BSN, RN, CSC-S, SE
Oncology Sexual Health Specialist, City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago
Sexuality Counselor – American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists
Sexuality Counselor Supervisor – American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists
Sexologist – The American Board of Sexology
Traci A. Owen, BSN, RN, CSC-S, SE, is an Oncology Sexual Health Specialist at City of Hope® Cancer Center Chicago, where she helps patients and their partners navigate the impact that cancer diagnosis, treatment and survivorship can have on sexual health and wellness. With more than 35 years of experience in nursing and a decade as a certified sexuality counselor and oncology sexual health specialist, Owen is a compassionate and dedicated clinical provider.
“I am a loud and proud patient advocate on every patient’s treatment team,” says Owen. “I am committed to ensuring that sexuality, intimacy and quality of life remain integral parts of health care, and I strive to break barriers, foster connection and create spaces where people feel seen, heard and supported in their journey.”
Owen has worked in health care settings since age 17 and been a registered nurse since age 22. She first joined City of Hope in 2009 as a sexuality counselor and played a key role in helping develop the organization’s sexual health program.
“Oncology sexual counseling requires a broad range of modalities if we are to understand the potential impact on the whole person – mind, body and being,” Owen says. “I am passionate about sexual body health, relational intimacy and the mission to evolve the narrative of pleasure in the context of life transitions and illness.”
In her role as a lecturer and educator, Owen has also helped develop and implement sexual health programs for several oncology facilities. She earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond and completed a post-graduate certificate in sexuality counseling and sexuality education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Owen is a member of multiple professional organizations, including the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists, the American Board of Sexology and the Scientific Network on Female Sexual Health and Cancer. She is also currently working on a National Institutes of Health-funded study on the impact that nurse-led mind-body interventions can have on the sexual health of young breast cancer survivors. Her work has been recognized with both an Oklahoma Healthcare Hero award and inclusion on the list of Oklahoma’s Greatest 100 Nurses.
Outside of her professional life, Owen is dedicated to spending time with her loved ones, including her blended family of six adult children and 10 grandchildren.