New Course Explores Professional Approach to Sexuality Education and Counselling
This fall, therapists and counsellors can engage in specialized training with the new Foundations in Professional Sexuality Practices course. In partnership with the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, this new course aims to empower professionals in the field of sexuality education, counselling, and therapy.
“This course is essential for working with people across professional-helping contexts, particularly as there are reportedly growing numbers of people with diverse gender, sexuality, identities, backgrounds, and experiences,” says course instructor Dr. Markie. “If you’re interested in expanding your professional health practices in the areas of sexuality counselling, therapy, or education, this is the foundation of those practices. If you’re seeking American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counsellors, and Therapists (AASECT) certifications, this is the course for you.”
Similar to the Intensive Sex Therapy Training Program, which Dr. Markie has also instructed, Foundations in Professional Sexuality Practices is developed with the same tradition of bringing in “sexperts” from Canada and around the globe to share their knowledge and expertise with students.
“One of the unparalleled aspects of being a student in this course is the access to the sexpert series,” explains Dr. Markie. “Once you have been a member of a course with our Guelph programs, you can access all of the sexpert series, which means opportunities to continue learning even after your time in the course comes to an end.”
Unlike the Intense Sex Therapy Training Program, the focal points of this new course are different in that they are foundational, and participants don’t need pre-registration background requirements—a benefit ideal for early career professionals. The course covers a variety of relevant topics including the study of human sexuality, ethics, diversity-related intersectionalities, professional sexual health frameworks, and more.
“Although some fields cover the area of professional sexuality in their scope of practices, many do not necessarily define sexuality practices as a part of their overt licences, and certifications and registrations. And even those that do, report very little training in sexuality specifically,” emphasizes Dr. Markie. “Sexuality is such a common concern—a basic need for many humans—that we have to be a space for people to talk about and get assistance with sexual health needs.”
As a foundational course, Foundations in Professional Sexuality Practices prepares students for a follow-up offering, which is a more advanced and applied course in professional sexuality practices. Additionally, the two courses taken together offer enough continuing education units (CEUs) to meet a significant part of becoming certified as an AASECT educator, counsellor, and/or therapist.
Foundations in Professional Sexuality Practices is delivered online with both asynchronous and synchronous components. The course begins Saturday, September 23, 2023.
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