Does sexuality ever come up in your sessions but you’re unsure of how to handle it? Maybe you want to give your clients permission to bring these types of topics up but haven’t been able to since you aren’t sure what to do if and when they do? Maybe you’ve considered investing in some sex therapy training but you’re unsure where to start. This is where we come in – As leading experts in our field, we want to pass along our knowledge so other professionals just like yourself can empower clients in their sexuality without needing to come see a sex therapist.
These are professional trainings, and are suitable if you are a:
OUR TRAININGS & WORKSHOPS
Trainings will be offered via Zoom and in-person in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia in 2023.
Trainings are facilitated by Diana Sadat, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist or guests.
Why take our trainings?
presented by experts in our field, including allura’s founder and other experts!
Allura sex therapy centre is an aasect approved ce provider (#22-103-AST)
all of our trainings take a trauma-informed & inclusive approach and focus on the practical application of what you are learning to different clients
Our 2024 training schedule is currently being re-worked; please enter your information below to be informed when our trainings are posted. We anticipate to launch our trainings for the second half of the year.
The Sexually Competent Therapist [Foundations]: Integrating Sex Therapy Into Your Practice [30 CEs]
Most therapists receive very little to no sex therapy training through their graduate program and yet, they are expected to be able to understand, hold space, and support folks in areas they’re struggling with, including sexuality. Foundational knowledge of sexuality is critical to holding space and helping clients heal; this includes understanding their own biases and assumptions around sex and sexuality and how this impacts their ability to be present with the client with compassion, non-judgement, and acceptance.
In this training, students will become aware of their existing biases around different types of sexuality and how to integrate sex therapy principles into their existing practice. This training is not meant to make them a sex therapist; however, it will give students the confidence to work with different sex and sexuality issues that might come up in the therapy room with individuals and couples, including assessment and techniques for a variety of sexual issues. Students will leave the course equipped with a sense of how these foundational principles might fit into their practice and where to begin in assessing, understanding, and working with the tools and techniques provided.
Topics Covered:
Uncovering Biases
Assessment & Sexual History Taking
Understanding & Addressing Common Sexual Functioning Concerns
Ethical Non-Monogamy
BDSM & Kink
Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation
Date: Anticipate Fall 2024!
Sex & Trauma: Helping Clients Move Beyond Trauma & Reclaim Their Sexuality [7 CEs]
Traumatic experiences, especially sexuality-based traumas, can have a lasting effect on survivors. The effects of trauma are seen in many areas of life – healing often has entailed looking at safety, nervous system regulation, and unpacking the deeply profound emotional impacts that clients experience in their day-to-day lives. In particular, trauma of any kind changes our clients' sense of self, boundaries, and ability to be vulnerable in all relationships, and particularly sexual relationships. Trauma healing must look not only at the completion and integration of traumatic experiences, but moving further into helping clients actively regain their sexual voices and identities. This training is focused specifically on helping clients focus on healing the sexual parts of themselves and learn to not only regain their "no", but their true authentic YES.
In this training, clinicians will develop a deep understanding of trauma, the important role the body plays in the sexual healing process, and learn psychological, emotional, relational, and somatic tools to helping trauma clients reclaim their sexuality beyond their trauma.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Identify at least one way that trauma impacts the nervous system
Recognize at least five ways trauma affects client’s sex lives.
Understand how to help respond to triggers during sexual experiences
Explain how embodiment is a core aspect of sexual healing
Apply the triphasic model of trauma treatment to sex therapy
Recite individual sensate focus as a take-home practice for clients
Provide three clinical examples of interventions that can help clients move beyond healing and reclaim sexuality
Analyze case studies of individuals and their relationships within the lens of trauma
Pre-Requisites:
*Foundational understanding of trauma
We are excited to launch our most popular training, Sex & Trauma, as a self-paced course with options to add on consultation groups at your convenience! Prior to launching our training publicly, we are seeking 10 beta testers to complete the training and provide feedback about the user experience. In exchange, we’ll be offering this course at half off! (Regular cost: $397 – beta testers: $197). Beta testers will receive life long access and all updates we make to the course!
Beta testers receive access to the 7 credit training as well as a 1.5 hour consultation group.
Launch date: June 3rd, 2024
When Sex Hurts: Understanding & Addressing Sexual & Pelvic Pain Concerns in Therapy [5 CEs]
Pain is a common concern for women and folks with vaginas – however, just because it is common, does not make it normal. Sexual pain can be lifelong or occur after trauma, a negative sexual experience, medical procedures, anxiety, or other negative life experiences. Many folks who experience sexual pain are left feeling misunderstood, told to "just relax and have a glass of wine", and come to believe that this is something they have to grin and bear through. Therapists may feel that sexual pain is something that is only a medical problem – however, this can be addressed and worked on in the therapeutic context to help clients experience greater sexual satisfaction and even pleasurable sexual experiences.
This training focuses on understanding pain from a physiological perspective, the impact of pain on the brain and body, and helping clients reconnect to their body and find positive and pleasurable experiences with themselves and their partners. We will focus on pain science as the root to understanding how clients have been affected by ongoing painful experiences and identify a variety of tools and techniques for the therapist and client to utilize to address painful sex concerns!
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Explain three ways that pain changes the nervous system
Complete an assessment of the presenting sexual pain issue in therapy
Differentiate between at least four types of sexual pain
Explain the fear avoidance cycle in relation to sexual pain
Guide a client through a pelvic floor activation exercise
Adapt a treatment plan for sexual pain for intervention at the relational level
Understand and collaborate with pelvic floor physiotherapists in the treatment of sexual pain
Core Knowledge Areas: H, I
Sex Therapy Areas: B, C, D, E
Pre-Requisites:
*None
Allura Sex Therapy Centre is an approved AASECT CE Provider (# 22-103-AST) – CE credits may be applied toward AASECT certification and renewal of certification. Completion of this program does not ensure or guarantee AASECT certification. For further information please contact info@assect.org.
Refund Policy
We are able to provide a refund for our live trainings based on the policy below. Please contact hello@alluracentre.com for a refund.
Self-paced/asynchronous trainings: no refunds
Up to 30 days before the training: 50% refund, subject to a 25$ administrative fee
Within 30 days of the training: no refunds
You may transfer your registration to another person up to 2 weeks prior to the training date
If there are no other trainings available, we may be able to offer you a credit for the next year.
In-person trainings: please be aware that in-person trainings may be switched to virtual if there is limited demand – we will give participants advanced notice of this change!
If notice is given with more than 30 days, we may be able to transfer you to another training if one is available, subject to a $100 administrative fee.