Description
Sexual concerns and intimacy struggles are among the most common, yet unfortunately the least discussed, issues that couples bring into therapy. Despite the high frequency of these presentations, mental health clinicians often report feeling significantly underprepared to assess, intervene, and effectively treat these delicate areas. This includes navigating complex relational dynamics such as desire discrepancy, sexual avoidance, emotional disconnection, and performance anxiety. Furthermore, therapists must often untangle the profound impact of trauma, chronic stress, or deep-seated relational conflict on sexual functioning within couples’ relationships.
This course is a comprehensive professional training that provides mental health professionals with a robust, research-informed, and clinically practical framework for understanding and treating these issues in couples therapy. By drawing extensively from attachment theory, psychodynamic approaches, Emotionally Focused Therapies (EFT), integrative sex therapy models, and the latest findings in relational neuroscience, this course equips participants with a holistic toolkit. Crucially, this multidisciplinary approach emphasizes culturally responsive and developmentally appropriate strategies, ensuring therapists can effectively support diverse client populations.
Throughout this training, participants will learn exactly how to normalize clinical conversations about sexuality, effectively assess the underlying relational dynamics influencing desire, and implement targeted interventions designed to strengthen both emotional and physical connection. Ultimately, clinicians will leave this training with a clear theoretical framework, structured practical tools, and the critical sexual knowledge required to help couples rebuild trust, deepen vulnerability, and collaboratively create mutually satisfying intimate relationships.
This is a 3-CE online seminar delivered virtually in real-time via an industry-standard webinar platform.
Attendance and Location Details
Friday, December 4, 2026
9:00 AM to 12:00 PM (CST)
10:00 AM to 1:00 PM (EST)
7:00 AM to 10:00 AM (PST)
Live Webinar Attendees: Zoom link and course materials will be made available to you 24-48 hours prior to event date.
Agenda:
Welcome, Introductions, and Training Overview
- Framing sexuality as a relational health issue
- Therapist discomfort and common barriers
- Participant learning goals and expectations
Understanding Intimacy and Desire in Long-Term Relationships
- Definitions: intimacy vs. sexuality vs. attachment bonding
- The neuroscience of desire and emotional safety
- Developmental and lifespan influences on sexual connection
- The impact of stress, parenting, illness, and work demands
- Routine and boredom’s impact on sexual behavior with couples
Assessment of Sexual and Intimacy Concerns in Couples Therapy
- Taking a sexual history within a relational framework
- Identifying desire discrepancy cycles
- Attachment patterns and sexual pursuit/withdraw dynamics
- Cultural, gender, and spiritual considerations
- Screening for trauma, medical factors, and mental health conditions
Break
Clinical Interventions to Rebuild Emotional and Physical Intimacy
- EFT-informed interventions to increase vulnerability and bonding
- Psychoeducation on responsive vs. spontaneous desire
- Sensate focus and gradual intimacy-building exercises
- Communication restructuring for erotic safety
- Addressing avoidance, shame, and negative sexual narratives
Working with Complex Sexual Concerns
- Infidelity and sexual betrayal recovery
- Sexual pain disorders and performance anxiety
- Desire discrepancies in high-conflict couples
- Pornography concerns and digital sexual behaviors
- Integrating medical and multidisciplinary collaboration
Case Application, Q&A, and Clinical Integration
- Brief case vignette discussion
- Treatment planning considerations
- Therapist self-reflection and next steps
- Key takeaways and resources
Objectives:
This training will provide participants clinical knowledge and tools to:
After completing this training, participants will be able to identify common intimacy and sexual concerns presented in couples therapy, including desire discrepancy, avoidance patterns, and performance-related anxiety.
After completing this training, participants will be able to assess relational, psychological, and contextual factors influencing sexual functioning using attachment-informed and systemic frameworks.
After completing this training, participants will be able to apply evidence-based interventions to help couples increase emotional safety, vulnerability, and physical intimacy.
After completing this training, participants will be able to facilitate open, culturally responsive conversations about sexuality and desire in a clinically ethical and developmentally appropriate manner.
After completing this training, participants will be able to develop treatment plans that integrate emotional connection and sexual satisfaction goals to promote long-term relational wellness.
Target Audience:
Mental Health Clinicians & Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, Marriage & Family Therapists, Counselors, School Personnel, Youth Development Workers; Healthcare Workers
Instructional Level: Intermediate
Instructor(s): Katherine Helm, PhD
Material Author(s): Katherine Helm, PhD
For additional information about this course, the instructors, or the material authors, please contact Content Assistance at content@onlinececredits.com.
Course Materials & Delivery Method:
Course Materials – (including the link to view the scheduled live webinar) are made available to all registered attendees 24-48 hours before the event start time-
This training is interactive and provides opportunities to ask direct questions to the trainer as well as request immediate help from staff if needed. The attendee will view the presentation in real-time from their connected device via an industry-standard internet webinar platform.
CE Approvals:
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
Online CE Credits has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6795. Programs that do not quality for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Online CE Credits is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
Mind Works Professional Education, Inc. DBA Online CE Credits, #1974, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: July 23, 2025 – July 23, 2028. Social workers completing this course receive clinical continuing education credits.
Other Helpful Information:
Registration Deadline – Please register at any time prior to the advertised start time of this live webinar training.-
Refund & Cancellation Policy – You may review this policy at any time by clicking here.
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Accessibility Accommodations – If you require a reasonable accommodation for any reason, please email your request to cc@onlinececredits.com.
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Course Completion Requirements – Complete the Code Word Attendance Quiz by 1.) selecting the correct beginning and/or ending code words, 2.) inputting actual time signed in and time signed out, and 3.) signing your name attesting to your full attendance. Then, complete the Course Evaluation.
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Posttest Requirements (not applicable for most live webinars) – You must answer 80% or more of the Quiz questions correctly to pass. If you fail to pass the first time, you may attempt the quiz again until you are able to pass with a score of 80% or better. Quizzes are graded instantly and automatically by the learning management system once your attempt is submitted.
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Certificate of Completion – Certificates of Completion are automatically generated – downloadable from your Dashboard and emailed to you – once you complete the Code Word Attendance Quiz and the Course Evaluation. Please complete these items to receive your Certificate immediately after the live webinar training is concluded.
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Live Webinar Registration – Please select the proper admission ticket in the banner at the top of this page, and follow the prompts. You will be asked either to login with your existing account (if you have learned with us before) or to establish a new user account during the registration process if this is your first training with us.
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