The Sexual Health Alliance is dedicated to furthering positive sex practices and accurate sexual education. For any professional looking to expand their practice, sexual business, or education, the Sexual Health Alliance has a certificate program for you. Our Sex Therapist Certificate Program, which consists of four online modules and three two-day conferences, is for students earning a degree in psychology, already-practicing therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists; if you do not have a license to practice, please check out our other certificate programs here.
Community is pivotal to the Sexual Health Alliance and we boast a vast and global group. Though the majority of us reside in the states, some of our staff and students herald from England, parts of Australia, and elsewhere! Our community consists of every walk of life; we are mothers and fathers, professors and students, doctors and healthcare professionals, all here with one goal: To create a more sex-positive world.
SHA is committed to cultivating and sustaining our community’s important conversations which is why we regularly offer opportunities for online interaction and hopefully soon, more in-person events. Until then, as a part of our programs, you’re digitally invited to monthly Happy Hours and meet and greets, plus free access to your first three two-day conferences with experts from the field. The variety of programs SHA offers allows for everyone to join the community in the ways they see fit. We are better together, as a collective group that can learn, share, and grow together.
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE SEX THERAPIST CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
The Sex Therapist Certification Program at the Sexual Health Alliance includes three conferences with professionals and four rigorous online modules, each detailing the equally important branches for discussing sex and sexuality with your patients. Our program is rich with sex-positive historical and educational texts, video interviews with professionals and experts in the field, and exercises to help retain and interpret this vibrant knowledge. Current faculty members of the Sexual Health Alliance that assist in your journey to certification include:
Midori
Chris Donaghue, PhD, CST
David Ley, PhD CST, CST-S
Dr. Elizabeth Sheff
Dr. Justin Lehmiller
Mitchell Tepper, PhD, MPH
Charlie Glickman, PhD
Melissa Novack, LCSW, CST
Emily Nagoski, PhD
N. Jasmine Johnson, LCSW, AKA Jet Setting Jasmine
Stephen Snyder, MD
Your journey through the program is self-paced with suggested milestones and deadlines marked along the way. On average, students take 12 months to complete the program, though some have finished in as little as six months. When you’ve finished your certification, your education does not need to end--SHA has additional certificate programs to enhance specific areas of knowledge and regular, two-day conferences which, as a student, you can attend at a discounted rate.
Besides the explorative and reflected coursework, as a student you can expect:
“Do It For Me” AASECT application process -- saving you OVER 30 HOURS OF WORK!
Discussion sessions with experts in the field
Included SAR
Welcome Swag Bag
Future training and conferences at a discount
A global community of professionals in all fields
Meet and Greet Parties
Virtual Happy Hours
Virtual Online Loving Encouragement groups and Q&A sessions
Access to the online resource group and supervisor lists
TUITION COSTS OF SEX THERAPIST CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
At the Sexual Health Alliance, we believe education should be accessible to everyone. We understand that furthering your education is expensive, which is why we’ve done our best to keep costs as low as possible. All of our students have the option to pay their tuition in full or spread over 12 or 18 months. Payment plans include interest. We also offer yearly scholarships to BIPOC individuals. As a student in any of our certificate programs, you receive discounts on all our future experiences like two-day conferences and Sexual Attitude Reassessments.
WHAT CAN I DO WITH A CERTIFICATE IN SEX THERAPY?
Our Sex Therapist Certificate Program, which consists of four online modules and three two-day conferences, is for students earning a degree in psychology, already-practicing therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists; if you do not have a license to practice, please check out our other certificate programs here. Sex Therapists are trained in treating clients with sexual issues and concerns and, in addition, where appropriate, are prepared to provide comprehensive and intensive psychotherapy over an extended period of time in more complex cases.
If you are already practicing, a certificate in sex therapy allows you to offer specialized treatment to clients, boosting your business significantly. On average, the therapist with a certificate in sex therapy earns three times what a therapist without this in-depth training.
WHAT IS AN AASECT CERTIFIED SEX THERAPIST?
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. In the absence of available licensure, they are certified, registered, or clinical members of a national psychotherapy organization. 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; and sexuality across cultures, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues. In addition, where appropriate, are prepared to provide comprehensive and intensive psychotherapy over an extended period of time in more complex cases.
