Andrew Pari is a nationally recognized sexual assault trauma recovery expert known for his work in understanding the “taboo” in sexualized violence. Founder and Director of Sexual Assault Awareness, LLC, he is a psychotherapist with over 25 years’ experience treating survivors, including specialized populations in the sex trade and victims of trafficking.
His focus on the “gaps” that others in his field don’t talk about have led to advances in sexual assault treatment earning him a reputation as one who won’t shy away from many of the experiences with which sexual assault survivors struggle.
From his work on arousal and orgasm during sexualized violence, to his unique understanding of how repetition compulsion moves survivors to re-enact their trauma, he remains focused on his mission to end shame in sexualized abuse & assault.
Andrew believes in and practices from a sex-positive, shame-free, science-based, feminist perspective. In addition to running his own agency, he is on the Board of the Center for Positive Sexuality and serves as the Program Director for their Sex-Positive Professional Certification.
He serves on multiple planning committees for national conferences, including the Institute for Violence, Abuse, & Trauma (IVAT), and Embracing Diversity with GLBTQ+ Youth (EDGY).
He consults and trains forensics and mental health professionals internationally, is available for expert testimony, and has developed national policy on sex work and commercialized sex trade.
His wide and varied career has gone from working with gangs in South Central Los Angeles, to creating and leading the crisis response team for L.A. County Department of Mental Health, becoming one of the NASW’s “1000 Experts” on sexual assault, disaster, and trauma, and spearheading the first research on arousal during sexual assault and other “taboo” topics, all while continuing to serve girls and women suffering from abuse and assault.
Andrew has hosted the largest ever public discussions on topics related to sexual abuse and rape and is a moderator for forums on rape and recovery. He is a sought-after speaker at conferences on sexual trauma, including the National Conference on Crimes Against Women (CCAW), and International Society for the Study of Trauma & Dissociation. (ISSTD).
He was co-creator and host of the Los Angeles radio show, Chasing the Why, where he covered a wide-range of social topics from the Japanese tsunami disaster to the international SlutWalk movement.
Andrew does enjoy down-time and practices the important principles of self-care through his singing, acting, and improvisational comedy. He sings a wide variety of broadway songs...ask him to fire off a round of Hamilton’s “My Shot.” He's trained in comedic improvisation and has performed in and directed comedy troupes all around Los Angeles...and even Hawaii. He won a Los Angeles regional theatre award in 2015 for his portrayal of Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
And, while he enjoys training and speaking on sexualized violence, challenging taboos, and using positive sexuality in recovery.
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