Post Master's Certificate in Sex Therapy
Post Master's Certificate in Sex Therapy
About the Program
The Post-Master’s Certificate Program in Sex Therapy Training offers 90 American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) approved continuing education (CE) credits in partial fulfillment for certification as a certified sex therapist. This online program consists of three (3) sequential courses: Introduction to Sex Therapy; Intimacy and Sexuality in Couples; and Systemic Sex Therapy. Each 10-week course meets for three (3) hours and provides 30 AASECT-approved CE credits. Please note that each course may be taken as a standalone course by individuals not enrolled in the certificate program.
*AASECT certification is not automatic. In all cases, the Certification Committee determines whether or not AASECT certification is awarded. Hence, completion of this program does not ensure or guarantee AASECT certification. For further information, please contact info@aasect.org.
The deadline to apply is June 30th, 2024, after which applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Certificate Tuition
Tuition: $6,000 for the year-long certificate program.
AASECT Hours: 90
CE Benefit: The certificate course provides AASECT credits only.
Program Policies
Individual Course Descriptions
September – December 2024 | Wednesdays 5:00 – 8:15 pm (ET)
Tuition Fee: $2,000.00
This 30-hour, online course provides the fundamentals of AASECT certification and professional code of conduct. You will learn the Ackerman Relational Approach, a comprehensive, systemic framework for viewing sex and sexuality within the broader contexts of the intimate relationship, family, society, culture, power and privilege, and the self-of-the-therapist.
This course will also expand your understanding of sexual anatomy and physiology; sexual response cycles; sexual disorders; sexual assessment and treatment; sexual narratives; diversity in sexual expression; and the history of sexology.
January – March 2025
Wednesdays 5:00 – 8:15 pm (ET)
Tuition: $2,000
This 30-hour, online course will focus on issues of intimacy, while exploring a range of topics including: intimacy fears; commitment; secrets; resentments; affairs; communication; fantasies; and the impact of intimacy issues on sexuality in couples, including non-traditional relationships involved in non-monogamy and polyamory.
You will gain an understanding of contextual variables such as race; ethnicity; class; gender; sexual orientation; culture; religion/spirituality; power and privilege; age; ability; trauma; and the self-of-the-therapist. The framework of this course is the comprehensive, relationally based model of the Ackerman Relational Approach.
This course will be held online and includes live meetings with expert faculty, dynamic discussion, readings, and take-home assignments.
March – May 2025
Wednesdays 5:00 – 8:15 pm (ET)
Tuition: $2,000
This 30-hour, online course will focus on advanced topics in sex therapy assessment and treatment. The comprehensive systemic framework of the Ackerman Relational Approach will be used in focusing on advanced topics in sex therapy assessment and treatment. The course will explore a range of topics including: physical issues impacting sex; the multidimensionality of sex; sexual diversity; gender variance; transgender issues; paraphilias; alternate lifestyles; non-monogamy; sexual minorities; and preconceptions of normalcy.
The self-of-the-therapist will be highlighted along with contextual variables such as race; ethnicity; class; gender; sexual orientation; culture; religion/spirituality; power and privilege; age; trauma; and ability.
This course will be held online and includes live meetings with expert faculty, dynamic discussion, readings, and take-home assignments.
Dates: Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 6:00 pm (ET)
Tuition: $575
Credits: 14 CE hours
Presenters:
Ruby Bouie Johnson, LCSW, LCDC
Anabel Perez-Gonzalez, LCSW, CST
Melissa Thoen, LCSW, CST
Ackerman Institute for the Family, an AASECT-Approved Continuing Education Organizational Provider, presents the Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR) seminar. The 14-hour SAR is a requirement for certification as an American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) Certified Sex Educator, Counselor or Therapist.
This virtual 14-hour (2-day) SAR is an experiential process-oriented seminar that attends to social identities and locations, such as race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, ability, age, religion, spirituality, and gender identity in exploring sexual values, attitudes, behaviors, and biases. This SAR includes lectures, media, experiential methods, activities, and small group discussions. The SAR aims to deepen participants’ awareness of the self, including their own social identities, values, behaviors, attitudes, and biases (conscious and unconscious), and how the self of the professional impacts the helping relationship.
Individual Course Schedule
Wednesdays, 5:00 pm – 8:15 pm (ET)
Introduction to Sex Therapy | Fall 2024
Intimacy and Sexuality in Couples | Winter 2025
Systemic Sex Therapy | Spring 2025
Eligibility
Applicants must hold a Master’s, Doctorate, or Medical Degree in social work, marriage and family therapy, psychology, or other mental health profession. At least one year of clinical experience is required.
Meet Our Faculty
Anne Mauro, LMFT
Couples & Family Therapist
Marjorie Nightingale, PhD, JD, LMFT
Couples & Family Therapist
Melissa Thoen, LCSW, CST
Ackerman Clinical Director
FAQs: Sex Therapy Training at Ackerman
Applications are now open for the certificate program. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the course reaches capacity.
You will need the following:
- Completed online application form
- Copy of graduate degree
- Professional letter of recommendation
- CV / Resume
- $100 application fee
- Personal Statement: In 250 words, describe your interest in sex therapy training at Ackerman.
Financial aid is not provided for this course.
The Ackerman Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on donors and earned revenue to work toward our mission. The full expense of training at Ackerman is subsidized by the generosity of our donors. Your tuition fees cover only a small portion of this expense. We thank you for investing in your professional future and for supporting the Ackerman Institute for the Family.
Applicants will be notified of acceptance or denial by email within one month of the application deadline.
The certificate program provides 90 AASECT hours. Applicants must be licensed/certified to practice psychology, medicine, social work, counseling, nursing, or marriage and family therapy in the United States, Canada, Mexico, or Israel in order to qualify for AASECT Sex Therapist certification.
Continuing education contact hours for other mental health disciplines (e.g., social work, couple and family therapy, and psychology) are not offered for this program. Trainees enrolled in the sex therapy certificate course may attend Ackerman workshops and earn CEUs for social work, couple and family therapy, and psychology free of charge.
We understand that some applicants will be completing their master’s degree in advance of the course start date. We will consider applications with proof of a pending master’s degree.
If you have not yet received your master’s degree, you may upload a copy of your official transcript or a certificate of graduation letter from your master’s program. A degree must be provided at the time of enrollment.
This course will be presented online via Zoom.
Trainees are required to attend online classes from a computer in good working condition with a strong WiFi connection. For the best experience, we recommend using headphones and a microphone during class meetings.
Most questions can be answered by reading our Sex Therapy Certificate Program Policies.
RSVP to attend a free info session on April 26th, 6:00 – 7:00 pm (ET).
If you have more questions about applying to the certificate program, contact our admissions department: admissions@ackerman.org