If you look up Sex Therapy or Sexologist, you get a wide array of people calling themselves either of these terms or referring to themselves as a sex expert or a sex coach.
Unfortunately, anyone can call themselves a sex therapist (unless you live in Florida). Florida has a license for sex therapy. This would be a great idea everywhere. It would help ferret out those who are not legitimate sex therapists or sexologists.
There are far too many people on the internet who call themselves something they are not! It is critical to examine degrees and licenses, and also to peruse whether a given person is certified as a sex therapist or a sexologist. To be a real sex expert it is necessary to hold an advanced degree, a license and certification as a sexologist and a sex therapist and/or a sex educator.
The American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) is the most prominent organization that certifies professionals in one or more of these three categories. The American College of Sexology, The American Board of Sexology and The American Academy of Clinical Sexologists identify true sexologists.
I am certified by all of these organizations as well as sex research organizations. I am a Founding Fellow of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sex and I am also a pioneer in The International Academy of Sex Research. As a sex therapist, sex researcher and a sex educator, I offer an integrated evidence-based approach to doing therapy, and writing and speaking about sexual and relationship issues.
Many who like to think they are sex experts call themselves “sexperts,” a meaningless term with absolutely no standards or certification. These people are all over social media, but this does not make them real sex experts.
A pretty face and liking sex do not make a person a sex expert! They are often media created “experts.” The public does not always know who to pick to work with or refer to, because they do not know about the distinctions outlined in this blog.
The muddiest term is “sex coach.” Such a person claims to help fine-tune couples, or sometimes teach them Tantric Sex, but coaching quickly becomes an end run to do sex therapy without the training or credentials. Sex coaches claim to be certified, but this is very questionable. They do not have a license, and they cannot carry malpractice insurance.
The Internet and Google are vast wastelands when it comes to knowing which website to trust or which “sex therapist” to see. It is essential that potential clients in need of help with sexual problems pin down the credentials, reviews and experience of each sex therapist or sexologist they consider working with. If a person does not have a thorough website, look elsewhere.
Article written by: Dr. Roger Libby