Training and accreditation for the treatment of sexual disorders

The field of "sex therapy" is not defined by specific, limited techniques. Rather, it encompasses a subspecialty based on an understanding of psychodynamics and psychological development but requiring additional skills from other branches of medicine. Despite its breadth and complexity, sex therapy training is unregulated, with the public lacking the protection afforded by standardized training programs or certification. The author outlines the scope of sex therapy as a psychiatric and medical subspecialty and delineates the necessary clinical skills for the physician-practitioner.