Sex Therapy Certificate

Program Overview

The Certificate in Sex Therapy (CST) is an educational program offered within the Couple and Family Therapy Department. Included in the curriculum is core knowledge on human sexuality education and sex therapy training as well as an attitudes and values training (i.e., Sexual Attitude Reassessment; SAR) as outlined by American Association of Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT).

By providing the curriculum through an intersecting social justice and self-of-the-therapist (experiential) lens, this certificate not only is reflective of the systemic values of the Couple and Family Therapy Department, but also Adler University’s mission of graduating socially responsible practitioners, engaging communities, and advancing social justice. These values will be reflected throughout the readings, application, and activities included in the CST. The University’s mission is to promote inclusion, diversity, and advocacy for all identities, of which sexuality is an essential component for competent clinicians to address.

The mission of the Certificate in Sex Therapy is to prepare socially responsible professionals with core knowledge of human sexuality and sex therapy training that meets the highest standards of the field including an ethical consciousness and cultural competence.

Program Goals include:

To provide students with core knowledge on human sexuality education including diverse identities.
To create the opportunity for students to self-assess and understand their own attitudes and values, i.e., self-of-the-therapist, through a social justice perspective.
To train students in the ethical practice of sex therapy preparing them to engage in the required clinical component and supervision.
To graduate socially responsible practitioners of sex therapy sensitive to social justice and diversity with a goal of inclusion and advocacy consistent with Adlerian principles.

This program is created specifically as a certificate to compliment current graduate students in clinical programs as well as pre-licensed and licensed professionals to build on their training.

Credentials

The Couple and Family Therapy Department has been approved as an Organizational Provider II by AASECT (effective 7/1/2021). The Certificate in Sex Therapy is a non-clinical opportunity providing students with all the foundational education and training necessary to accompany the required clinical work and supervision (not included) for the Certified Sex Therapist designation from AASECT.

Alignment of AASECT Requirements for Sex Therapy Certification
AASECT Requirements	Adler’s Certificate in Sex Therapy
Membership in AASECT	Requirement of SEX-690
AASECT Code of Ethics	Covered in SEX-692
Academic and Professional Experience	Pre-requisite or Co-requisite
Clinical Certification & Licensure	Pre-requisite or Co-requisite
Human Sexuality Education: Core Knowledge	90 hours provided through the CST Coursework
Sex Therapy Training	60 hours provided through the CST Coursework
Attitudes and Values Training	14 hours provided through the CST (SEX-691)
Clinical Experience, Field Work, Internship or Professional Training Experience	Not included as this is a non-clinical certificate. Graduates will be supported to seek out these opportunities through faculty advising.

This program meets the requirements for the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and is approved for 164 CE credits. Completion of this program does not ensure or guarantee AASECT Certification. For further information please contact [email protected].

The curriculum also meets some of the requirements for Diplomate Status with The American Board of Sexology (ABS).

Minimum Admission Requirement

Qualified professionals or students in license eligible graduate clinical training programs may apply for the CST program following application procedures as outlined in the Adler University Catalog and website.

Application requirements include:

A completed clinical master’s degree in couple/marriage and family therapy, medical family therapy, counseling, art therapy, psychology, social work, or other related mental health field that leads to clinical licensure OR
Be currently enrolled and in good standing in a clinical master’s programs in any of these fields and eligible to begin practicum by the start of the certificate program.
A grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate coursework and/or a 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale of all graduate coursework.
A statement of intent specifically outlining the applicant’s interest in becoming Certified as a Sex Therapist consistent with the mission of the certificate.

Language competency level and exams requirements are consistent with policies across Adler University.

Admission for Current Adler University Students

Current Adler University students may only add the CST after submission of their statement of intent (as described above) and approval and recommendation (via letter or email) by their faculty advisor in their degree program. Adler graduate students may concurrently enroll in the certificate as they are working on their clinical master’s or doctoral degree. Prerequisites for students of this standing are that they must have completed the coursework in their own program that allows them to be practicum eligible or ready.

Students may not transfer coursework into the CST as it has been uniquely designed to meet AASECT requirements. Transferred coursework may not align with the design and structure of the CST. Current students may consult with their primary program of study about utilizing CST courses as electives to meet their degree requirements.

Students in the Couple and Family Therapy Department may add the certificate program with approval of their faculty advisor. They are also pre-approved to utilize CST courses to meet the elective requirements in either the MCFT or CFTD programs.

“Students-at-large” Enrollment

Students who are neither in a current graduate program nor enrolled in the CST may take select courses with approval from the Certificate Manager and as space is available. Most commonly, students may request to take SEX-691: Sexual Attitudes Reassessment as a stand-alone course which is equivalent to AASECT’s SAR requirement.

Course Requirements

The Certificate in Sex Therapy requires the following ten credits of coursework:

SEX-690 A Biopsychosocial Approach to Sexuality Across the Lifespan - 3 credits

SEX-691 Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR) - 1 credit

SEX-692 Diversity in Sexuality: Socio-cultural, Medical, Technological, and Ethical Influences - 3 credits

SEX-693 Sex Therapy in Action: Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Psychosexual Issues and Dysfunction - 3 credits

Total: 10 credits

Note. The coursework is being offered for credit/no credit. Students must receive a credit for the course to pass and move on in the certificate. A no credit is cause for the student to retake the course. Because the grading is structure as credit/no credit (which carry zero GPA points), students who are only enrolled in this certificate program will not have a GPA.

