Michał Pawlęga

05/08/2025

[WERSJA POLSKA PONIŻEJ]
For over the past month, I’ve been completing a clinical internship at the Psychiatric Ward in Limanowa (Poland🇵🇱), as part of my path toward certification as a clinical s*xologist.
Beyond fulfilling formal requirements, this was a meaningful learning experience. It allowed me to understand better how psychiatric services operate, enhance my diagnostic and therapeutic skills, share and apply my knowledge of s*xual health, and reflect more deeply on therapeutic work with people facing mental health challenges.
What stood out to me was the team’s clear commitment to humanistic psychiatry – an approach that places patients’ autonomy, values, and goals at the centre of care. 🎯
Thank you to the entire team for the warm welcome and for making me feel part of your work, even for a short time. 🤝

*xualhealth

WERSJA POLSKA 🇵🇱
🧠 Przez ponad ostatni miesiąc odbywałem staż kliniczny w Dziennym Oddziale Psychiatrycznym w Limanowej w ramach ścieżki do uzyskania certyfikatu seksuologa klinicznego.
Ten staż to nie tylko spełnienie formalnych wymagań – była to także dla mnie cenna okazja do lepszego zrozumienia, jak działa system opieki psychiatrycznej, rozwinięcia umiejętności diagnostycznych i terapeutycznych, podzielenia się moją wiedzą dotyczącą seksualności i głębszego zrozumienia zasad pracy z osobami doświadczającymi zaburzeń psychicznych.
To, co szczególnie zapadło mi w pamięć, to głębokie zakorzenienie modelu pracy i stosowanego podejścia terapeutycznego w humanistycznym podejściu, stawiającym w centrum autonomię leczących się osób, ich cele i indywidualne doświadczenie. 🎯
Jestem bardzo wdzięczny całemu zespołowi za ciepłe przyjęcie i możliwość stania się – choć na chwilę – częścią Waszej pracy. 🤝

26/06/2025

DoxyPEP — now in Polish! 🇵🇵🇱 DoxyPEP💊 — the use of doxycycline as post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent bacterial STIs such as syphilis and chlamydia — is receiving growing attention across public health communities. Clinical studies show it can reduce the incidence of these infections by up to 70–90%, particularly among men who have s*x with men and people using HIV PrEP. Its effectiveness in preventing gonorrhoea remains variable due to antibiotic resistance patterns.

Despite promising evidence, DoxyPEP remains a subject of global debate. Concerns around antimicrobial resistance, appropriate patient selection, and ethical considerations on antibiotic use continue to shape the discussion.
📌 In Poland, this conversation is only just beginning.
📌 There are no national clinical guidelines.
📌 It is not reimbursed.
📌 Access depends entirely on a physician’s decision, leaving patients without consistent, equitable options.

📘 To help change that, we’ve adopted and published the Polish version of DoxyPEP Info Note. I hope this publication will help build awareness, inform patient and provider choices, and spark constructive dialogue that could support advocacy for national-level guidance on DoxyPEP as a viable STI prevention strategy.

🙏 I’m grateful to Grzesiek Jezierski for your thoughtful content adaptation; Dorota Nowicka, MD, PhD, for your insightful medical review; Gus Cairns and Robert Hejzak for authoring the original; and to the European AIDS Treatment Group, whose initiative and support made this work possible.

Download the Polish version here:https://www.eatg.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/eatg-doxypep-info-note-polish.pdf

14/06/2025

🌈 When I first started volunteering in 1996 at the grassroots LGBTIQ+ initiative Rainbow Centre, co-founded Lambda Warszawa shortly after, got involved as a researcher in community-driven studies on emerging health issues among vulnerable populations at Narodowy Instytut Zdrowia Publicznego PZH - PIB, and later worked at the Społeczny Komitet ds. AIDS (SKA) providing HIV/STI testing and chems*x support—I had no idea these experiences would shape my career so profoundly.

