So You Want To Be A Sex Therapist?
Hello! I'm 20 years old and I'm going to be going back to college in the spring and I think I've finally decided on what I want to go back for. I've always had a big interest in psychology and like most humans, I have a big interest in sex, but not just the actions of it, I'm interested in the psychology behind it and fetishism and all of the stuff like that. Why people are attracted to the things they're attracted to, ways people can spice up their love lives, so I think I want to be a sex therapist; but I was wondering if I could get advice on what types of classes I should take? How I might be able to get an internship somewhere down the line? How high of a demand there is in that type of field? What types of things I should expect from that type of career? Any tips, tricks, and advice would be greatly appreciated :)
When you say sex therapist, that is usually a sub-specialty of some other type of therapy. Sex therapists are usually psychologists, psychiatrists, or social workers who have obtained their professional degree (PhD, MD, etc.) and then gone on to specialize in sex therapy. Sex therapy is very problem focused and you probably will not get education on what drives people's psychology unless you study psychology at the advanced degree level (undergrad psychology will not provide this). There are also sex counselors and sex educators which do not do sex therapy, but instead give instruction and teach about sexuality, sexual health, and how to prevent sexually transmitted infections. These usually only require undergrad education. Then there are other combinations that lend themselves to more research and academics like PhD/MPH combinations.
I would recommend that you really think about what kind of work you like doing and then decide on a study/career track from there.