2-Day Sex Therapy Intensive Workshop

Credit

Program Information

All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners.  For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.

A small portion of the material for this CE activity was developed with limited assistance from generative AI. All AI-generated information was reviewed for accuracy by the instructor, an independent content reviewer, or PESI staff.

Speaker

Dana Kirkpatrick, LPC, CST, CST-S Related seminars and products

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Dana Kirkpatrick, LPC, CST, CST-S, is an internationally certified sex therapist who has been practicing for more than 20 years. She works with individuals and couples on sexual dysfunction, sexual anxiety, couples therapy, parenting issues, sexuality and stress related to medical conditions. She has also worked extensively with people with ADHD, and anxiety. Ms. Kirkpatrick is certified through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and is also an AASECT Certified Supervisor. She’s the Social Justice & Advocacy Committee Chair for the Association of Counseling Sexology and Sexual Wellness (ACSSW) and has spoken at both national and local conferences on sex therapy, inclusion, and couples therapy.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dana Kirkpatrick is the owner and director of Calm Pittsburgh. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dana Kirkpatrick has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Erica Cavill, LPC, CST Related seminars and products

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Erica Cavill, LPC, CST, is certified as a sex therapist through The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) and the International Board of Sexuality Professionals (IBOSP). Erica specializes in working with individuals and couples on issues directly related to difficulties with sexual function, intimacy, trauma and intimacy after child loss. She also treats anxiety, depression, ADHD and mood disorders. Erica has spoken at both national and local conferences on sex therapy and couple’s therapy.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Erica Cavill has an employment relationship with Calm Pittsburgh. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Erica Cavill has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Additional Info

Program Information

You will have access for 90 days after the program for review. For live CE credit, you must watch the live webcast in its entirety at its scheduled time and complete the CE quiz and evaluation within one week. Please note that this requirement may vary by credit type. Please see detailed credit information for specific requirements for each credit type.

Please note: There will be a 70-minute lunch and two 15-minute breaks; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Lunch and break times will be announced by the speaker and at their discretion. A more detailed schedule is available upon request.

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Objectives

1. Differentiate between the professional scopes of sex therapy, sex coaching, and general psychotherapy to ensure ethical practice and appropriate referrals. 
2. Analyze the evolution of sexology, including the field’s unethical history. 
3. Identify red flags of “conversion-based” and “re-education” practices to ensure the safety and dignity of LGBTQ+ and gender-diverse clients.  
4. Distinguish between DSM-5-TR sexual pathologies (paraphilias) and healthy sexual variations to reduce clinical stigma and pathologization.   
5. Analyze the intersection of medical factors (specifically menopause, hormonal transitions, and aging) with psychological sexual dysfunction. 
6. Evaluate the impact of neurodivergence and trauma on sensory processing, intimacy, and sexual connection. 
7. Utilize a client-centered, “woke,” and inclusive framework for treating diverse populations through a nonjudgmental, culturally humble lens.
8. Integrate specialized intake assessments (sexual health, desire, and identity questions) into the standard clinical diagnostic process. 
9. Apply the Sensate Focus protocol to address intimacy-related anxiety and physical disconnection.
10. Utilize “Topping from the Bottom” techniques to build rapport and obtain clinical buy-in with resistant or shame-bound clients.
11. Utilize psychoeducational scripts to help clients practice sexual self-advocacy.
12. Evaluate the professional logistics of a sex-informed practice, including ethical billing and specialized documentation.

Outline

Day 1:

Sex Therapy Within Ethical Clinical Practice

• Differentiate sex therapy, sex coaching, and educational roles
• Certification pathways (AASECT and related credentials)
• Ethical boundaries
• Conversion therapy, “re-education,” and harm-based interventions
• Scope of competence

Origins of Sexual Shame in Western Culture: The Pathologizing of Desire and Invention of “Normal” Sex

• Trace Western sexual norms from religious doctrine to medicalization
• How “normal sex” became a clinical benchmark
• How morality shaped diagnostic categories and treatment goals
• Purity culture and its long-term psychological impact
• Clinical vignette involving religious trauma

Sex Research and Pathology vs. Pleasure

• The contributions of Masters and Johnson
• How early research reshaped clinical language and intervention
• The history of homosexual “reparative” treatments
• Integrate lessons learned into modern ethical practice
• How paraphilias are defined and misapplied in the DSM™
• Reasons for referral: When to see a specialist vs. when to treat in general practice

Build an Inclusive and Consent-Centered Therapeutic Alliance

• Navigating LGBTQ+, kink, and modern sexual identities
• Sexual minority populations vs minority populations sexuality
• Intersectionality
• How to get buy-n and build an alliance using consent and clinical authority

Day 2:

How to Assess for Sexual Concerns

• Apply the biopsychosocial model to sexual functioning
• Understand hormonal influences across the lifespan
• Address menopause, perimenopause, and medical transitions
• Identify medical contributors to desire and arousal changes
• Work through a case study involving desire discrepancy

Comorbid Conditions and Sexual Wellness: Working with Clients with Trauma, Anxiety, Neurodiversity and More

• How CPTSD, PTSD, ASD, ADHD, OCD, and GAD impact sexuality
• Differentiate trauma responses from desire disorders
• Screen for sensory processing differences in sexual contexts
• Assess anxiety-driven avoidance vs. low desire
• Tailor interventions to neurodivergent nervous systems

The Core Sex Therapy Intervention Toolkit: Sensate Focus for Sex Anxiety, Beter Sex Communication and Enhanced Intimacy

• Psychoeducation: Teaching clients about their anatomy and nervous system
• Sensate Focus with step-by-step clinical guidance
• 3 Stages
• Mindful awareness
• Removing pressure
• Open communication
• Taking turns
• Research, risks and limitations
• Billing, insurance codes for sex therapy, and ethical documentation

Desire, Boundaries and Sexual Preferences: Tools to Help Clients Cultivate Their Sexual Voice

• Entitlement, agency, and internalized shame
• Teach communication skills for sexual needs and limits
• Role-plays for assertive sexual expression
• Reinforce consent as an ongoing relational process

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Social Workers
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Psychologists
• Physicians
• Case Managers
• Addiction Counselors
• Nurses
• Other Mental Health Professionals