Assessment and Core Competencies in Sex Therapy I & II
Why This Training
Sexual concerns are among the most common — and most under-addressed — issues presenting in individual and couples therapy. Even highly skilled clinicians can feel unsure about how to ask about sex, make sense of what they are hearing, or integrate sexual concerns into relational formulations in a way that feels clinically grounded and ethically sound. This two-part training series is designed to support clinicians in building confidence, competence, and practical skill in addressing sexual concerns within therapy, without requiring formal sex therapy certification. Using a relational, biopsychosocial approach, the workshops focus on assessment, conceptualization, and intervention strategies that can be readily integrated into ongoing individual and couples work. Emphasis is placed on applied learning, case discussion, and concrete tools, with the goal of helping clinicians feel more comfortable, effective, and attuned when navigating sexual topics with diverse clients and relationship structures.
Brief Description
This foundational workshop is designed to equip clinicians with the core knowledge and skills needed to confidently assess, conceptualize, and discuss sexual concerns within individual and couples therapy. Sexual concerns are common in clinical practice, yet many clinicians feel underprepared to ask about sex, interpret what they are hearing, or integrate sexual concerns into broader relational formulations. This training aims to bridge that gap.
Participants will learn how to conduct comprehensive, affirming sexual assessments and histories, with particular attention to how sexual concerns present and evolve within couple dynamics. The workshop will review common sexual difficulties encountered in therapy — including low desire, arousal difficulties (such as erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation), orgasm difficulties, and sexual pain — and explore how these concerns are shaped by biopsychosocial, relational, and systemic factors.
Emphasis will be placed on helping clinicians move beyond symptom-based thinking toward nuanced, collaborative conceptualizations that integrate attachment, communication patterns, power, stress, trauma, medical factors, and sociocultural context. Throughout the training, case examples and discussion will be used to ground learning in real-world clinical scenarios.
This workshop is intended for clinicians who do not plan to pursue formal sex therapy certification, but who want to feel competent, grounded, and confident addressing sexual concerns as part of high-quality relational therapy. Guidance will also be provided on recognizing clinical complexity and determining when referral to specialized sex therapy or medical providers is indicated.
In this training, you will learn to:
- Conduct comprehensive, affirming sexual histories and assessments with individuals and couples
- Identify and conceptualize common sexual concerns using a biopsychosocial-relational framework
- Understand how sexual difficulties intersect with attachment, communication, and systemic dynamics
- Build confidence initiating and sustaining conversations about sex in therapy
- Clarify when referral to specialized sex therapy or allied professionals is appropriate