How to Become a Sex Therapist
Sex therapy is a growing specialization in the mental health field. Learn more about educational, licensing, and certification requirements.
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If you are passionate about sexual health and fulfillment and have empathy for others struggling in their sexual relationships, you might be interested in a career as a sex therapist. To become a sex therapist, it is important to explore educational, licensing, and skill requirements. Use this guide to learn more about how to become a sex therapist.
What Does a Sex Therapist Do?
A sex therapist is a licensed mental health professional who specializes in helping individuals and couples navigate emotional or psychological barriers to sexual fulfillment. Whether it is performance anxiety, intimacy issues, or other relationship challenges, a sex therapist utilizes psychotherapeutic interventions like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help clients achieve their goals.
Sex therapists do not treat medical reasons for sexual dysfunction, such as low testosterone. These physical concerns are addressed by a medical physician. However, sex therapists play a vital role in improving a person’s sexual relationship(s) by overcoming psychosocial challenges impacting their sexual health.
Key Skills for a Sex Therapist
Key skills for a sex therapist include:
Active listening and empathy for clients’ sexual struggles- In-depth knowledge of sexual health, physiology, and anatomy
- Understanding of couples’ communication techniques
- Discernment to refer to appropriate medical physicians when necessary
- Proficiency in a variety of evidence-based therapeutic interventions, including CBT, mindfulness-based therapy, and emotion-based therapy
- Healthy professional boundaries
Education Required to Become a Sex Therapist
To become a sex therapist, you need a master’s degree in a mental health field. While a master’s degree in sex therapy is not an option at most universities, sex therapists often earn a graduate degree in counseling, clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, or psychology to be eligible for licensure as a therapist.
Most master’s degrees can be completed within two years for full-time students and include a clinical internship where they can gain valuable experience working with clients in the field.
Practical Experience Requirements for a Sex Therapist
Graduate programs incorporate practicum and internship opportunities that can be tailored to students’ clinical interests, which might include sex therapy.
Students who want to become a sex therapist can reference the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) guidelines for certification as a sex therapist, which includes a minimum of 300 hours of AASECT supervised clinical treatment of clients who present with sexual concerns. A combination of sexual education knowledge and practical sex training is required in order to become certified with AASECT.
Graduate students completing their field experience may want to pursue a placement with an AASECT certified supervisor.
Sex Therapist Licensure and Certification
Each state has different licensing requirements for the number of supervised clinical hours mental health professionals need to become fully licensed in their discipline, whether that be social work, marriage and family therapy, counseling, or psychology.
While there is no state licensure specific to sex therapists, typically a mental health professional who wants to become a sex therapist will pursue certification with a professional organization.
Professional organizations for sex therapists include:
- American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists
- American Association of Couples and Sex Therapists
Career Projections for Sex Therapists
Therapists who work with couples, including sex therapists, make an average of $58,510 annually, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2023. The projected growth rate from 2023-2033 is 16%, which reflects a career growing significantly faster than the 4% average across all occupations.
In general, specialized therapists earn more due to their advanced skills and expertise, suggesting that a specialization as a sex therapist can increase earning potential.
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Sex Therapist
A sex therapist is a licensed mental health professional who makes an average of $58,510 annually, providing evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions to help people struggling with intimacy, performance anxiety, or other barriers to sexual health.
