Sex Topics in Therapy: A Literature Review and Proposal for Continuing Education

Sex topics should be welcome in the therapy room. Sexual identity, practices, concerns and questions should not be considered a taboo subject in the therapy room, yet clients remain reluctant to bring up such topics with their therapists. In order to ensure that clients feel free to bring into the room such themes that are a large part of their life, clinicians need to be trained and competent in sex topics. The following literature review examines the history of femininity and masculinity and what facts have continued to permeate into our profession, the history of sex expectations, language about sex topics, and the difference between men and women and the sexual double standard for the purpose of highlighting the many nuances involved in sex topics. Following is a recommended brief curriculum for a continuing education course for psychologists around sex topics in the therapy room. Recommendations for requirements in the state of Colorado for psychologist supervisors are also provided