Regular Therapists Don’t Get Enough Training on Human Sexuality

By: Dr. Denise Renye

A close-up of pink flower petals, symbolizing beauty and complexity, representing the nuanced and multifaceted aspects of human sexuality and relationships. This image reflects the importance of comprehensive education and training in sexuality for therapists to support clients effectively in their sexual health and well-being.

Did you know psychologists can graduate from a doctoral program without taking one single human sexuality course? Not even one! Often their only training in sexuality comes from a one-credit online course they have to take for licensing requirements and that’s it. One credit online for an integral, multifaceted, and complex aspect of humans.

Sexuality plays a crucial role in relationships, self-identity, and overall well-being but unfortunately, a significant number of therapists lack the comprehensive knowledge and skills needed to address it. There are diverse and nuanced issues related to sexuality that clients may bring into the therapeutic setting that many therapists don’t know how to handle. This is why as a Bay Area sex therapist I work with other clinicians consulting on their cases around sexuality, relationships, kink, and fetishes, psychedelic integration, relationship surrogacy, and sexual trauma healing.

I am more than happy to consult, of course, but this gap in training on human sexuality can have far-reaching consequences for individuals and couples. They may not receive the specialized support they need to navigate sexual and relational challenges and enhance their sexual health. Addressing sexual concerns requires a nuanced understanding of cultural, psychological, and physiological factors, which a general therapist may not be equipped to handle from the training they received. Consequently, this omission in training is a disservice to patients and hinders their access to the holistic care necessary for a fulfilling and healthy life.

As a Bay Area sex therapist and certified sexologist, I recognize the importance of specialized expertise in this field. Professionals such as myself undergo advanced training to become adept in the intricacies of human sexuality. I have a master’s degree in Human Sexuality from Widener University in Philadelphia, which is one of two accredited scholastic programs in human sexuality located in the U.S. I’m also certified as a sexologist through the American Board of Sexology, all of which required upward of 300 additional hours of education.

All this additional training means I’m equipped with a higher level of knowledge and skills specifically tailored to address the complexities of sexual health. This allows me to provide a more comprehensive and nuanced approach to my private practice as a Bay Area sex therapist, fostering an environment where individuals and couples can openly explore and address their sexual concerns with confidence and assurance.

I’ll give you an example. Let’s say you or your partner want to practice vorarephilia, which is cannibal kink and means getting aroused by fantasies of eating someone. Someone who isn’t trained in human sexuality might be severely alarmed by this sort of kink and feel ill-equipped to support their client(s). But as a Bay Area sexologist, I understand vorarephilia is typically indicative of someone wanting to wholly merge with another. It can be seen as domination. They want to swallow the other person whole and make them part of themselves by metabolizing them. I've seen it concurrent with challenges in seeing others as whole and separate people and wanting to control them in deep ways.

That is something we could talk about in sessions certainly, but/and I let my clients know that as long as the partners understand vore is a type of fantastical play that they’ve consented to, and they keep it in the realm of fantasy, this type of kink is harmless and can be potent, fun, and potentially healing. Because vorarephilia falls out of the bounds of more typical kink, most of the people I have worked with go to dommes to enjoy themselves for this type of sexual play.

As with all kinks and fetishes, expressing those desires can be healthy and healing. It’s when they’re suppressed or people have shame around them that trouble arises. Along those lines, a more common example therapists may encounter in their sessions is a client mentioning they want to open their marriage or have a threesome. This may be a lot for a therapist who hasn’t undergone the rigorous training that helps to explore thoughts and feelings about non-traditional ways of expression. That’s why I feel so strongly about bridging the gap in sexual education within the therapeutic community. By doing so we can better serve the diverse needs of our clients and contribute to their overall well-being.

If you’re looking for a Bay Area sex therapist and want to work together for sex therapy, click here. I also offer depth psychotherapy and holistic coaching. And if you are a clinician interested in consulting, please click here.