PREVIOUS CONFERENCES AND GUEST SPEAKERS
We are passionate about sharing and spreading current, sex-positive knowledge which is why the Sexual Health Alliance is committed to offering regular, two-day conferences on a wide variety of topics and many expert presenters. Some of our recent conferences include BodySex expert, Carlin Ross, teaching us the basics of Betty Dodson’s revolutionary exercises, Doctor Michael Vigorito leading a conversation on problem sexual behavior, and even the first student-run and student-lead conference. Like the topics themselves, our guest speakers range in professions, ensuring all perspectives are contributed to our curriculum.
We are lucky to have some of the top professors and lecturers in the world! Many of our presenters have lectured at prestigious Universities including USC, UCLA, Princeton, The Kinsey Institute, Harvard University, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas State University, and more. Many of them have been featured on Anderson Cooper, Dr. Phil, The Doctors, LoveLine, WE tv’s “Sex Box” and Logo tv’s “Bad Sex,” The Today Show, VICE, CNN, HLN, OWN, Nightline, Katie Couric, Dr. Drew and in Newsweek, New York Times, Daily Beast, Men's Health, Cosmo, and National Geographic, LA Times and the London Telegraph, Playboy and Hustler magazines. More information can be found here.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCEPTANCE TO SEX THERAPIST CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
You need at least a Bachelor’s degree to become AASECT Certified. If you do not have a Bachelor’s, you are able to apply under special circumstances with Sexual Health Alliance and become certified through our organization. In order to be certified as a sex therapist, you need to either an already-established therapist or a student (with at least a Bachelor’s) on their way to their therapist license.
Our application process is simple–its a Google Form! Please include in your application your resume or CV, a recent photo of you, your transcript (unofficially is perfect acceptable), and your license (if applicable). We ask for any kind of photo so we can identify you at in-person and online conferences. Since we award continuing education credits, we also want to make sure you are who you say you are (i.e. someone is not pretending to be you and completing required conferences and educational work on your behalf). Your picture has zero basis in the admissions decision.
Additionally, the application asks for a Personal Statement of 500 words minimum. Use this space to tell us in your own words why you are applying to the SHA Sex Therapist Certificate Program. Be creative and informative! We want to get to know you and determine if you are a good fit for our program.
We review all applications in the order received and try our very hardest to get back to you within a few days. As long as you’ve included all requested materials, you should hear back from us within the week. Please note that we don’t typically work weekends or holidays, so an application submitted on those days will not be seen until we’re back in the office.
SEX THERAPY CERTIFICATE PROGRAM PREPARES YOU FOR YOUR FUTURE
If your goal is to become a certified sexuality therapist, educator, counselor, or coach, the Sexual Health Alliance helps streamline this process. The American Association of Sexual Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, or AASECT, is the main pathway to certification and SHA is one of few affiliated institutions. This ensures that all your credits count towards what is required for your certificate. On top of this, SHA offers a “Do It For Me” option in which your AASECT certification paper is filed for you by us, saving you 30 hours of work! There is no other program in the industry that does this for you.
WHY SHA’S SEX THERAPIST PROGRAM?
Streamlined path to AASECT Certification
We know more than anyone that becoming an AASECT certified professional is a lengthy and taxing process, which is why our programs offer all the necessary hours and CEs to apply for your AASECT Certification. From online courses and modules to conferences and community gatherings, the Sexual Health Alliance’s certification training program makes becoming a sex therapist easy.
Train with the experts
The Sexual Health Alliance is comprised of many experts from diverse personal and professional backgrounds. Some of our modules are taught by doctors, therapists, and/or professors while other courses are taught by professional sex workers, fetish and BDSM experts, and other marginalized voices from the community, making SHA a place for all perspectives.
Gain a Competitive Advantage
The Sex Therapist Certification Program increases your value as a professional through our groundbreaking and progressive modules, filled with scientific scholarship alongside varying perspectives to gain a holistic and accurate understanding of sexuality. The modules are frequently updated with the newest and industry-confirmed, unbiased information in the field.
