To become a sex therapist, a therapist who specializes in issues relating to human sexuality, you can take a variety of routes. Sex therapists can help people cope with fetishes as well as counseling couples to help them get through a difficult period. Many parts of the world lack formal certification for this field, so it is up to the therapist to seek out the necessary training and credentials.
A candidate must first enroll in a program designed to prepare them for employment in the mental health field. A licensed psychologist, marriage and family counselor, psychiatrist, pastoral counselor, clinical social worker, or nurse can be a sex therapist. Many have master’s degrees in mental health, and some are working toward a doctorate. For those who want to work in the research field, post-doctoral work is highly recommended.
A few schools offer specialized courses in human sexuality for people interested in becoming sex therapists. The backbone of these schools is a mental health certification program with a strong focus on sexuality. Students who do not attend these programs should plan on taking as much human sexuality coursework as possible while pursuing their degrees in order to gain extensive experience in their field of interest.
To be certified as a therapist, you must usually complete a set number of hours of work in a clinical setting after graduation. Someone with a master’s degree in clinical social work, for example, might need 2,000 hours to be certified the government. People interested in sex therapy should do their clinical work in a facility that provides this type of treatment, under the supervision of a therapist who has agreed to act as a mentor.
As a general rule, once a person has been certified the government as a mental health professional, they can work as a sex therapist. However, many professionals in this field choose to join professional organizations like the American Association of Sex Counselors, Educators, and Therapists (AASECT). Membership in a professional organization allows therapists to stay current with changes in the field while also demonstrating that they have met the minimum educational requirements. Patients may prefer to seek out a therapist who is a member of a professional organization so that they can be assured of a minimum level of experience and care.