Over the years, as I moved from grassroots services to managing AHF Europe s*xual health programs, I've always been guided by the same core motivation: creating spaces where people from vulnerable communities feel safe, respected, and genuinely heard. But this path has also given me the chance to experience a true sense of community.

Today, I’m happy to share a professional update that aligns deeply with this motivation: I’ve recently joined the World Association for Sexual Health.

🌍 WAS is known globally as a key advocate for s*xual and reproductive rights, influencing international policies and standards. Being part of this network means connecting to meaningful conversations about self-testing, affirming s*xual healthcare, and innovative digital solutions—topics central to my everyday work.

While this membership won’t change my daily practice overnight, it’s a meaningful opportunity to stay inspired, challenged, and connected with peers worldwide.

✨ What was a turning point in your work in s*xual health and rights advocacy? I’d love to hear stories that shaped your path, too.

29/05/2025

Already out – and open access! 📘
If you work with chems*x, s*xual health of GBMSM, s*x therapy or harm reduction, I recommend reading The Moral Lessons of Chems*x by Maurice Nagington, available in open access now!

This book looks at chems*x beyond pathology. It questions how often chems*x is framed only as a problem and explores the moral, social, and emotional meanings that exist within this practice. Grounded in long-term interviews and cultural analysis, it gives space to lived experience, pleasure, intimacy, and community, without denying risk or harm. 🧠🌈

For those working in therapy, involved in community response or q***r studies, it’s a chance to reflect on how dominant narratives may deepen stigma. I believe this book is a valuable step toward depathologising chems*x and understanding it on its terms, specifically as it relates to GBMSM. Too often, it’s confused with Sexualised Drug Use (SDU), but chems*x has its context, history, and meanings.

Download the book here: 👉 https://www.routledge.com/The-Moral-Lessons-of-Chems*x-A-Critical-Approach/Nagington/p/book/9781032377575

*x *xualhealth *xtherapy *xology

25/05/2025

I’ve just completed the HIV Prevention Certified Provider (HIVPCP) course from HealthHIV. It made me reflect not only on the need for ongoing education in s*xual health and HIV prevention but also on the diverse needs of people most vulnerable to HIV and STIs—and how essential it is to combine biomedical and behavioural approaches to respond effectively. 🌍📚

The course covers several evolving areas in the field: community-based testing models, HIV street clinics, pharmacy-based testing and PrEP, and the HIV Status Neutral Approach. It also looks at the broader context—how structural factors and inequalities affect access to care for LGBTQ+ people, s*x workers, migrants, and racialised communities.

For many working in or entering this field, accessible, well-rounded training like this isn’t easy to find, especially in Europe. This one offered a valuable balance of current evidence and real-world practice.

Feel free to share if you’ve come across other resources or trainings that helped you better understand this area. 🤝 🔗 More about the course: https://healthhiv.org/hivpcp/

22/05/2025

Delighted to take part in the Second European Conference on LGBTIQ+ Community Health organised by Ex Aequo🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈. An inspiring space to connect with passionate colleagues working across Europe to build more inclusive, community-based LGBTIQ+ health responses.

It was a pleasure to moderate the session on ‘Broad-Spectrum Harm Reduction Initiatives in LGBTIQ+ Contexts’ and share AHF Europe's experience investing in professionalisation while staying true to our community roots during the session ‘The Professionalisation of LGBTIQ+ Health Community Services’.

I'm especially moved by the message of the Brussels Manifesto for LGBTIQ+ Health 🌈, which calls for bold action towards universal access to healthcare, especially for those most often left behind. As the Manifesto beautifully says: “It is time to support those who, every day, are inventing new ways of healing and living.”. Join the Manifesto signers here: https://lnkd.in/e9-XZ_E8.

🙏 Thank you to the organisers and everyone involved for that productive, energising meeting. I’m looking forward to continuing our collective efforts to push for ambitious, structural, and lasting changes in health policy, rooted in dignity, equity, and community.

