Tired of Feeling Unprepared When Clients Bring Up Sex?
You’re not alone—most providers were never trained for these conversations.
Here’s the truth: Most therapists wait for clients to bring up sex. And many don’t see how reproductive health is woven into anxiety, depression, trauma, or relationship struggles.
It’s not a silo. It’s the story underneath the story.
That’s where we come in: THGI gives you the comfort, skills, and confidence to turn awkward into authentic and silence into support.
Story
Imagine this: a client sits across from you and shares something vulnerable—maybe it’s about pain during sex, the grief of a miscarriage, or the shame they carry from not fitting cultural expectations of parenthood. And in that moment, your training didn’t prepare you. You freeze, or you rush through the topic, or you gently move on because you don’t know what to say.
Later, you replay the session in your head. You think: “I wish I had the words. I wish I had the confidence. I wish I could have supported them more fully.”
That gap? It’s not your fault. It’s the gap left by most graduate programs and medical training. And it leaves both you and your clients carrying unnecessary distress.
One of our members shared this:
“A client came to me struggling with not feeling any desire for sex. I cared deeply and wanted to help—but beyond a few self-help books I’d read, I had no idea where to start. I didn’t even feel confident in the language to use. I left that session feeling like I’d failed her, even though I know it wasn’t my fault—I was simply never trained for this.”
This story isn’t unique. Most clinicians enter the field without ever learning how to address sexual health concerns like desire, intimacy, or pleasure. Graduate programs don’t cover it, supervisors rarely model it, and self-help books only scratch the surface.
The result? Clients feel unseen and unsupported. Clinicians feel anxious, stuck, and unprepared—like they’re failing in the moments that matter most.
That’s the gap THGI exists to close.
What’s on Your Syllabus?
The Healing Group Institute is proud to offer a growing lineup of engaging, evidence-based classes and events designed to support mental health professionals at every stage of their journey. Our offerings are rooted in real-world practice and cutting-edge theory. Every class is included in your Institute membership—giving you unlimited access to learning and connection all year long.
Not a member yet? You can also purchase individual classes à la carte to get a feel for our community and experience the depth and quality of our programming firsthand. Plus, all of our classes offer continuing education credits approved by NASW and AASECT, so you can grow your practice while meeting your licensure and certification requirements.
Click the events on our calendar to learn more about our upcoming offerings!
Master the Conversations Grad School Skipped
Most therapists graduate without ever being taught how to talk about sexual or reproductive health. Yet these topics show up in almost every client’s story—whether or not they’re the presenting concern.
Inside THGI, you’ll finally get:
Comfort & Confidence
In conversations about sex, reproduction, trauma, and relationships—without needing to specialize as a sex therapist.
On-Demand
Research-backed trainings from national experts—designed for busy clinicians who want practical tools, not jargon.
Inclusive Language
And affirming frameworks so you don’t feel stuck, avoidant, or worried about “saying the wrong thing.”
AASECT-Approved
Continuing education credits (plus CEUs through our partnership with the LGBT Therapist Guild) that actually move your career forward.
A Supportive Community
Of professionals to process cases, consult, and grow alongside—so you’re never navigating these challenges in isolation.
Whether your client is navigating desire, reproductive loss, perinatal mental health, or trauma that touches their sexuality—you’ll have the confidence to hold it with care and skill.
At THGI, we don’t just hand you information. We give you the tools, the practice, and the community to see every client as a whole human being—and to feel prepared when it matters most.
Join Today
From the moment you join, you’ll unlock 20+ on-demand CE trainings ready to watch right away— plus 4 new courses added every month. You’ll also gain access to a growing community of professionals who are committed to building comfort and confidence in sexual and reproductive
health.
And here’s the best part: there are no long-term commitments. If you join and decide it’s not the right fit, you can cancel anytime. No hoops, no stress—just real, practical education when you need it.
So if you’ve ever thought, “I wish I felt more prepared when clients bring up sex, reproduction, or trauma,” this is your invitation to step into that confidence with THGI.
You’re Here Because You’re Tired Of…
Avoiding conversations about sex and reproduction
You know your clients are bringing these issues into the room, but you weren’t trained and don’t feel confident leading the dialogue.
Feeling caught off guard
A client mentions miscarriage, infertility, abortion, low desire, or pain during sex… and you freeze, unsure of the right words or interventions.
Not knowing how to make it inclusive
You want your language and care to affirm gender, orientation, and diverse reproductive experiences—but you’re afraid of “saying the wrong thing.”
