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Sexuality Education and Healthy Relationships Training for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD)

We are Elevatus Training, a national leader in healthy relationships, sexuality, and intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism (I/DD). We offer evidence-informed and trauma-informed products to help professionals, educators, self-advocates, and parents confidently navigate the topic of healthy relationships and sexuality.

Our product offerings include:
curricula and communication supports for teaching healthy relationships and sexuality
online training for individuals and organizations
workshops, keynotes, and in-services for staff and parents
self-study options for professionals and parents
support for people with I/DD and autism
Photo of Katherine McLaughlin

Katherine McLaughlin, M.Ed., CSE

Elevatus Training was founded by Katherine McLaughlin, M.Ed., an AASECT-Certified Sexuality Educator (CSE) with more than 30 years of experience in sexuality education and disability support. She is the CEO and lead trainer for Elevatus Training.

Katherine’s work began in reproductive rights and public health, including many years working with Planned Parenthood. Over time, her focus expanded into healthy relationships and sexuality education for people with I/DD. That shift was shaped in part by her own life experience after she became a wheelchair user following a spinal cord injury at the age of 26.

That personal experience helped deepen her understanding of the inequities many people with disabilities face, including the harmful belief that people with disabilities are not sexual beings. Since then, her career has focused on changing that narrative through education, advocacy, and practical support.

The Top 8 Reasons to Work With Elevatus Training

Experience

Our founder, Katherine McLaughlin, has over 30 years of experience as a sexuality educator and trainer, specializing in sexuality and disabilities. Further, as a person with a disability herself, she’s experienced first-hand the many challenges and inequities that exist for people with disabilities.

Respect for One’s Humanity

We deeply believe that sexual rights are human rights. As such, you can count on the fact that all of our content and products are sex-positive, gender-affirming, inclusive, medically accurate, and age-appropriate.

Participant Engagement

Our training sessions are dynamic, interactive, and cover the latest topics. And the results speak for themselves — based on post-training survey responses, our graduates are 87% more confident when leading classes.

Self-Advocacy

We are fully committed to the self-advocacy movement – nothing about us without us – and we include those with disabilities to help create, teach, and evaluate our products.

Leaders in the Field

When it comes to teaching sexuality and I/DD, we wrote the book. Sort of. Thousands of professionals, self-advocates, and laypeople around the world use our curricula on healthy relationships and sexuality for people with I/DD.

Generosity

We firmly believe in the adage that knowledge is power. As such, we’re committed to equipping you with more than enough information, skills, and tools to be a confident sexuality educator.

Participant Empowerment

While we’re always available if you need us, our true goal is to educate and inspire you to the point that you no longer need us. We empower you to improve the lives of people with I/DD and Autism.

Customer Focused

Although it is the last item on this list, customer service is the top priority within our organization. We aspire to delight you and go a step beyond.

Developmental Disabilities and Sexuality: Becoming a Sexuality Educator and Trainer

A 3-Day Certificate Training for anyone who works with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and wants to lead sexuality education classes and staff/parent trainings.

Katherine McLaughlin teaching a workshop

When it comes to talking about sexuality, people with disabilities are often excluded, almost as if they are incapable of having sexual thoughts, feelings, and needs. In reality, they too are sexual beings who need information and skills for making healthy decisions about sexuality. Though agencies that work with people with I/DD know that sexuality issues need to be addressed, they often don’t feel comfortable or competent enough to do so. This training will give you the curriculum, tools, and skills you need to teach sexuality education classes and lead staff/parent trainings.

Next Training: Click the button below to see our training dates.

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Curriculum: Sexuality Education

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Self-Study Course for Staff/Professionals

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Self-Study Course for Parents

Articles on Sexuality, Developmental Disability and Healthy Relationships

Sexual Rights: Privacy

Privacy is a human right. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) laws give us this right regarding our health information, but when people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD)…
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Listening to Self-Advocates Voices

Being accepted for who you are and being in relationships has many benefits. Yet, people with developmental disabilities face barriers in achieving acceptance and building friendships and romantic sexual relationships…
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Sexual Rights: Knowledge

We know that knowledge is power and ignorance is NOT bliss. We all need knowledge to make informed choices, but when it comes to sex and sexual relationships, people with…
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