Sexual Disorders and Sex Therapy

Course overview

IMPORTANT: Parts of this course are used in Sexual Dysfunction and Paraphilic Disorders. As such, mental health professionals should take either the 2-hour course, Sexual Dysfunction and Paraphilic Disorders or the 1-hour course, Sex Disorders and Sex Therapy, but not both. This course is part of a 4-course series on Human Sexuality. As a central aspect of human identity, experience, and wellbeing, clinicians should understand sexuality as a part of holistic work across mental health disciplines. This series provides information about language, terms and definitions, and various human experiences that clinicians will encounter when working with clients in general and specifically related to sexual health. Clinicians can use the case examples presented throughout the learning material to reflect upon how their sexual identity, beliefs, and experiences may affect engagement with specific clients and inform their conceptualizations about areas of concern for clients. The courses in this human sexuality series are: - Human Sexuality Across the Lifespan - Fertility and Sexual Health Interviews - Sexuality in Context and Sexually Transmitted Infections - Sexual Disorders and Sex Therapy For professionals seeking California licensure: Taken together, the four courses in this series meet the requirement for 10 hours of human sexuality training. Sex and sexuality involve human experiences that are unique to an individual's biology, lived experience, and connection with self and others. Although one could argue that the utilization of the term dysfunction is in direct opposition to the uniqueness of the sexual experience, the term sexual dysfunction is commonly utilized to better understand challenges an individual may face when working towards sexual fulfillment. While the conceptualization of sexual dysfunction can be understood through varying theoretical perspectives, the information provided within this learning material considers these difficulties using sex and body positive perspectives through an anti-stigma lens. This conceptualization provides a foundation for clinicians to identify common sexual disorders, contributing factors to the development of those disorders, as well as treatment approaches. Keeping in mind that the ability to treat sexual disorders requires further training and supervision, clinicians with a working knowledge of common sexual dissatisfaction and disorders can reduce shame related to these difficulties and can provide their clients with the appropriate resources and referrals, as needed. This material provides social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and counselors information about contexts related to healthy and unhealthy sexual behaviors. Case examples illustrate key learning points throughout.