Becoming AASECT certified means a therapist has gone well beyond general clinical training. It requires specific coursework in human sexuality, supervised clinical hours working with clients on sexual concerns, and ongoing consultation with an AASECT Certified Supervisor. For clients, it’s a signal that their therapist has real, verified depth in this area. For clinicians, it's a career-defining credential. For more information, visit AASECT Certification

Amare Institute offers AASECT-approved professional development courses designed to help professionals build the foundational and specialized knowledge required for AASECT certification. Our courses consist of two components: video-based training and a quiz to assess your knowledge. These courses are beneficial to all mental health professions. Our current course lineup includes:Intro to Sex Therapy 101 (2.5 hours | 2.5 CE Credits): A foundational course for professionals new to this specialty.The PLISSIT & Extended PLISSIT Model (30 mins | 0.5 CE Credits): A widely used framework for structuring sexuality-related conversations and interventions in clinical practice.Epic Tumbles - Good, Great & Epic Sex (2 hours | 2 CE Credits): Exploring the range of sexual experience and how to help clients move toward more fulfilling intimacy.Fat Phobia & Fat Sex (2.5 hours | 2.5 CE Credits): Exploring how fat stigma, body image, and sociocultural influences shape sexuality, intimacy, and relationships.Introduction to Couples Counselling - Part 1 (3 hours | 3 CE Credits): Covering evidence-based approaches and practical strategies for helping couples navigate communication, intimacy, conflict, trust, and other relationship challenges.Introduction to Couples Counselling - Part 2 (2.5 hours | 2.5 CE Credits): A foundational overview of sexuality, sexual health, ethics, diversity, and evidence-based sex therapy practices. We're actively expanding this catalogue, so keep an eye on our Training Courses page for new additions.

Yes! That’s exactly who we built this for. Our courses are designed for licensed and registered mental health professionals who want to deepen their competence working with clients on sexuality, intimacy, and gender concerns. Whether you’re just starting to explore this specialty or you’re actively working toward AASECT certification, our courses are structured to count towards your required education hours and to sharpen the clinical skills you’ll use in session.

The number depends on which certification you're pursuing, but for Sex Therapist certification specifically, you'll need:90 hours in Human Sexuality Education (core knowledge areas)60 hours in Sex Therapy Skills Training14 hours of Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR)That's on top of your supervised clinical hours and consultation time, which aren't CE credits but are equally required. AASECT does allow some flexibility in how these hours are earned (a mix of academic coursework, AASECT-sponsored or AASECT-approved training, and other documented education), and acceptance of any given course toward your application is ultimately at the discretion of the AASECT Certification Committee. Because of that, we always recommend connecting with an AASECT Certified Supervisor to map out your specific plan.Consider reaching out to Dr. Cory Hrushka or  Dr. Jason Jones, our AASECT Certified Supervisors at Amare Institute.

Being AASECT-approved means that the educational and training materials provided are verified by AASECT and can count toward the CE requirements clinicians need for certification. When a course carries AASECT approval, you can trust that its content aligns with AASECT's standards for rigor, relevance, and clinical applicability. Amare Institute is proud to be an approved AASECT CE provider, so the hours you earn with us are hours that count.

Amare Institute is an online training platform, so our courses are delivered virtually, giving clinicians across Alberta and beyond the flexibility to work towards their AASECT Certification while managing other priorities. Upon completing the training materials, students are required to complete a quiz to assess their understanding of the course material.