Learning in isolation
You crave a supportive community where you can process cases, share insights, and grow with other clinicians who “get it.”
Relying on guesswork
Beyond a few self-help books or one-off workshops, you don’t have a clear, evidence-based roadmap for supporting sexual and reproductive mental health.
Spending too much on trainings that don’t stick
CE programs are often expensive, one-and-done, and disconnected from your real-world practice.
Feeling like something is missing
You want to see your clients as whole people, but without comfort in these areas, you feel like you’re only treating part of their story.
I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY! If you are a therapist that is looking to go from generalist to specialist, THGI is awesome! So many resources for learning more about sexual and reproductive health! AND an amazing community! If you're a mental health professional, this community is for you!
April Davis
I’m grateful for THGI. I’ve appreciated the community, support, opportunities to discuss, and the Sexuality Scholars Salon! Learning about the 6 Principles of Sexual Health, how to talk about them, and how they may apply to our clients has been helpful. Learning how to dissect journal articles was a great topic I hadn’t given much thought to. I appreciate the questions and discussion included in these trainings. Wish I could attend more and I’m grateful to watch them after the fact. Thank you!
Aimee Mortensen
I love having a community space to ask questions, attend trainings and further my education. THGI is doing a great job at becoming the “go to” place for practitioners to hone their skills in sexual and relational health. Join, it’s worth the monthly fee to get your CEs, have access to therapy community, and to have access to experts in the field.
Braxton Dutson, Birds & Bees Podcast
Imagine If You Could…
✔ Bring sex and reproductive health into the room with confidence – No more avoiding or waiting for clients to raise it. You’d know how to start, how to listen, and how to guide.
✔ Feel prepared when the unexpected comes up – Whether a client shares about infertility, low desire, or reproductive loss, you’d have language and frameworks ready.
✔ Rely on tools, not guesswork – Evidence-based strategies and real-world applications would be at your fingertips, ready to integrate into your practice.
✔ Use language that heals, not harms – You’d feel at ease speaking in inclusive, affirming ways that respect the diversity of your clients’ experiences.
✔ Grow inside a supportive community – You’d have colleagues to process cases with, share wins, and keep building confidence together.
✔ Get affordable, flexible CE training that actually matters – Training you can access anytime, anywhere, without the overwhelm of long, costly programs.
✔ See your clients as whole people – Confidently connecting the dots between sexuality, reproduction, trauma, and relationships instead of treating them in silos.
-
![]()
Education
• 20+ On-Demand CE Trainings available instantly, covering sexuality, reproductive health, trauma, and relationships.
• 4+ New CE Opportunities Every Month to keep your learning fresh, practical, and research-backed.
• Renowned Faculty Access — Learn directly from nationally recognized experts like Doug Braun-Harvey, Dr. Lisa Diamond, Kamara McAndrews, and others.
• Certification Pathways — Earn AASECT-approved credits if certification is your goal.
-
![]()
Collaboration
• Interdisciplinary Connections — Opportunities to interface with prescribers, pelvic floor specialists, hormone specialists, and other providers for treatment planning.
• Special Partnerships & Guest Events — From the LGBT Therapist Guild to exclusive speakers, you’ll gain access to thought leaders and collaborators.
-
![]()
Community
• Peer Support & Referrals — A network of colleagues to answer questions, share resources, and collaborate.
• Monthly Socials — Informal gatherings to build real connections with professionals who “get it.”
• Consultation Groups — Ongoing case consultation to deepen skills and
confidence. -
![]()
Flexibility
• Affordable Pricing — Access all of this for less than most one-off workshops.
• Cancel Anytime — No long-term commitments; you’re in control.
• Learn On Your Schedule — Trainings and community available when you are.
3 ways THGI will change your professional and personal life
✔ Professionally: Build confidence and competence
You’ll finally feel equipped to navigate conversations about sex, reproduction, and trauma—no more freezing, avoiding, or guessing. With tools, language, and CEs that matter, you’ll stand out as a clinician who sees the whole person, not just their symptoms.
✔ Personally: Ease the discomfort and isolation
The same skills you gain for client work—language, boundaries, inclusive communication—spill into your personal life. You’ll feel less alone, more supported, and more capable in your own relationships, parenting, and self-understanding.
✔ Long-term: Belong to something bigger
Instead of scattered, one-off trainings, you’ll join a growing movement of professionals reshaping how sexual and reproductive health is understood in mental healthcare. You’ll have a community to lean on, grow with, and celebrate alongside.
