Talk on Sexuality and Intimacy

I’m interested in developing and evaluating innovative strategies to prepare social workers and other health professionals to capably deliver Motivational Interviewing (MI) in community settings. MI is conceptually a harm-reduction prevention approach addressing social determinants of health by offering alternatives to zero-tolerance practices and policies. MI is in lockstep with social work values and the code of ethics and broadly applicable to the variety of populations and types of settings where social workers practice. My interest in MI also extends to the leadership role that the social work profession should assume in integrated health settings as social workers are uniquely qualified not only to implement MI, but to lead in training other health professions in this valuable intervention.

Presentations

• Tennille, J. “Motivational Interviewing: An Evidence-Based Practice for YMSM of Color.” Regional Resource Forum: Best Practices for engaging an emerging population of YMSM of Color, Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, August 18, 2015.
• Tennille, J. “Motivational Interviewing in Social Work: An Evidence-Based Practice with Broad Applicability.” CEU offering for field instructors at University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy and Practice, May, 2015.
• Tennille, J., Bohrman, C. “Introduction to Motivational Interviewing Techniques.” University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, 3 day-long workshops for entire undergraduate student body during psychiatric rotation, January, 2015.
• Tennille, J., Bohrman, C. “Introduction to Motivational Interviewing Techniques.” University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, 2 day-long workshops for entire undergraduate student body during psychiatric rotation, September, 2014.
• Tennille, J. “Motivational Interviewing in Social Work: An Evidence-Based Practice with Broad Applicability.”  CEU offering for field instructors at University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy and Practice, December, 2013.
• Tennille, J. “How to use Motivational Interviewing to improve your relationships – role plays.”  Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Training and Education Center, Morning Family and Friends Series, November, 2013.
• Tennille, J., Bohrman, C. “Motivational Interviewing in Medicine.” University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, 2 hour workshop for 1^st and 2^nd year medical students working at community clinics in Philadelphia, October 25, 2013.
• Tennille, J. “Introduction to Motivational Interviewing Techniques.” University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, 4 day-long workshops for entire undergraduate student body during psychiatric rotation, September and November, 2013.
• Tennille, J. “How to use Motivational Interviewing to help your loved one and improve your relationship.”  Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Training and Education Center, Morning Family and Friends Series, July, 2013.
• Tennille, J., Bohrman, C. “Motivational Interviewing in Social Work: An Evidence-Based Practice with Broad Applicability.” West Chester University, Graduate Social Work Continuing Education Opportunity, July, 2013.
• Tennille, J., Bohrman, C. “Introduction to Motivational Interviewing Techniques.” University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, 4 day-long workshops for entire undergraduate student body during psychiatric rotation, May and June, 2013.

Publications

• Tennille, J., Bohrman, C., Chen, W., Holbrook, A. (Grant in Preparation) Motivational Interviewing: Creating a Community of Practice to Sustain Clinical Competencies.
• Stanhope, V., Tennille, J., Bohrman, C. (Manuscript in Preparation) Motivational Interviewing: Creating a Leadership Role for Social Work in Health Care.

I am currently engaged in a project with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion designed to build capacity to deliver recovery-oriented services to persons coping with mental health conditions. We are investigating contemporary provider knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding micro- and macro-level interaction related to sexuality and intimacy with clients diagnosed with mental health conditions. Data will be used to shape a modular training toolkit for a variety of provider types. Elements of the toolkit will range from strategies for improving micro-practice on topics of sexuality and intimacy to programmatic and policy revisions that would create more dignified and inclusive environments for persons with mental health conditions.

Presentations

• Tennille, J. “HIV Prevention: Conversations about Sexuality and Intimacy.” University of Pennsylvania, HIV Prevention and Sexuality in Behavioral Health Programs, Penn Affiliates Conference Series, October 9, 2014.
• Tennille, J. “The Role of Intimacy in Recovery.” Copeland Center Summit in Philadelphia, PA, September 11, 2013
• Tennille, J., Wright, E. “Wellness and the role of intimacy.” Why Wellness Works, Breakthroughs and pathways to Whole Health: Mental Health America’s 2013 National Conference, National Harbor, MD, June, 2013.
• Tennille, J., Wright, E. SAMHSA funded workshop, “The Role of Intimacy in Recovery.” Zarrow National Mental Health Symposium in Tulsa, Oklahoma September, 2012.
• Tennille, J.  Key note presenter. Current issues in human sexuality. Penn Affiliates Conference Series: Discussing Sexual Issues with Mental Health Clients, Summer, 2010
• Tennille, J, Blank, M, Fishbein, M, The impact of psychotropic medication on sexual functioning: Implications for HIV prevention in persons with serious mental illness.  The XVI International AIDS Conference, Toronto 13-18 August 2006.

Publications

• Tennille, J., Solomon, P., & Bohrman, C. (2014). Using the FIELD Model to Prepare Social Work Students and Field Instructors on Sexuality and Intimacy for Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities. Sexuality and Disability, 1-15.
• Tennille, J., & Wright, E. (2013). Addressing the intimacy interests of people with mental health conditions: Acknowledging consumer desires, provider discomforts, and system denial. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities.
• Tennille, J., Solomon, P., & Blank, M. (2010). Case Managers Discovering what Recovery Means Through an HIV Prevention Intervention.  Community Mental Health Journal, 46(5), 486-493.
• Tennille, J., Solomon, P., Fishbein, M., & Blank, M. (2009). Elicitation of Cognitions Related to HIV Risk Behaviors in Persons with Mental Illnesses: Implications for Prevention.  Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 33(1), 32-37.

