17/12/2025
Dear colleagues,
We are excited to let you know that registration for the 2026 SSTAR Annual Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, is now open! This email contains information about registration, events, hotel booking, scholarships, sponsorships, and CE credits. To help you plan your attendance, we have attached to this email the preliminary program, which includes the main highlights of the 2026 Annual Meeting and another document with the full abstracts for each workshop, plenary and invited talk. Please note that there may be some changes to the schedule, so this is not the final program.
It is going to be a great Annual Meeting, and we hope you will be able to join us!
Marie-Pier Vaillancourt-Morel & Ryan Rahm-Knigge
SSTAR 2026 Scientific Program Chair and co-Chair
conferencechair@sstarnet.org
REGISTRATION
Registration is now open and can be completed here:
https://sstarnet.glueup.com/event/2026-sstar-annual-meeting-s*xuality-in-connection-a-systemic-perspective-162242/
Please register no later than March 1, 2026 to receive the best registration rate. Presenters must register by March 1, 2026, or they will be removed from the program. Attendees who register between March 1 and May 1 will be charged the late registration fee (US$50). All registrations must be completed by May 1, 2026.
Registration includes:
•Two days of clinical and research presentations on s*xuality
•The poster session and welcome reception on Thursday evening, with a cash bar available
•Breakfast and coffee breaks on Friday and Saturday
•Saturday lunch and awards
•Plenty of opportunities for exciting discussions with colleagues!
During the registration process, you can also add the following items to your cart:
•Registration for the ethics workshop on May 7
•Registration for two clinical workshops on May 7
•Friday social event (see below) including additional tickets for your guests
•For students and early career professionals (ECP): Student & ECP Social on May 7
•For students and ECPs: Student Lunch and Learn on May 8
•Continuing education credits
FRIDAY SOCIAL EVENT (May 8, 2026)
SSTAR continues its tradition of offering an offsite social gathering after the meeting on Friday evening, May 8. This year’s social event is a cruise along the beautiful bay of Vancouver. The cost of this event is US$105 per person and includes:
•A cruise between 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm
•A three-course dinner
•Non-alcoholic beverages
•Cash bar
•Music
•And lots of fun!
You can register for the social event at the same time as the Annual Meeting, and guests are warmly welcome as they can be added to your registration. We encourage you to book your tickets early to guarantee a spot. You can also sponsor a student for the social event by adding this item in your card and your donation will give one of our student attendee the opportunity to attend the Friday Night Social Event at no cost to them. Thank you for your generosity!
STUDENT & ECP SOCIAL (May 7, 2026 – 7:30 to 8:30 pm)
Join us for a relaxed opportunity to meet and connect with other students and early career professionals attending SSTAR with free food! Participants will also have the chance to nominate themselves for a student representative position and get to know members of the SSTAR Executive Council.
All student and ECP attendees are welcome, but advance registration is required, as space is limited.
LUNCH AND LEARN (Networking Event – May 8, 2026 – 12:30 to 2:00 pm)
Have lunch with interdisciplinary experts in s*x research and therapy while learning the ins and outs of their unique roles. This is a great opportunity for students and ECPs to ask questions, network, and gain insight into different professional paths.
All student and ECP attendees are welcome, but advance registration is required, as space is limited.
HOTEL INFORMATION
This year, the Annual Meeting will be held at the beautiful JW Marriott Parq Vancouver and the DOUGLAS, Autograph Collection. Located in the heart of the city, the hotel offers unbeatable access to the waterfront, mountain views, upscale dining, and the downtown atmosphere. Whether you want world-class food, ocean views, or quick access to major attractions, this location has it all.
Book your room at the event hotel:
The DOUGLAS, Autograph Collection
45 Smithe Street
Vancouver, BC
V6B 0R3
Tel: +1 604-676-0888
A block of rooms with a special group rate has been reserved for SSTAR attendees at 475 $CAD plus taxes and service fees in the DOUGLAS, Autograph Collection Hotel.
Reserve your room here: https://book.passkey.com/event/51141970/owner/49681054/home
If calling the hotel, please inform reservations that you are attending the SSTAR 2026 Annual Meeting to receive the special rate. The room block will be released on April 9th, 2026, so please make your reservation early. After that date, room availability and prices are not guaranteed and may increase.
SCHOLARSHIPS
SSTAR is deeply committed to fostering clinical s*xuality practice and research. To fulfill this mission, SSTAR aims to be a welcoming and inclusive environment for all who are interested in human s*xuality, including Black, Indigenous, and other Persons of Color (BIPOC), individuals from 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, students, and early career professionals.
SSTAR recognizes that conference registration fees can be a financial barrier and is therefore offering 4 scholarships for the 2026 Conference on Friday and Saturday, May 8–9, 2026. Applicants do not need to be SSTAR members.
To apply, complete the form here: https://cripcas.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_508jlA4IWvlcxTM
The deadline to apply is February 16, 2026. Applicants will be notified by February 23, 2026.
SPONSORSHIPS
Support SSTAR’s mission to foster clinical s*xuality practice and research and gain exposure to around 125-225 attendees. The sponsorship opportunities available here:
https://sstarnet.glueup.com/resources/protected/organization/6356/event/162242/181681db-ccc6-4093-a563-ad47cbf947d3.pdf
offer several levels of support and can be customized to fit your needs. Please reach out to the SSTAR office with any questions or for more information about sponsorship options.
We extend our sincere thanks to Modern S*x Therapy Institute for their Gold Level support and to all of our committed sponsors, including the University of Montreal S*xual Health Laboratory, the Eli Coleman Institute for S*xual and Gender Health at the University of Minnesota, the S*xual Health Alliance, Dr. Stephen Levine, Vigorito Counseling & Consulting, and Ontario S*x Therapy.
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS
The SSTAR 2026 Annual Meeting is being planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Approval is pending to receive CE credits from AASECT, APA, NASW, and NYSED Social Work and NYSED Psychology.
The exact breakdown of CE credits is under review by these accrediting bodies and will be posted as soon as it is finalized.
For questions regarding CE credits, please contact:
Caroline Maykut at: caroline.maykut@gmail.com
David Lafortune at: lafortune-sgambato.david@uqam.ca
