4/2025- Sexual Health Symposium / Mt. Sinai (feat. Dr. Barbara Bartlik)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dr. Barbara Bartlik Illuminates Integrative Approaches to Sexual Health at Mt. Sinai 2025 Sexual Health Symposium

NYC/ April 2025 - At the forefront of a rapidly evolving conversation on sexual wellness, Dr. Barbara Bartlik, one of New York Magazine's Best Doctors in Psychiatry and a nationally recognized leader in integrative medicine, delivered a featured lecture at “Symposium 2025: On Human Sexuality,” hosted by Mt. Sinai Medical Center. Her presentation, titled “Integrative Medicine Treatment of Sexual Problems,” offered a comprehensive exploration of contemporary solutions for sexual health issues affecting both men and women. The annual symposium, organized under the direction of Dr. Ahron Friedberg and co‐directors Dr. Vladan Novakovic and Jennifer Harper, M.Div., drew clinicians, psychoanalysts, and mental health professionals from across the country. Framed within a nuanced discussion on the complexities of human sexuality, the event sought to advance open, inclusive, and evidence‐based dialogues around topics too often marginalized by politics, social norms, and traditional medical models.

A Holistic Lens on Sexual Health, Dr. Bartlik’s presentation stood out for its integrative perspective, merging conventional psychiatry with emerging technologies and natural therapies. Her review addressed a spectrum of conditions, from common sexual dysfunctions and mood disorders to menopause‐related issues, pelvic floor dysfunction, and bladder health. She highlighted the importance of tailoring treatment plans that honor both the physiological and psychological dimensions of sexual wellness.

Among the therapeutic modalities discussed were the use of Viagra in women, sexually- enhancing nutritional supplements and creams, red light therapy, Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy, healthy lifestyle interventions, alongside established psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic approaches. Dr. Bartlik stated that testosterone levels in men are in steep decline, along with sperm counts and fertility. Urinary leakage is a major problem affecting over 70 percent of older women. Pharmaceutical and surgical solutions are woefully inadequate. 

Numerous technological advances effectively treat this condition but are not FDA- approved or covered by insurance, so the cost is out-of-reach for most women. “This is a major women’s health issue that needs immediate attention,” according to Dr. Bartlik. She emphasized the growing body of evidence supporting these techniques as adjunctive or alternative options, particularly for patients seeking non‐pharmaceutical interventions or those with treatment‐resistant conditions, “Sexual health is inseparable from mental health,” Dr. Bartlik noted during her lecture. “Our role as clinicians is to create space for individualized care — integrating the best of conventional medicine with scientifically grounded natural therapies.”

SHOWCASING AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE
In addition to her presentation, Dr. Bartlik highlighted her textbook, INTEGRATIVE SEXUAL HEALTH, a landmark contribution to the (Dr. Andrew) Weil Integrative Medicine Library published by Oxford University Press (2018). The book offers in‐depth clinical guidance for practitioners and positions itself as a leading reference in the intersection of sexual health, psychiatry, and integrative medicine. 

A THOUGHTFUL SYMPOSIUM FRAMEWORK
This year’s symposium took a reflective approach to the broader landscape of human sexuality. In his opening remarks, Dr. Friedberg spoke to the evolving discourse: “Human sexuality is complex, its expressions varied and often shaped by unconscious conflicts and cultural scripts. Our task is to bring these conversations into the open — not only to treat, but to understand.” 

The event also featured a distinguished lineup of speakers including Dr. Harold Bronheim, Dr. Mark J. Blechner, Christian Churchill, PhD, Dr. Vicente Liz Defillo, Martina De Giorgis, LCSW, Dr. Jennifer Downey, Dr. Elizabeth Grill, Dr. Monique Rinere, Dr. Phillip Luloff, covering topics from psychoanalytic interpretations of sexuality to reproductive mental health and the psychodynamics of sexual identity.

About Dr. Bartlik...

DR. BARBARA BARTLIK is a Manhattan‐based psychiatrist, integrative medicine specialist, and sexual health expert with over 30 years of clinical practice. She is widely recognized for her holistic approach to patient care, combining conventional treatments with evidence‐based natural therapies. A prolific author and educator, Dr. Bartlik continues to shape contemporary conversations around sexual health, psychotherapy, and integrative medical care.

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For more information about Dr. Bartlik and Integrative Sexual Health, https://drbarbaramd.com/

Media Contact: Lennard M. Gettz, Ed.D,  InterMedia Press / AngioInstitute- Phone: 516.603.1416 /Email: LG@321image.com