, how it is not contracted, the importance of testing, and what the results mean. Students will also learn how to protect themselves from sexual diseases, which include strategies such as only being involved in monogamous relationships and practicing abstinence.

Curtis says there is a lot of abuse going on in relationships today, both physical and psychological; this is one of the reasons why he wanted the workshops to focus on relationships as well as safe-sex practices. Last year's workshop participants appreciated being able to talk candidly about their love lives.

"They are struggling with how to establish safe, meaningful, nurturing and affirming relationships," Price Curtis said.

Haysbert feels the same way and hopes her influence will be felt among the young ladies who participate.

"I can talk from a female perspective, we [women] tend to minimize and rationalize different behaviors that are unhealthy within the relationship."

Haysbert said these workshops are necessary because Langston students are rising leaders of the world. She feels young people should have a well-rounded life.

"Every individual has to have a balance-spiritual, physical, and emotional. If they don't, it is going to show," she said.

Haysbert plans to share her own personal experiences and life's lessons with the young ladies in the workshop.

Students will be expected to respect the anonymity of fellow students. Students interested in the workshops must undergo an in-take interview prior to admission into the group. Each group will only consist of 14 students so space is limited. Call Dr. Price Curtis at 405-466-3210 to set up an interview or for more information.