The CST is offered in a blended format with one weekend residence per course and a combination of synchronous and asynchronous e-learning across the semester. Courses must be taken sequentially, and students can start in fall or spring. SEX-691 can be taken concurrently with SEX-690 or SEX-692. For students who want to accelerate the program to be completed in two semesters, i.e., fall/spring or spring/summer, they may take courses concurrently. Completing the program in two semesters does not maintain eligibility to receive financial aid.

Consistent with University policy, certificate students are not required to complete the Social Justice Practicum (SJP).

There is no clinical component offered as part of the CST as it is a non-clinical certificate. To meet the designation requirements of AASECT (and ABS), students must engage in specific clinical and supervision requirements as outlined by these organizations. Students’ degree programs are not obligated to create practicum opportunities for the certificate. Students will receive advising as part of the certificate to develop a plan to fully complete certification requirements.

The CST follows all policies and procedures of Adler University as outlined in this Academic Catalog, the Adler University Student Handbook, the Couple and Family Therapy Department Handbook, and on Adler Connect. If a student has a grievance and it is not remediated through the established grievance policies, AASECT should be contacted at [email protected].

Certificate Completion Requirements

Successful completion of the required courses and credit hours as specified in the curriculum requirements.
Successful completion of the required paper as part of SEX-691: Sexual Attitudes Reassessment (SAR).
Students must receive credit (“CR”) in all coursework.
Submissions of completed Graduation Application and full payment of any outstanding tuition and fees.
Demonstration of professional attitude, decorum, and ethics commensurate with the profession of sex therapy.
Faculty approval for graduation and recommendation to the Board of Trustees for the conferral of the Certificate in Sex Therapy

Certificate of Sex Therapy Course Descriptions

SEX-690	A Biopsychosocial Approach to Sexuality Across the Lifespan	3 credits
	This course will explore developmental sexuality across the lifespan including sexual and reproductive anatomy and physiology, human sexual response cycles, and the normative developmental tasks and challenges related to sex and sexuality from a biopsychosocial perspective. Competency understanding, assessing, and conceptualizing sexuality in a sex-positive way at various life stages including clinical interventions and improved communication skills addressing common challenges will be introduced. Students will explore the impact of gender as it pertains to the development of gender identity, gender expression and gender roles across the lifespan. In addition, students will develop a thorough understanding of unique considerations in working within LGBTQIIA+ populations, including Queer Affirmative clinical approaches and interventions. This course meets the requirements for the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and is approved for 50 CE credits. Completion of this program does not ensure or guarantee AASECT Certification. For further information please contact [email protected].
SEX-691	Sexual Attitudes Reassessment (SAR)	1 credit
	This course is an intensive in-person and experiential workshop designed to allow participants to examine and process their sexual attitudes, values, and beliefs through exposure to various kinks, fetishes, and sexual themes. Highly experiential in nature, the SAR involves exposure to films, documentaries, lectures, guest speakers and workshop activities with a focus on processing in both large and small groups. At the end of the course, participants are tasked with writing a paper sharing the impact of the SAR on their sexual attitudes and professional philosophy in sex therapy. This course is a 14-hour workshop over 3 days (Friday - Sunday). This course meets the requirements for the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and is approved for 14 CE credits. Completion of this program does not ensure or guarantee AASECT Certification. For further information please contact [email protected].
SEX-692	Diversity in Sexuality: Socio-cultural, Medical, Technological, and Ethical Influences	3 credits
	This course will examine the socio-cultural, medical, technological and ethical factors impacting the current landscape of sex and sexuality. Students will explore the impact of race, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender and ability on sexual values, attitudes and behaviors, including an understanding of the impact of a range of pervasive social justice issues on sexual functioning and satisfaction. Diversity in sexual expression and lifestyles including consensual non-monogamy, polyamory, kink, BDSM and fetishes as well as the unique considerations for these populations and lifestyles will be reviewed. From a sex-positive, culturally competent place, students will further explore the impact of changing technology used for both pleasure enhancement and the risks of maladaptive use. Students will also gain competency in ethical decision-making and best practice in sex therapy becoming knowledgeable about the history of sex therapy research. Primary to this course is the expectation that students will engage in personal reflections around their own sexuality including learning to complete a thorough sexual history. This course meets the requirements for the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and is approved for 50 CE credits. Completion of this program does not ensure or guarantee AASECT Certification. For further information please contact [email protected].
SEX-693	Sex Therapy in Action: Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Psychosexual Issues and Dysfunction	3 credits
	Course Prerequisite - SEX-692 This course will cover the practice of sex therapy through the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of psychosexual disorders in the DSM-V including sexual issues arising from trauma, medical or mental health factors, relational factors, or environmental factors. Students can expect to learn several models and theories from both an individual and relational perspective to effectively diagnose and treat sexual functioning issues in people with penises and people with vulvas, as well as out-of-control sexual behaviors and paraphilic disorders. Students will explore the short and long-term impact of sexual abuse and trauma on sexual functioning including clinical skills in application with survivors through a trauma-informed lens. This course will also cover professional communication, collaboration, and supervision skills in order to offer an integrated treatment model and to gain knowledge in appropriate referral practices to other healthcare providers. This course meets the requirements for the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and is approved for 50 CE credits. Completion of this program does not ensure or guarantee AASECT Certification. For further information please contact [email protected].