Grow your practice
Members of the Sex Therapist Certification Program continue to be at the forefront of an expanding field. Specializations that the Sexual Health Alliance offers set you apart from the crowd. Additionally, our program boasts a global community founded on establishing professional relationships and extending our reach of sex-positive education.
Join a positive community
Not only do you gain access to stellar workshops and courses, joining any of the Sexual Health Alliance’s Certificate Training programs welcomes you to a global, sex-positive community. As a group, we create open spaces to share stories, ideas, and knowledge on one’s Sex Therapist journey. We are here to grow together.
Learn from anywhere, anytime
All of our modules and coursework are available 100% online and are accessible from any web browser, simplifying your therapist certification process. Skip the constant travel and boring conferences, saving time and money, with our Sex Therapist Certificate Program.
Self-guided and self-paced
While most programs have set schedules and firm deadlines, flexibility is a core component of SHA’s certificate training. We are proud to have a diverse group of students, some with full-time jobs, careers, college, and children. Our Sex Therapist Certificate is designed to go at your own pace, allowing you all the time you might need. On average, the program takes 12 months to complete.
Simplified AASECT application process
In order to become a sex therapist, you must be certified through AASECT, or the American Association of Sexual Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. Through our certificate training, you gain a complete package to turn into AASECT for your Sex Therapist Certification. This streamlined process saves you time and money!
WHAT MAKES SHA best in class?
The Sexual Health Alliance (SHA) stands out as a leader in sexuality training because we connect you with the leading experts in the world. We build the most inclusive communities and offer support throughout the program with our original happy hours, mixers, Facebook groups, and in-person events with our sexceptional weekend conferences, study abroad programs all over the world, SARs in Mexico and Jamaica and Sex Nerd Trivia. Finally, our latest specialized programs are accelerated, self paced, and are one of the only programs with the option to attend live monthly events with the leading voices and stars in the field.
Our programs are at the forefront of the field because we focus on progressive and comprehensive content presented through multiple channels so that no matter what kind of learner you are, you will become sexceptional at graduation.
SHA consists of professionals from every walk of life that go on to change the field and make a huge difference in their client’s lives. We support and encourage our students throughout the program and provide a wealth of areas to network. We love offering collaboration with our presenters and through our conferences as well—we want your education to be about you!
Since 2015, SHA has hosted over 5500 people at our events, while certifying sex therapists, counselors, educators, and coaches. We have been lucky enough to collaborate with many of the leading experts in sexuality and relationships. Throughout the year, SHA facilitates communication among sexual health providers through our signature workshops and conferences, special events, and social media. Our events and programming are intended to build community, spark dialogue and encourage collaboration.
We build communities that are well-informed and all-inclusive. We're dedicated to bringing the brightest minds and biggest game changers in sexual health to every area of the world. Join a program that’s more than watching videos and answering questions, join SHA and transform your career and make lifelong friends.
SHA’S STANCE ON “SEX ADDICTION”
SHA believes that we as therapists and educators need to challenge the concept of sexual addiction and explore a different model of sexuality. We do not support CSAT (Certified Sex Addiction Therapist) programs or agree that compulsive sexual behavior or problematic sexual behavior is empirically supported and do not promote the language we deem to be shaming.
We currently have 8 FREE video interviews on Rethinking Sex Addiction and OCSB on our blog here with the top couples and sex therapists in the world. We also have a full sex therapy, counselor, educator & consultant certification program currently 100% online where we delve deeper into this topic!
SHA also supports the American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT)’s stance on this topic. For more information, please read AASECT’s Position on Sex Addiction here.
OTHER SHA PROGRAMS
Not interested or not qualified to get your Sex Therapist Certificate? Sexual Health Alliance offers a variety of programs:
We make it easy to become a certified SHA and AASECT sexuality professional. All programs are AASECT certified and provide 200+ AASECT CEs*. Start your dream career in sexuality today and finish your program(s) at your own pace, online, from anywhere!
*This program meets the requirements of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and is approved for AASECT CE credits. These CE credits may be applied toward AASECT certification and renewal of certification. Completion of this program does not ensure or guarantee AASECT certification. For further information please contact ce@aasect.org.