Requirements - Certification

The following provides a brief introduction to the requirements for certification as a sex therapist through ABCST**.

• CLINICAL REQUIREMENTS*
  Applicants for certification shall be clinicians holding licensure or certification in one of the following disciplines: marriage and family therapy, counseling, social work, psychology, medicine, or nursing.
  
• EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS*
  Applicants must be able to document 150 clock hours of education covering knowledge in specific core areas*. Acceptable clock hours include academic courses and training workshops offered by recognized clinicians or clinical groups. General categories include:
  
  1. Sex Counseling Training
     This includes basic courses in human sexuality, gender, medical aspects, diagnosis and treatment of sexual issues and ethical and professional issues among other subjects.*
  2. Theology of Sexual Issues
     Part of what makes ABCST certification unique is the emphasis on integrating professional clinical knowledge and skill in sexuality with Biblical and theological principles. Toward this end, applicants are required to document education in theology of sexual issues.
     
• EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
  In addition to the above requirements, applicants will be required to document supervised experience in sex therapy. Applicants must document a minimum of 200 hours of supervised experience in sex therapy. They must also document 50 hours of approved supervision within 24 consecutive months. A minimum of 20% of this supervision must be live, video or audiotaped.

Those meeting the above requirements may apply to the AMERICAN BOARD OF CHRISTIAN SEX THERAPISTS for certification. Those meeting clinical and educational requirements without experience requirements may apply for Sex Therapy Intern level of membership.

*Required for Intern level of membership.
**See current application for more information.