Counselors\u27 Comfort Levels and Willingness to Discuss Sexual Issues with Couples They Counsel

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influence the relationship between counselors\u27 sexual comfort and their willingness to discuss sexual issues with the couples they counsel. I surveyed 2000 members of the American Counseling Association (ACA). This study examined the relationships between counselors\u27 sexual comfort and their willingness to discuss sexual issues with couples with a variety of variables. The results revealed that counselors\u27 sexual education and training experience, supervision experience discussing sexuality, sexual attitudes, and age were all associated with both counselors\u27 sexual comfort and willingness to discuss sexual issues with couples. Counselors\u27 years of practice was found to be associated with their sexual comfort. Types of graduate specialization were found to be associated with counselors\u27 willingness to discuss sexual issues with couples. The results of this study have implications for counselors, counselor educators, and supervisors. My hope is that counselor educators will utilize this knowledge to address counselors\u27 in training sexual comfort level and willingness to discuss sexual issues with the couples