What you’ll learn inside THGI:
When you join, you’re not starting from scratch—you’re stepping into a library that’s already rich with specialized courses, led by nationally recognized experts.
Here’s a sample of what’s already inside:
How do I initiate, welcome and respond to sexual health conversations?
How to Read Academic Research
Sex and Disability Part 1 and 2
What Does Research Tell Us About Asexuality?
Using EMDR with Infertility and Perinatal Clients
A Dynamic Look at Consent
Still Here, Still Sexy: Sexuality and Aging
Decolonizing Therapy
A Dynamic Look at Non-Exploitation
How Exactly Does Stigma Affect LGBTQ Health?
And this is just the beginning. Every month, you’ll get 4+ new continuing education opportunities, so your learning stays fresh, relevant, and practical.
Renowned Faculty & Guest Instructors
Our faculty aren’t just theorists—they’re leaders in the field. Many of our instructors actively teach in universities, publish groundbreaking research, and present at national conferences.
Recent faculty include:
Doug Braun-Harvey — pioneer of the Out of Control Sexual Behavior (OCSB) model
Dr. Lisa Diamond — internationally recognized researcher on sexual fluidity, attachment, and LGBTQ+ health
Kamara McAndrews, LMFT, CST — AASECT Supervisor and expert in holistic sex therapy and the 4-D Wheel
These are the kinds of teachers most professionals only get to hear from at national conferences—and you get them inside THGI, every month.
The Value You Get Inside THGI
If you tried to piece all of this together on your own, here’s what it would cost:
4 Live CE Trainings Every Month ($47 each = $188/month = $2,256/year)
Expanding On-Demand CE Library - 20+ trainings available immediately ($940+) plus 4 new trainings added every month = 48 new courses each year ($2,256/year ongoing value)
Cumulative Value = $3,000+ in Year 1 and grows every year you stay
Direct Access to World-Class Faculty (average $150/hour consultation, at least 4 sessions/month = $7,200/year)
Peer Support + Monthly Consultations & Socials ($100/month = $1,200/year)
Special Bonus Events with Guest Experts (4 per year, $150 each = $600/year)
GRAND VALUE: $14,000+ in Year 1…and growing every year you remain a member.
Your Investment: Just $97/month (or $970/year)
Bonus CE Value Through Our Partnerships
THGI members automatically get bonus AASECT CE credits by attending LGBT Therapist Guild trainings.
✔ More CE’s for Less
Earn additional CE’s through the Guild for just $5 per training or $75 for the year (Guild member rate).
✔ Stack Your Learning
Your THGI membership already includes 4 live CE’s per month + 20+ on-demand. This partnership adds even more on top — without extra cost.
✔ More Partnerships Coming Soon
We’re expanding collaborations to give you even more opportunities to grow, connect, and save.
The Value of Your Membership
✔ Live CEs
4 live, 1-hour CE trainings every month.
Market value: $47 each = $188/month.
✔ On-Demand Library
20+ CE trainings available the moment you join (and growing).
Market value: At $47 each, that’s over $940 in content already waiting for you.
✔ Renowned Faculty Access
Learn directly from experts like Doug Braun-Harvey, Dr. Lisa Diamond, and Kamara McAndrews.
Faculty of this caliber typically cost $150+ per consultation hour (and are often only accessible through
university programs or exclusive conferences).
✔ Community & Consultation
Peer support for real-time questions, referrals, and collaboration.
Monthly consultation groups and socials where you can process cases and connect with colleagues.
Market value: Case consultation groups typically run $50–$100/session.
✔ Flexibility
Cancel anytime, no long-term contracts.
Learn on your schedule, with content that’s always accessible.
✔ Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Interface with prescribers, pelvic floor specialists, hormone specialists, and more—without paying for separate referrals or cross-trainings.
Market value: Priceless access to providers outside your discipline.
✔ Special Partnerships & Bonus Events
Bonus trainings (like Ashley Brichter on FairPlay) and partnerships (like with the LGBT Therapist
Guild) expand your CE access even further.
Market value: External workshops of this kind typically run $75–$200/event.
✔ The Bottom Line
If you pieced this together yourself through workshops, consultations, and conferences, you’d easily spend $500–$1,000 per month.
At THGI, you get it all for $97/month (or just $37 if you only want a single department).
Interested in Group or Clinic Rates?
