What Is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist — and Why Does It Matter? | Jen Joseph, LMFT, CST
Anyone can call themselves a sex therapist. Here's what AASECT certification actually requires, why it makes a meaningful clinical difference, and how to find one near you.
If you've ever searched for a sex therapist, you've probably noticed that the landscape is confusing. Therapists list "sex therapy" as a specialty on Psychology Today. Coaches offer "sexual wellness" services. Counselors mention sexuality in their bios. Very few of them hold any specialized credential at all.
That matters — because sex therapy is a clinical specialty, not just a topic area. And the gap between a generalist therapist who occasionally discusses sexual concerns and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist is significant. Here's what that credential actually means, and why it's worth seeking out.
What is AASECT?
AASECT stands for the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists. Founded in 1967, it is the leading professional organization for sexuality professionals in the United States and the gold standard for certification in the field. An AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) has met the most rigorous set of requirements that exists in this specialty.
What does AASECT certification actually require?
Becoming an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist is a years-long process that goes well beyond standard clinical licensure. It requires an existing graduate degree and active license to practice psychotherapy — that's just the entry point. From there, candidates must complete hundreds of hours of specialized training in human sexuality, a significant number of supervised clinical hours working specifically with sexual concerns, and direct supervision from an already-certified sex therapist over a period of at least 18 months.
One of the more distinctive requirements is something called a Sexuality Attitude Reassessment — an intensive, experiential process in which clinicians examine their own values, biases, and assumptions about human sexuality before they're ever certified to treat others. It's a requirement that doesn't exist in most other clinical specialties, and it exists here for good reason: a therapist's unexamined beliefs about sex can cause real harm to clients who are already in a vulnerable position.
The full application is reviewed by AASECT's certification committee and requires peer endorsement. It is not a weekend course or a self-reported specialty. It is a documented, peer-reviewed credential with real teeth.
Why does it matter for clients?
In most states, "sex therapist" is not a protected title — meaning anyone can use it regardless of their training. A therapist can list it on their Psychology Today profile without having taken a single course in sexual health. AASECT certification is one of the few ways a client can verify that a therapist has actually met a rigorous, documented standard of training in this area.
Beyond the credential itself, the training matters clinically. A therapist without specialized sexuality training may lack the knowledge to accurately assess what's going on, may inadvertently give biased or incomplete guidance, or may not know how to work with the shame that almost always accompanies sexual concerns. The depth and specificity of AASECT training is what makes the difference between a therapist who can talk about sex and one who actually knows how to treat it.
What can an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist help with?
AASECT Certified Sex Therapists are trained to work with a wide range of sexual concerns in individuals and couples, including:
— Sexual pain conditions (vaginismus, vulvodynia, dyspareunia)
— Sexual functioning issues (erectile dysfunction, anorgasmia, ejaculatory concerns, arousal difficulties)
— Desire discrepancy and low libido
— Out-of-control sexual behavior and problematic pornography use
— Sexual concerns related to trauma, illness, disability, or aging
— Questions of sexual identity, orientation, or relationship structure
— Couples navigating sexual disconnection, avoidance, or mismatch
How to find an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist in Portland, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and beyond
AASECT maintains a therapist directory at aasect.org/referral-directory where you can search by location and filter specifically for Certified Sex Therapists. This is the most reliable way to verify that a therapist holds the credential.
A few things to keep in mind when searching:
Look for CST after the name. This specifically indicates AASECT Sex Therapist certification, as distinct from sexuality counselor or educator certifications.
Verify their license. An AASECT Certified Sex Therapist should also hold an active state license to practice psychotherapy — LMFT, LCSW, PhD, PsyD, or equivalent.
Don't confuse specialty with certification. Many therapists list "sex therapy" as a specialty on directories like Psychology Today. That designation is self-reported and unverified — it does not indicate AASECT certification or any specific training.
Online therapy expands your options significantly. Because most states allow online therapy statewide, you don't have to limit your search to therapists in your immediate city. A certified sex therapist licensed in California can typically work with anyone in the state — whether they're in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, or a smaller city with fewer options nearby.
AASECT Certified Sex Therapists remain relatively rare, which makes finding one — especially one who also specializes in your specific concern — genuinely difficult in some areas. If you're in Portland, Oregon or anywhere in California, I'm available online and offer a free 15-minute consultation to see if we're a good fit.
Jen Joseph is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and LMFT licensed in California and Oregon. She works with individuals and couples on the full range of sexual concerns — online, throughout both states. Schedule a free consultation.