The Program | Sexual Health Institute | Transcend Training Institute

Sexual Health Institute

The program that closes the gap.

A 12-module sex therapy certification built for registered clinicians who are ready to work in an area most training programs skipped entirely. Evidence-based. Trauma-informed. Immediately applicable.

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12
Core modules across two sequential sections, plus a consultation-based evaluation component
15+
Years of specialized clinical practice in sexual health informing every module in this program
CE
Ongoing continuing education short courses available after certification across 20+ specialized topics

What this program is

Not a survey course. A complete clinical foundation.

Most continuing education in sexual health offers fragments -- a weekend workshop on one technique, a webinar on one condition. This program builds the full architecture: ethical grounding, diagnostic fluency, neurobiological understanding, assessment competency, interdisciplinary collaboration, and applied intervention.

It is designed for clinicians who already hold a master's degree or above in a counselling-related field and are ready to do this work well. You do not need prior specialized training in sexual health. You need a willingness to sit with discomfort and a commitment to doing this properly.

Every module is built around what you actually encounter in session -- not idealized case studies. The clinical framing draws directly from 15 years of specialized practice, medical education, and consultation of the next generation of clinicians.

1
Diagnostic confidence
Fluency in DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 sexual dysfunction classifications -- across AFAB and AMAB presentations, with primary/secondary and generalized/situational specifiers.
2
Clinical language
The vocabulary, framing, and psychoeducational tools to open the conversation in any clinical context -- and to continue it without flinching.
3
Applied intervention
Evidence-based techniques -- sensate focus, CBT, ACT, mindfulness-based approaches, couples modalities -- with a clear framework for when to use each.
4
Interdisciplinary competency
An understanding of where psychological treatment ends and pelvic floor physiotherapy, pharmacological intervention, or surgical referral begins -- and how to communicate across those boundaries.
5
Ethical and attitudinal foundation
Through the SAR process and foundational ethics training, you examine personal values, biases, and countertransference before engaging clinical content. This is not optional -- it is where the program begins.

Program structure

Three components.
One complete certification.

Section 1
Foundations in ethics and biases
Five modules establishing the ethical, attitudinal, and cultural foundation required before clinical content. Includes the Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR) process.
01–05
Section 2
Clinical foundations
Seven modules building diagnostic knowledge, neurobiological grounding, assessment competency, and applied intervention skills. Includes interdisciplinary collaboration.
06–12
Component 3
Consultation and evaluation
Cohort-based consultation, applied case studies across dysfunction categories, and a final competency evaluation. Certification is earned through demonstrated knowledge.
✓

Section 1

Foundations in ethics
and biases.

Before any clinical content, this section builds the foundation that makes the rest possible. Clinicians who skip this step -- and many do -- carry unexamined assumptions into their most sensitive clinical encounters. These modules ensure that doesn't happen.

01
Ethics and professional practice
Scope of practice in sexual health; professional boundaries and dual relationships; mandatory reporting in a sexual health context; documentation; confidentiality; working competently within and outside areas of specialization. Draws on AASECT, SAC, and provincial regulatory body standards.
AASECT standards Scope of practice Regulatory compliance Documentation
Foundation
02
Cultural influences on sexuality
How religion, ethnicity, and cultural context shape sexual beliefs, behaviour, and help-seeking. Implicit bias in clinical practice. Intersectionality and its effects on assessment and treatment. Culturally responsive communication with diverse populations.
Intersectionality Implicit bias Cultural humility Diverse populations
Foundation
03
GSER — Gender, sexuality, eroticism, and relational diversity
Gender identity and expression across the full spectrum; sexual orientation; erotic diversity; relational structures including non-monogamy; affirmative clinical practice; inclusive language and terminology. GSER competency is integrated throughout the program, not siloed here.
Gender identity Sexual orientation Affirmative practice Relational diversity
Foundation
04
Trauma-informed treatment
ACE framework; complex trauma and sexual trauma; somatic awareness and nervous system regulation; creating safety in clinical encounters involving sexual health; recognizing trauma presentations in sexual dysfunction; avoiding re-traumatization. This module is a prerequisite for all clinical content in Section 2.
ACE framework Complex trauma Somatic awareness Clinical safety
Prerequisite
05
Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR)
A structured experiential process for examining personal values, assumptions, and countertransference in relation to sexuality. Exposure to diverse sexual expression across populations. Facilitated reflective practice. The SAR is a recognized component of professional sex therapy training internationally.
Values clarification Countertransference Reflective practice SAR format
Experiential

Section 2

Clinical foundations.

Seven modules that build the knowledge base, diagnostic fluency, and applied skill set for clinical practice in sexual health. Each module draws on current peer-reviewed research and is grounded in what clinicians actually encounter with real clients.

