Whether your relationship is separated by a few hour drive, takes a short flight, or means journeying halfway across the globe, it can be a long distance relationship. What constitutes "long distance” can vary substantially, but this kind of relationship generally fits into the category of “living apart together” and means less time together compared to relationships where the partners live closer. A few months ago, I shared personal anecdotes and reflections about my experience in a long distance relationship. It got me thinking: it’s not that different from a shorter distance relationship. Although, I'm not actually sure a “shorter distance relationship” is a term. Regardless, I see some clear similarities that I believe are worth exploring. Let’s get into it!

Do you ever wonder how the sausage gets made? Well, I’m specifically talking about a different kind of sausage than what you might see in most behind-the-scenes blogs or on a How It’s Made type show. Jenn Chang, a sexual wellness product developer and creative strategist with over ten years of experience, gave a talk at SHA’s “Sexology & Media Summit” about safety and regulatory requirements as well as the stages of product development of sexual wellness products. Let’s start with some basics, and then dive into the sexual wellness product development process!

Am I doing enough for SEO? How do I navigate algospeak? What even is shadowbanning? Creating sexual health content can feel like an uphill battle. Luckily, at SHA’s “Sexology & Media Summit”, I had the opportunity to hear from Alex Hall who has years of experience in reproductive rights content creation and now runs The Bottom’s Digest alongside his husband. The event also featured Nikki Mars Messick of NikLovin’ who specializes in bringing sex education to the content space in a comedic and approachable way!

The primary difference between a sex coach and therapist is the type of support they are trained and legally qualified to provide.

A sex coach typically uses education, coaching, goal-setting, communication strategies, and practical exercises to help clients improve sexual confidence, intimacy, relationships, and sexual well-being.

A sex therapist is a mental health professional with clinical training who provides psychotherapy for sexual and relationship concerns within the scope of their professional license. Sex therapists may work with complex mental health concerns, trauma, anxiety, relationship distress, sexual dysfunction, and other issues that require clinical assessment and treatment.

Both professions can make an important contribution to sexual wellness, but sex coaching and sex therapy are not interchangeable.

An intimacy coordinator is a trained professional who works with performers and production teams to help plan and facilitate scenes involving nudity, simulated sex, physical intimacy, and other hyper-exposed content. Intimacy coordinators advocate for performers, facilitate communication around consent and boundaries, collaborate with directors and production departments, and may help choreograph intimate movement so scenes can be performed safely, consistently, and authentically.

It can be difficult for sexual health education and information to find its way into niche communities. At the Sexual Health Alliance’s “Sexology & Media Summit”, LoveHoney Group’s North American PR Manager Jessica Puder tackled a question that a lot of sexual wellness marketers wrestle with: in a world that feels increasingly sex-negative, how do you reach people who aren't already looking for you?

There is no single salary for sex therapists because earnings depend on numerous factors. Most sex therapists begin their careers as licensed mental health professionals and then pursue advanced education in sex therapy. According to salary data for licensed mental health professionals, many therapists earn between $60,000 and $120,000+ annually, while experienced clinicians in successful private practices may earn significantly more. Income can vary based on clinical hours, fee structure, specialization, and business model.

An intimacy coach helps individuals and couples strengthen emotional and physical intimacy, improve communication, build confidence, and develop healthier relationships. Through education, coaching, and goal-oriented guidance, intimacy coaches support clients in creating more connected and fulfilling intimate lives.

A Sexologist Certification is advanced professional training that prepares individuals to become experts in human sexuality. Sexual Health Alliance offers a globally recognized Sexologist Certification designed to help professionals develop evidence-based knowledge, practical skills, and professional credibility in the field of sexology.

Whether you plan to work in education, healthcare, coaching, consulting, media, advocacy, or another sexuality-related profession, a comprehensive Sexologist Certification can provide the foundation needed to build a meaningful career.

A sex therapy career path typically begins with a graduate degree in a clinical mental health field, followed by specialized education in human sexuality and sex therapy. Many professionals earn certification through Sexual Health Alliance while also completing the education required to apply for AASECT Certified Sex Therapist credentialing if they meet eligibility requirements.

What Does it Mean to be Straight Passing? Straight passing (or "straight-passing") describes a Queer, transgender, or otherwise LGBTQIA+ identifying person who is in a relationship that looks straight to outside observers. Literally, they "pass" or seem straight to others.

What Is a Sex Coaching Career? A sex coaching career involves helping individuals and couples improve their relationships, communication, intimacy, and sexual well-being through education, goal setting, and evidence-informed coaching. Unlike sex therapists, sex coaches do not diagnose or treat mental health conditions. Instead, they help clients build confidence, develop healthier relationship skills, and achieve meaningful personal goals.

What Is Couples and Sex Therapy Certification? Couples and sex therapy certification provides licensed mental health professionals with advanced training in both relationship dynamics and human sexuality. Rather than treating communication and intimacy as separate issues, this type of certification prepares clinicians to address the emotional, relational, and sexual factors that influence healthy relationships.

So much of what we know about sex and sexuality comes from the media we consume — and it's easy to miss important context when algorithms only show us what they think we'll engage with. Don't worry, though: I'm here to help fill in the gaps by tackling some common myths about kink.

Relationship coach certification is professional training that prepares coaches to help individuals and couples improve communication, strengthen relationships, resolve conflict, and build healthier connections. The most comprehensive programs also include education in intimacy, sexuality, attachment, and relationship dynamics, giving coaches the skills to support clients holistically.

Plenty of people already use AI for all kinds of things. Roughly 79% of U.S. adults interact with AI daily. Among teens, that number is about 64% who've used it at some point, in some way. But it's not just task help and quick homework answers. People are also using AI for emotional, sexual, and romantic relationships. These relationships, termed “synthetic relationships” are a real thing, and they're more common than you might think…

As conversations around sexual health become more open, the need for qualified sex therapists has never been greater.

Clients are increasingly seeking professionals who understand intimacy, desire, sexual function, relationships, identity, trauma, and communication. Yet many graduate programs devote little time to sexuality, leaving therapists feeling underprepared when these topics arise in the therapy room.

If you're considering sex therapy certification, you're already taking an important step toward filling that gap.

You cannot build a thriving sex therapy practice by separating great therapy from great business. A sustainable (and profitable) practice requires both. The practitioners who build practices that last are the ones who get certified, define a narrow niche, design an offer clients cannot say no to, and use marketing channels that actually work in this field. This article covers all of it: from licensure to the business frameworks that grow a sustainable practice. As a gift to the readers I will also tell you what I have found works and what does not in marketing sex therapy to save you a lot of time and a lot more money.

Even the best training programs don't have time to dive deep into every important topic, and it seems as though sexual health is often one of the first things cut from the syllabus. I would argue that many instructors find the subject difficult or uncomfortable to teach, and some simply aren't up to date on current sexual health knowledge themselves.

How do you become a certified sex coach? Whether you're a coach looking to specialize, a healthcare professional expanding your expertise, or someone passionate about helping others improve their relationships and sexual well-being, becoming a certified sex coach can open the door to meaningful and impactful work. This guide explains what a certified sex coach does, how certification works, and how to get started in one of the fastest-growing fields in sexual wellness.