23/03/2025

I’ve just attended the premiere of the play "Anioły w Warszawie" (Angels in Warsaw) at Teatr Dramatyczny. The performance portrays the forgotten experiences of people living through the early AIDS epidemic in Warsaw during the 1980s—stories silenced by stigma, misinformation, and fear. It deeply resonates with my everyday commitment to HIV prevention and support for HIV-affected communities. 💬❤️
My heartfelt appreciation to Julia Holewińska (writer) and Wojtek Faruga (director) for bringing these important narratives to the Polish stage. 👏
I'm also proud that Teatr Dramatyczny has become the first theater in Poland to introduce a unique "emotional support program", supporting audience members deeply moved by this powerful show. It’s an honor to be trusted with this role and contribute to the Polish response to HIV.
I was delighted to share this special evening with Grzesiek Jezierski, an inspiring HIV activist and coordinator of the "Buddy Polska" program, which supports people newly diagnosed with HIV. 🌈

More about the play here 👉 https://teatrdramatyczny.pl/anioly-w-warszawie

12/02/2025

Intriguing event is coming: the 2nd Annual ChemSex Crisis Summit on March 11-12, 2025 📅!
Despite some progress, our understanding of chems*x and effective ways to provide tailored harm reduction and support to those for whom it becomes problematic remains limited. We still need more robust research, the exchange of experiences, cross-sector collaboration, and the political will to drive meaningful change.
This event might resonate with professionals supporting affected individuals, community mobilization, research, or advocacy.
I’m eager to learn and exchange ideas with peers. 🤝🌐
A special thank you to Brad Lamm, Ben Collins, Jason Farrell and many others involved in this initiative for creating this vital platform🙏

Link to the event page and registration in comments⬇️

*x

23/12/2024

✨Before this holiday season begins, I’m not slowing down!
I spent this weekend sharing my knowledge on harm reduction in chems*x with an inspiring group of people engaged in or preparing for roles in harm reduction programs.
Harm reduction is a public health approach that focuses on minimizing the negative consequences of certain behaviours rather than demanding immediate or complete change. It respects people's autonomy and choices, empowers them, and provides solutions for those who, for various reasons, are not ready or able to stop substance use. At the same time, it supports individuals who wish to transition to abstinence, offering a pathway that aligns with their goals.
Thank you to Grupa Stonewall for inviting me to be part of this important project. I believe that by making services more affirmative, we contribute to strengthening our community, making it more resilient 🏳️‍🌈💪
*x *xualhealth

07/12/2024

[English version below]
Zapraszam już w przyszłą niedzielę! 🗓️
Będzie intensywnie, interaktywnie i z pewnością wartościowo. Szczegóły znajdziesz w poście⬇️
Szkolenie w języku polskim🇵🇱

English version
Join us next Sunday! 🗓️
It will be intensive, interactive, and undoubtedly insightful workshop. Full details are in the post⬇️
The training will be delivered in Polish🇵🇱

Zachęcamy do wzięcia udziału w szkoleniu online “Redukcja szkód w kontekście chemseksu”, które odbędzie się w niedzielę 15 grudnia w godz. 9:00 - 16:00. Szkolenie jest bezpłatne i odbywa się online. Obowiązują zapisy. Link w komentarzu!

✨ Kto może wziąć udział?
Osoby pragnące nabyć podstawowe kompetencje do pracy z użytkownikami chemseksu: studiujące lub będące absolwentx kierunków przygotowujących do profesjonalnego pomagania oraz pracy socjalnej, w tym tworzenia i realizacji programów profilaktyki wskazującej i selektywnej.