My interest in HIV stems from direct practice work in the late 1980s and early 1990s. As HIV endures and thrives in corners where oppression and poverty blossom, I remain committed to engaging in research and that shines a light on multifaceted approaches to primary and secondary HIV prevention. 

Presentations

• Tennille, J. “HIV Prevention: Conversations about Sexuality and Intimacy.” University of Pennsylvania, HIV Prevention and Sexuality in Behavioral Health Programs, Penn Affiliates Conference Series, October 9, 2014.
• Tennille, J., Faerber, J, Solomon, P, McDermott, P, TenHave, T, Blank, M.  Development and validation of the Risk Rapport Scale: A measure of therapeutic relationship aimed at primary and secondary HIV prevention. San Francisco, California, Fourteenth Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, January 2010.
• Tennille, J.A., Solomon, P.L., Eachus, S, Blank, M.B. Primary prevention of HIV in persons with severe mental illness; A case manager delivered intervention" 137th APHA Annual Meeting & Exposition, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November, 2009.
• Solomon, P.L., Tennille, J.A., Primary Prevention of HIV in Persons with Severe Mental Illness; A Case Manager Delivered Intervention. Thirteenth Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, January, 2009.
• Blank, Solomon, Eachus, TenHave, Tennille, Rothbard, Fishbein, Metzger & Hadley: PATH: A Manualized Program for HIV Prevention with Persons with Mental Illnesses.  Annual Conference on Addiction Treatment, Puerto Rico, June, 2008.
• Tennille, J, Blank, M, Fishbein, M, The impact of psychotropic medication on sexual functioning: Implications for HIV prevention in persons with serious mental illness.  The XVI International AIDS Conference, Toronto 13-18 August 2006.

Publications

• Tennille, J., Faerber, J., Solomon, P.S., McDermott, P., TenHave, T., & Blank, M.B.. (Manuscript in Preparation) Can We Talk? : Development and Validation of the HIV Risk Alliance Scale (HRAS). 
• Teitelman, A.M., Tennille, J., Bohinski, J., Jemmott, L.S., & Jemmott III, J.B. (2013). Urban Adolescent Girls' Perspectives on Multiple Partners in the Context of the Sexual Double Standard and Intimate Partner Violence. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 24(4), 308-321.
• Teitelman, A., Tennille, J., Bohinski, J.M., Jemmott, L.S., & Jemmott III, J.B. (2011). Unwanted unprotected sex: Condom coercion by male partners and self-silencing of condom negotiation among adolescent girls.  Advances in Nursing Science, 34(3), 243-259. 
• Blank, M.B., Hanrahan, N.P., Fishbein, M., Wu, E.S., Tennille, J.A., Ten Have, T.R., Kutney-Lee, A.M., Gross, R., Hines, J.M., Coyne, J.C., & Aiken, L.H. (2011). A randomized trial of a nursing intervention for HIV disease management among persons with serious mental illness. Psychiatric Services, 62(11), 1318-1324.
• Solomon, P.L., Tennille, J.A., Lipsitt, D., Plumb, E., Metzger, D., & Blank, M.B. (2007). Rapid assessment of existing HIV prevention programming in a community mental health center. Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community, 33(1-2), 137-151.

I am researching the complex conditions that constitute the successful act of moving, tailoring, and sustaining recovery oriented practices into real world settings. Field instructors exert a powerful influence on the socialization of students into professional practice habits and my recent research involved the development of a teaching intervention that included field instructors, Field Instructors Extending EBP Learning in Dyads (FIELD). I hope to test FIELD in a larger trial.

Presentations

• Tennille, J., Solomon, P. (Abstract in Submission) Field Instructors Extending EBP Learning in Dyads (FIELD): Results of a Pilot RCT. 8^th Annual Conference on Dissemination and Implementation, January 2016.
• Tennille, J., Solomon, P. Field Instructors Extending EBP Learning in Dyads (FIELD): 3^rd International Conference on Practice Research, Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, New York City, NY, June 2014.
• Tennille, J., Solomon, P. The gap is in the field: An innovative EBP teaching model for dyads of field instructors and social work students. Bridging the Research and Practice Gap Symposium, Houston, TX, April, 2013.

Publications

• Tennille, J., Solomon, P., Brusilovskiy, E., &Mandell, D. (In press). Field Instructors Extending EBP Learning in Dyads (FIELD): Results of a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Society of Social Work and Research.
• Tennille, J., Solomon, P., Bourjolly, J., & Doyle, A. (2014). Introducing FIELD: Field Instructors Extending EBP Learning in Dyads. Field Educator, 4(2), 1-19.

• In 2011, as part of a research study, Dr. Tennille was trained to deliver Motivational Interviewing in emergency room settings with women who were experiencing problem drinking and intimate partner violence.
• This experience sparked a renewed interest in Motivational Interviewing as an evidence-based practice so immensely compatible with social work values, that she continues to explore Motivational Interviewing connections via many research projects and is invited to provide numerous MI workshops to a variety of human service providers (nurses, social workers, med students, school personnel).
• Dr. Tennille has published several articles on Field Instructors Extending EBP Learning in Dyads (FIELD), a teaching intervention aimed at synchronizing evidence based practice competencies among field instructors and their social work students.
• Dr. Tennille is currently working with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion to develop a training toolkit for mental health providers toward enhancing their ability to have discussions with clients about sexuality, intimacy, and dating.
• Dr. Tennille is available to consult with students and other health professionals on areas related to her research.