06
Developmental biology and socialization
Psychosexual development across the lifespan; puberty and hormonal development; socialization theory and its clinical relevance; family-of-origin messaging about sexuality; media, peer, and cultural influences on sexual identity formation.
Psychosexual development Socialization theory Family of origin
Clinical
07
Anatomy, physiology, and neuropsychology
Male and female sexual anatomy in clinical detail; neurobiological models of sexual response; hormonal regulation; the dual control model of excitation and inhibition (Bancroft & Janssen, 2000); the critical distinction between arousal and desire; responsive vs. spontaneous desire (Basson, 2000); impact of health conditions, medications, and age on sexual function.
Dual control model Arousal vs. desire Responsive desire Neuropsychology
Clinical
08
Theory and research
Masters and Johnson (1966) linear sexual response model; Helen Singer Kaplan (1979) triphasic model; Rosemary Basson (2000) circular model for women; the dual control model; contemporary research on gender-inclusive sexual response. Theoretical models are taught critically -- including their sample biases, heteronormative limitations, and where current research has superseded them.
Masters & Johnson Kaplan Basson model Critical appraisal
Clinical
09
Diagnostic criteria
DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 classifications of sexual dysfunction in detail; AFAB dysfunctions -- FSIAD, FOD, GPPPD; AMAB dysfunctions -- ED, DE, PE, MHD; substance and medication-induced dysfunction; primary vs. secondary; generalized vs. situational specifiers. Covers diagnostic limitations, inconsistencies between classification systems, and the need for more inclusive research and language.
DSM-5-TR ICD-11 FSIAD / FOD / GPPPD ED / PE / DE
Clinical
10
Assessment and history taking
Biopsychosocial case conceptualization framework; sexual history taking in clinical practice; validated assessment measures (FSFI, IIEF, SFQ); screening for trauma, abuse, and intimate partner violence; medication and medical history review; partner and relational context; risk assessment; structuring a first session in sexual health.
Sexual history Biopsychosocial model Validated measures Case conceptualization
Clinical
11
Collaboration and medical treatment
Interdisciplinary referral pathways; pelvic floor physiotherapy -- what it offers and when to refer; pharmacological treatments including PDE5 inhibitors, SSRIs, hormonal therapy, and topical treatments; iatrogenic sexual dysfunction -- recognizing when medication is the primary contributor; surgical interventions; how to communicate effectively with medical providers; collaborative documentation.
Pelvic floor physio Pharmacology Iatrogenic effects Interdisciplinary referral
Clinical
12
Techniques and interventions
Sensate focus -- theory and application; cognitive-behavioural therapy for sexual dysfunction; acceptance and commitment therapy; mindfulness-based interventions; psychoeducation frameworks; directed masturbation; couples modalities and systemic approaches; motivational interviewing in sexual health; relapse prevention. Evidence base and clinical application for each modality, including when they are and are not indicated.
Sensate focus CBT / ACT Mindfulness Couples modalities
Applied

Component 3

Consultation-based. Evaluated.
Certified.

Certification is not awarded for completing modules. It is earned through demonstrated clinical knowledge, applied reasoning, and consultation-based case review. Component 3 is where that happens.

Consultation
Cohort consultation with peers and instructors
Cohort-based group consultation on clinical cases, ethical dilemmas, differential diagnosis, and treatment planning. Participants bring cases from their own practice and work through them collectively with instructor facilitation.
Case studies
Applied clinical scenarios
Written and discussed case scenarios spanning all dysfunction categories and populations. Differential diagnosis, biopsychosocial conceptualization, and treatment planning under consultation.
Final evaluation
Competency assessment
A final evaluation across the core competency domains of the program. Knowledge, clinical reasoning, and applied judgment. Certification is awarded upon successful completion.

Continuing education

After certification,
keep going.

The CE short course library allows certified clinicians to deepen competency in specialized areas at their own pace. Courses are available individually and count toward professional development requirements. New topics are added regularly.

Dysfunction and clinical presentations
  • Premature and delayed ejaculation
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Sexual pain
  • Low desire
  • Orgasmic disorders
  • AFAB-specific genital conditions
  • Iatrogenic dysfunction
Relational and contextual
  • Couples and intimacy
  • Infidelity
  • Poly and kink
  • Heteroromantic and bisexuality
  • Advanced consent frameworks
Trauma and special populations
  • Trauma and abuse
  • Perinatal and postpartum sexuality
  • Sexuality across the lifespan
  • Disability and sexuality
  • Culturally specific sexual harm
Health, medical, and emerging topics
  • STIs
  • Reproductive health
  • Compulsive sexual behaviour
  • Tech, sex, and digisexuality
  • Telehealth ethics in sex therapy
  • Toys and pleasure enhancement

Who this is for

This program has prerequisites.

This is not introductory training and it is not suitable for people without prior clinical credentials. It is built for registered professionals who are already working with people and want to do this work properly.

This program is for you if…
  • You hold or are completing a minimum of a master's degree in a field that qualifies you for registration as a regulated mental health professional
  • You are a registered psychologist, social worker, counsellor, or marriage and family therapist
  • You are currently seeing clients and want to integrate sexual health into your existing practice
  • You want structured, competency-based training rather than a fragmented collection of CE workshops
  • You are a psychiatrist or physician seeking psychological framing for sexual health presentations
  • You are a registered graduate student or practicum student working toward registration as a regulated health professional
This program is not for you if…
  • You do not hold or are not completing a graduate-level degree in a counselling-related field
  • You are looking for personal development or self-help content rather than clinical training
  • You are not registered or working toward registration as a regulated health professional
  • You are seeking a certificate of completion rather than a competency-based certification

Ready to build this
competency?

The program is in final development. Join the waitlist to receive founding member pricing, early access to the free clinical resource library, and first notification when enrollment opens.

Enrollment is limited. The first cohort is designed to be small enough for meaningful consultation and consultation. Waitlist members receive priority access.

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Big Ideas,
Real Impact.

Driven by curiosity and built on purpose, this is where bold thinking meets thoughtful execution. Let’s create something meaningful together.

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