If you are part of a group, clinic, or organization interested in accessing THGI resources for multiple individuals, we’d love to discuss clinic or group rates options. Please reach out to kristin@thehealinggroup.com for more information.
Before joining, please review our Community Guidelines:
This guide is to support one of our community pillars: professional development is more than gaining more knowledge, it’s about transformation of self. That is why THGI is a combination of learning and community so that the interpersonal opportunities shape our learning and growth as well as the information and knowledge we gain. We believe interpersonal relationships are a key part of learning.
While we often hear, “be professional in your communication” what does that mean? We hope this guide provides structure and scaffolding that our conversations and dialogue within THGI enrich and enhance our learning experience and fulfillment in our online community environment.
This community thrives when each of us commits to upholding these principles. By engaging with integrity, respect, and purpose, we ensure this space remains a place where we can all connect, grow, and transform.
-
To generate a spirit of mutual curiosity, respect and appreciation among those of differing political / issue perspectives.
To bring forth the trust and courage to generously express and actively appreciate one another’s authentic revealing of heartfelt values, principles and sense of purpose.
To listen generously and actively support the discovery of common interest and concern.
To be open and curious about all perspectives and see what can be learned from listening to one another, rather than debating differing “opinions” on any topic or issue.
To inspire a sense of openness, willingness and even partnership for further connecting or cooperating in some way.
To evoke a direct experience of an authentic, meaningful and rewarding conversation.
To foster a sense of confidence and willingness in participants to take initiative to reach out to those they usually avoid.
-
Treat all members with respect, empathy,
Differences in opinions and experiences are natural; approach disagreements with curiosity and a willingness to learn.
Hate speech, discriminatory comments, or personal attacks will not be tolerated. THGI is a place that fosters and invites difference and people are willing to actively reach and connect across divides.
-
Take responsibility for the quality of your participation and the quality of the conversation by noticing what’s happening and actively support getting yourself and others back “on purpose” when needed.
-
Approach conversations with intention and curiosity.
Use a trauma informed lens. Be mindful of what you are sharing. If you need support beyond what the group can offer, please seek appropriate professional help.
-
Seek Alignment rather than Agreement: Alignment is shared intention, whereas agreement is having a shared belief or opinion. In this conversation we look for alignment primarily and simply appreciate that we will disagree on some beliefs and opinions.
Share content, ask questions, and participate in discussions that align with improve mental health with a specialization in sexual, reproductive health, relationships, and trauma. We are dedicated to turning suffering into strength, a purpose that guides us in every aspect of our work.
Avoid self-promotion unless it’s directly relevant to the group’s focus and approved by moderators.
-
Respect the privacy of others by not sharing personal details, stories, screen shots, or anything discussed in this group outside of the community.
-
Remember that your voice matters. Every question, insight, or contribution adds to the greater whole of our community.
Be mindful of the balance between giving and receiving—support others just as you would like to be supported.
-
Share accurate, thoughtful information, and credit sources when appropriate.
Avoid spreading misinformation or making unfounded claims.
Uphold a professional and ethical tone in all discussions.
-
You are invited to be self-monitoring and take responsibility for helping keep purpose and intention of THGI community to be unheld
Moderators are here to maintain the integrity of this space. If a post or comment violates these rules, it may be removed without notice.
Members who repeatedly disregard these guidelines may be removed from the group.
You are invited to be self-monitoring and take responsibility for helping keep purpose and intention of THGI community to be unheld.
-
Your monthly scholar fees grant you exclusive access to the resources, events, and educational content provided by THGI. These fees are for your personal education and engagement only, ensuring that all scholars have a meaningful and tailored experience.
-
We trust and rely on an honor system as part of our community values. We ask that you do not share your access to courses, replays, or other THGI content with others. This helps us maintain the integrity of the learning environment and ensure fairness for all scholars.
-
Members who violate the Student Guidelines of The Healing Group Institute will face immediate removal from the program. Such actions demonstrate a breach of the standards and values we uphold, compromising the integrity and safety of our community. As a result, individuals removed for guideline violations will be permanently ineligible to rejoin the Institute. This policy ensures a respectful and professional environment conducive to learning and growth for all members.
Thinking about AASECT certification?
Not every member wants to become a certified sex therapist or educator—and that’s okay. But if that is your goal, THGI is uniquely positioned to support you. As an AASECT CE provider, our courses, mentorship, and community can help you take the next steps toward certification without having to piece it together on your own.
Contact us.
institute@thehealinggroup.com