IAPST Certification

About certification

What is certification

Certification through the International Association of Psychosexual Therapists (IAPST) is a formal recognition that a therapist has completed a rigorous, structured program of education, clinical training, and professional evaluation in psychosexual therapy. It signifies that the therapist has met clearly defined standards of competence in both academic knowledge and applied clinical practice.

IAPST certification is not awarded on the basis of experience alone, but through the successful completion of an accredited program of education combined with supervised clinical work. This ensures that all Certified Psychosexual Therapists have developed the skills necessary to work effectively with a wide range of sexual health concerns, including sexual dysfunction, relational challenges, and complex psychosexual presentations.

In addition to clinical competence, certification reflects a commitment to ethical practice, professional accountability, and ongoing development within the field. Certified members are expected to uphold the standards established by the IAPST and to remain engaged in continued learning as the field of psychosexual therapy evolves.

As such, IAPST certification represents not only achievement, but responsibility. It signals to patients, colleagues, and the broader professional community that the therapist has been trained, evaluated, and recognized according to a consistent and rigorous international standard.

What certification is not

Certification is not a license to practice, and does not authorize anyone to practice psychosexual therapy. Your license, registration, or equivalent authorization does that, and you must already hold it before you begin.

Certification does not replace your regulator. You remain answerable to whoever licenses you.

Supervision toward IAPST certification is not licensure supervision. Unless your own jurisdiction independently recognizes these hours, they count toward this credential and nothing else. If you also need licensure supervision, that is a separate arrangement with a separate supervisor.

Why is certification important

Certification is essential to the integrity, credibility, and future of psychosexual therapy as a professional discipline. In a field that has historically lacked consistent standards, certification establishes a clear benchmark for what it means to be properly trained, clinically competent, and ethically grounded.

For patients, certification provides confidence. It signals that their therapist has undergone rigorous education, structured clinical training, and formal evaluation, and is prepared to work responsibly with complex and sensitive aspects of sexual health and relationships.

For therapists, certification is a recognized professional standard. In most countries anyone may call themselves a sex therapist, with no required training, no supervision, and no regulator. Certification is how a clinician demonstrates that their education was accredited, that their clinical work was supervised and assessed, and that both can be verified by anyone who asks. Certified members use the post-nominal C-PST and appear in the IAPST Therapist Directory with a badged listing displaying their certification certificate.

Importantly, certification is not a static achievement. It reflects an ongoing commitment to continued education, ethical accountability, and engagement with emerging research and clinical innovation. In this way, certification supports not only individual professional growth, but the advancement of the field as a whole.

By establishing and maintaining clear standards, IAPST certification plays a central role in shaping psychosexual therapy as a respected, evidence-informed, and globally recognized area of clinical practice.