Training Without Borders: Working Towards International Competency Frameworks for Sex Therapy Training & Practice

Technological advances, global events such as COVID-19, population displacement, migration, and growing interest in regions without established psychosexual practice are driving an increasing number of international students to seek professional training abroad. As populations become more mobile, sex therapy educators are increasingly encountering international students who wish to practice both in their countries of origin and internationally. These students come from diverse geographical, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds and aim to qualify to work with similarly diverse client populations. Drawing on experience training therapists from over 25 countries, this presentation identifies critical competency gaps and proposes frameworks for working toward international standardization in psychosexual therapy education and practice.

In the United Kingdom, current sex therapy training focuses primarily on Western populations, often leaving practitioners underprepared to work with international clients. Students from countries without indigenous professional training programs face unique challenges when translating Western practices and professional standards into their local contexts. This contributes to inconsistencies when standards are applied globally and limits professional mobility. Without internationally standardized competency frameworks and closer collaboration between national governing bodies, the field risks perpetuating Western-centric approaches, underserved global populations, and ongoing post-colonial inequities.

Organizations such as AASECT in the United States and COSRT in the United Kingdom are frequently sought out by international students who lack accredited training providers or recognized pathways to practice in their countries of origin. Practice requirements across jurisdictions are often difficult to equate for purposes of international accreditation and recognition of prior learning.

Through a systematic analysis of training experiences with international students, alongside a global review of sex therapy governing bodies and their accredited professional training programs, clear patterns emerged regarding unmet cultural competency needs. These findings inform the proposed development of a comprehensive international competency framework addressing assessment, treatment, ethics, and supervision across diverse cultural contexts.