-- LOS ANGELES, CA — The Current Collective, a first-ever collaborative effort between Breathe Life Healing Centers, La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center, and No Matter What Recovery, will host the Chemsex Recovery Summit. This essential event is designed for clinicians, providers, and professionals who work directly with individuals affected by the growing epidemic of sexualized drug use, or chemsex, as it is more commonly referred to in the LGBTQ+ community.
Chemsex refers to the use of drugs—particularly psychoactive and disinhibiting substances such as methamphetamine and GHB—in conjunction with sexual activity. In recent years, it has emerged as a significant public health concern, particularly within the LGBTQIA+ community.
Three of the leading clinicians on Chemsex healing and recovery will be featured at the Summit. They will provide presentations that examine the public health impact of chemsex, as well as offer evidence-based treatment approaches.
The program will take place on Thursday, June 4, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Renberg Theatre, 1125 N. McCadden Place, Los Angeles. It will feature presentations by three clinicians who are at the forefront of chemsex recovery in the United States:
Valerio Iovino LAADC, S-ASAT, Primary Therapist at Breathe Life Healing Centers
Rory Hunter, LMFT, LPCC, CSAT Candidate, Clinical Director at La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center
Mell McCracken, CADC-II, ASAT, National Director of Chemsex and LGBTQ+ Programs at No Matter What Recovery.
“I am truly honored to be invited to participate in this summit for the second consecutive year. It is a privilege to be part of a gathering that brings together dedicated professionals committed to advancing knowledge, compassion, and care in the field of chemsex. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn from fellow speakers and to engage with participants who share a common passion for raising awareness and strengthening our collective response to the challenges surrounding chemsex. Together, through collaboration and open dialogue, we can continue to build more informed, compassionate, and effective ways to support the communities we serve,” says Valerio Iovino.
He adds, “At Breathe, we believe in meeting people with compassion, clinical excellence, and cultural understanding. For many individuals, we recognize that healing can be complex, especially when substance use intersects with intimacy, identity, and shame. That’s why we focus primarily on our clients’ intimacy disorder and to help them understand the link between ‘intimacy and the sexualized need to connect.’ We’re proud to be pioneers in the treatment of Chemsex, one of the few programs in the country offering a specialized, sex-positive, trauma-focused approach to care.”
Rory Hunter of La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center states, “I’m honored to return for the second year in a row to speak at the Chemsex Summit. This event creates an important space for honest, informed conversations about the trends we are seeing in chemsex culture, the complex factors that bring people into treatment, and the role that family relationships can play in recovery. At La Fuente, we have been at the forefront of chemsex treatment since 2011, and I’m especially grateful that this year’s summit is geared toward clinicians who may not yet be familiar with the specific challenges of chemsex or the emerging best practices for treating it. Greater education in this area is essential to providing effective, culturally responsive, and compassionate care.”
Mell McCracken of No Matter What Recovery comments, “I’ve been working on the frontlines of the chemsex epidemic for more than a decade, and I’m looking forward to participating in this important—and potentially lifesaving—summit addressing a deeply concerning trend that poses significant risks within the LGBTQIA+ community. At No Matter What Recovery, we witness firsthand the profound impact of chemsex. It is critical that professionals in the mental health and addiction treatment fields understand this issue and are equipped to effectively support those affected. We hope attendees leave feeling empowered with knowledge, as well as a sense of community that we are all in this fight together.”
The Summit schedule includes separate presentations by Iovino, Hunter, and McCracken. The day will end with a distinguished panel discussion on the topic of Chemsex and HIV - Past, Present, and Future, featuring:
Dr David Fawcett, therapist and author of Lust, Men, and Meth as well as Sex Under the Influence
Kathy Watt, Executive Director, Van Ness Recovery House Executive
Desiree Martinez Salas, ASW, Primary Therapist, Cri-Help
The event is available for Continuing Education Units. Tickets to the event can be purchased on the TPN website. Ticket Pricing is as follows:
General admission $50
Contact Info:
Name: Anthony Grayson
Email: Send Email
Organization: No Matter What Recovery
Address: 3409 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90026, United States
Website: https://nomatterwhatrecovery.com/
Release ID: 89193724