Cele szkolenia:

✨ Zapoznanie uczestników z koncepcją redukcji szkód oraz jej zastosowaniem w kontekście chemseksu
✨ Zrozumienie zjawiska chemseks, w tym czynników psychologicznych i społecznych związanych z jego podejmowaniem oraz wynikających z niego potencjalnych zagrożeń dla zdrowia i metod ich minimalizacji
✨ Wyposażenie uczestników w praktyczne umiejętności identyfikacji i interwencji w zakresie redukcji szkód wobec osób uprawiających chemseks

Szkolenie prowadzi Michał Pawlęga – seksuolog i terapeuta z doświadczeniem w zakresie działań związanych ze zdrowiem seksualnym i zarządzaniem projektami w obszarze zdrowia psychicznego. Od wielu lat zaangażowany w ruch LGBTI w Polsce; prowadzi programy zdrowia psychicznego, zdrowia seksualnego i redukcji szkód skierowane do społeczności LGBTI, zwłaszcza MSM. Obecnie pracuje w AIDS Healthcare Foundation, gdzie zarządza największym w Europie programem profilaktyki i testowania w kierunku HIV i STI skierowanym do kluczowych populacji HIV, takich jak MSM, osoby używające narkotyków, osoby świadczące usługi seksualne, osoby przebywające w więzieniach i migrujące.

Więcej informacji o szkoleniu w formularzu zapisu - link w komentarzu!

Wydarzenie finansowane z budżetu Województwa Wielkopolskiego w ramach projektu “Program profilaktyki HIV/AIDS oraz wszechstronnego wsparcia osób żyjących z HIV/AIDS w województwie wielkopolskim”.

04/12/2024

[Polish version below]
Today, together with my colleague and friend Tom Klopotek-Glowczewski, we are at the European Harm Reduction Conference, where we are running a workshop on how to make harm reduction services more affirmative for LGBTI people. 🏳️‍🌈
I am grateful for the opportunity to share my experience in the area of s*xual and gender diversity, as well as to learn more about a topic close to my heart – drug policies and their role in harm reduction. 💡
A big thank you to Correlation European Harm Reduction Network and Fundacja Prekursor for organising this important event and for your dedication and passion in creating a space for knowledge and experience exchange. 🙌


[Polish version]
Dziś razem z moim współpracownikiem i przyjacielem Tomem Klopotek-Glowczewskim jesteśmy na European Harm Reduction Conference, gdzie prowadzimy warsztat o tym, jak uczynić serwisy redukcji szkód bardziej afirmatywnymi dla osób LGBTI. 🏳️‍🌈
Jestem wdzięczny za możliwość dzielenia się moim doświadczeniem w obszarze różnorodności seksualnej i płciowej, a także za okazję do nauki o temacie, który jest mi szczególnie bliski – politykach narkotykowych i ich roli w redukcji szkód. 💡
Wielkie podziękowania dla Correlation Network i Fundacji Prekursor za organizację tego ważnego wydarzenia oraz za Wasze zaangażowanie i pasję w budowaniu przestrzeni do wymiany wiedzy i doświadczeń. 🙌

01/12/2024

[Polish version below]
Today we observe World AIDS Day 🌍❤️. It’s a special moment in the year to reflect on all the projects and efforts aimed at ending the HIV epidemic. It’s also a time to pause and think about where we are, what we’ve achieved, and the path ahead.

I feel deep gratitude for being part of an incredible global movement that makes the world a better and fairer place every day 🌟.

Thank you to all the people and organizations who have inspired and supported me on this journey 🙏. I’ve learned so much over the years because of you. Together, we are strong! 💪

Dziś obchodzimy World AIDS Day 🌍❤️. To wyjątkowy moment w roku, kiedy podsumowuję wszystkie moje projekty i działania mające na celu zakończenie epidemii HIV. To także czas refleksji nad tym, gdzie jesteśmy, ile już osiągnęliśmy i dokąd zmierzamy.

Czuję ogromną wdzięczność za to, że mogę być częścią wielkiego, międzynarodowego ruchu, który każdego dnia czyni świat bardziej sprawiedliwym i lepszym 🌟.

Dziękuję wszystkim osobom i organizacjom, które inspirowały mnie i wspierały w tej drodze 🙏. Dzięki Wam nauczyłem się tak wiele przez te lata. Jest moc! 💪