Certificate in Sex Therapy

Sex Therapy is a growing specialization in the fields of family therapy, mental health counseling, and clinical psychology. Qualified sex therapists work with a diverse range of issues including, but not limited to: sexual functioning, intimacy, sexual trauma, and gender, sexual, erotic, and relational diversity (GSERD). Sex therapy supports clients in accepting their sexuality and encourages a holistic lens to sexual health. Sex therapists work with a variety of clients, including those who identify with minoritized backgrounds, identities, and/or experiences in the GSERD matrix to those who may want to support their children in developing into sexually healthy adults and to those who desire improving intimacy within their partnership(s). The sex therapy certificate program approaches sexual health and wellness from a biopsychosocialspiritual approach to mental, relational, and systemic health and trains clinicians to be trauma-informed and GSERD-affirming. Graduates of the sex therapy certificate program serve a range of clients from many intersections of identities, backgrounds, and experiences.

Current Antioch University students can work with their assigned advisor to create a plan of study that works with their professional goals. 

In general, the course load is reasonable and standard for graduate-level training in terms of reading and writing. The classes are highly experiential and require ongoing awareness of self-of-the-therapist issues and, in some of the classes, to demonstrate active learning and application of the techniques.

REQUIRED COURSES (may be completed during one’s master’s programming) 

2025-2026 Sexuality Studies Certificate - Sex Therapy Track Courses

12 credits (up to 180 AASECT education credits) 

Fall

• CFT-5300: Human Sexuality & Gender Affirming Care *(3 credits)  

*_{CFT 5750 : Gender Affirming Care can be substituted. This course may also be waived (with program approval) if a like course has been completed in the last 5 years. Students will need to take an additional 1 credit of a Gender Affirming Care course if CFT-5300 is waived.}

• CFT-6301: Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR) (1 credit) (in-person residency on AUS campus - in-person attendance required for AASECT credits)

Spring

• CFT-6310: Intermediate Sex Therapy (3 credits) 
• CFT-6302: Sex & Relationships (1 credit) 

Summer

• CFT-6320: Advanced Sex Therapy(3 credits) 
• CFT-6303: Sexuality Knowledge Showcase (1 credit) (in-person residency on AUS campus - in-person attendance required for AASECT credits)

12 credits (up to 180 AASECT continuing education credits)

1. Students will articulate and demonstrate field-based ethics, digital health (digihealth) considerations, professional communication, ethical behavior, professionalism, integrity, and intrapersonal and interpersonal reflective skills.
2. Students will demonstrate understanding of major aspects of human sexuality, including, but not limited to: sexual development throughout the lifespan and life course, consent, sexual exploitations and abuses, sexual pleasure and intimacy, attachment (including digital attachment; digiattachment), interdisciplinary history of studying sexuality, principles of sexology research and research methods, intersections between substance use/abuse and sexuality, and the connections between learning theory and sexuality.
3. Students will demonstrate applicable knowledge of health/medical factors influencing sexuality including, but not limited to: sexual and reproductive anatomy/physiology, illness, substance use, mental health, conception, family planning, pregnancy, childbirth, pregnancy termination, contraception, fertility, sexually transmitted infections/sexually transmitted blood borne infections, sexual trauma, injury, and safer sex practices. 
4. Students will demonstrate awareness of personal attitudes, values, and beliefs regarding human sexuality and sexual behavior through participation in a Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR) training.  
5. Students will be able to articulate a range of sexual functioning and behavior, from optimal to problematic, including but not limited to: common issues such as desire and/or erotic discrepancy, lack of desire, difficulty achieving or maintaining arousal, out-of-control-sexual-behaviors, sexual pain and penetration problems, and difficulty with orgasm.  
6. Students will be able to articulate a range of relational concerns intersecting with sexual functioning and behaviors like: intimacy skills, interpersonal communications, digisexuality, multigenerational patterns, relational ethics, and pleasure-enhancing skills.  
7. Students will demonstrate knowledge of gender (e.g., cisgender, transgender, gender fluid, two-spirit, bigender, androgynous, agender, intersex, etc.), sexual (e.g., heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, etc.), erotic (e.g., kink/BDSM, tantra, digisexuality, etc.,) and relational (e.g., monogamy, polyamorous, polygamous, consensually non-monogamous, swingers, etc.) diversity (GSERD). 
8. Students will describe the impact of sociocultural influences (i.e., ethnicity, race, religion, ability, age, mediating and immersive technologies, ecological practices, etc.) and familial factors (i.e., intergenerational patterns, family sexual legacies, chosen family characteristics and patterns, etc.) as they relate to sexual values and behaviors.

In addition to the Sexuality Studies Certificate general learning outcomes noted above, the additional specific learning outcomes of the sex therapy track are as follows:

1. Students will display comprehension of theoretical concepts and methods of sex-related psychotherapy, interventions in relationship systems experiencing sex and intimacy problems, and medical intervention in the evaluation and treatment of psychosexual disorders.
2. Students will exhibit: principles of consultation, collaboration, and referral, techniques of sex-related assessment and diagnosis of the Psychosexual Disorders described in the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, ethical decision-making and best practices, clinical skills, including the PLISSIT framework among others, in which knowledge of sexual and relational therapy are demonstrated through experiential learning and related activities (e.g., role-playing, deliberate practice, case review, etc.)

Students entering the Sexuality Studies Certificate program can complete the requirements in as little as three semesters (12 months), beginning in the fall semester and with a summer session completion. Students can work with the Sexuality Certificates Program Director to create a plan of study that works with their professional goals. In general, the course load is reasonable and standard for graduate-level training, in terms of reading and writing (1-2 courses per semester; average 3-6 hours per week). The classes are highly experiential and require ongoing awareness of implicit biases and assumptions in relation to sexuality. 

Career Outlook

Graduates enhance their private practice, clinical, or community mental health work by offering specialized care for sexual and relational issues. The certificate also fulfills partial training requirements for AASECT certification.