Brianne Billups Hughes, LMFT is a psychotherapist offering online therapy to California residents for individuals and couples with expertise in sexual and reproductive wellness. To schedule a therapy appointment with Brianne, contact her today.
Are you looking for a sex therapist for yourself or couples sex therapy for you and your partner?
It is important to understand the credentials and qualifications of the person you are trusting with such personal and sensitive information.
The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) is considered the most highly regarded or “gold standard” for certification of sex therapists. Sex therapy or sex coaching are not protected terms, therefore, asking about the provider’s qualifications and values is a must.
In most states and provinces, sex therapy is not a separately licensed or regulated profession, just as child psychotherapy is not government-regulated beyond granting the basic license to practice therapy. To assure the public of highly qualified practitioners, AASECT provides voluntary certification to those therapists who have completed the rigorous certification process. Only those therapists who have met these qualifications may designate themselves as “AASECT Certified Sex Therapists.”
According to the AASECT website:
AASECT Certified Sex Therapists are licensed mental health professionals trained to assess, diagnose, and provide in-depth psychotherapy, who have specialized in treating clients with sexual issues and concerns. Sex therapists work with sexual concerns, including, but not limited to: sexual function and dysfunction; sexual pleasure; sexual variation; sexuality and disability; sexuality and chronic illness; sexual development across the lifespan; sexual abuse, assault, and coercion; sexual orientation; and gender identity. In addition, where appropriate, sex therapists are prepared to provide comprehensive and intensive psychotherapy over an extended period of time in more complex cases.
In order to become an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist one must:
- Earn a Master’s Degree from an accredited college in a clinical specialty that includes psychotherapy training
- Be a licensed professional in mental health counseling (such as a psychotherapist, psychologist, or social worker) in good standing with their licensing board
- Complete 90 hours of human sexuality training
- Complete 60 hours of sex therapy training
- Consult with an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist Supervisor for 50 hours of supervision, in which 25 of those hours are individual supervision
- Attend a 14-hour Sexual Attitude and Reassessment (SAR) workshop to evaluate their own internal beliefs, values, and attitudes towards sexuality topics
- Log at least 300 hours of experience providing sex therapy to clients
- Continue their education to remain up to date on new developments in the field of sexuality and sexuality counseling to renew their certification
- Adhere to a strict code of conduct that prioritizes client well-being including never engaging in any sort of sexual contact or inappropriate relationships with current or past clients
Therefore, if someone has an AASECT certification you can be assured that they have received a high level of training and supervision in order to support their clients through any sexual issues they may be facing.
Courses I have taken for my AASECT Sex Therapist Certification have included classes on:
- Sexual Desire and Sexual Pleasure from sex researcher Emily Nagoski author of Come As You Are
- Treating the Two Most Common Female Sexual Complaints: Orgasm Issues and Diminished Desire by Sexuality Psychologist Dr. Laurie Mintz, author of Becoming Cliterate
- Working Through Peripartum Sexuality Issues by Dr. Roasra Torrisi
- Helping Clients Move Past Sexual Trauma to Reclaim a Passionate Life by Dr. Holly Richmond author of Reclaiming Pleasure
- Integrating Sexual Interventions Into Couples Therapy by Dr. Barry McCarthy
- Sexual Intelligence: A New View of Sexual Function and Satisfaction by Dr. Marty Klein
- Doing Affirmative Sex Therapy with LGBTQ+ Clients by Dr. Margie Nichols
- An Integrative Model for Understanding and Treating Extra-Marital Affairs by Dr. Barry McCarthy
- Somatic Sex Therapy by Dr. Holly Richmond
- Neurobiology Of Sex, Love & Attachment by Dr. Kate Balestrieri
..And so many more! If you have any questions about my qualifications as an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist or my experience treating sexual issues you may be experiencing, please send me an email so we can connect and discuss further. You deserve to have a healthy and pleasurable sex life!
Resource: https://www.aasect.org/certification/certification-faqs