To become a Certified Somatic Sex Educator, you must successfully complete all 5 courses offered by the Institute for the Study of Somatic Sex Education, as well as 4 approved electives. Some of our students begin to offer paid professional services after Core Course 3, and you may feel resourced for this, but will need to offer such services as a Somatic Sex Educator In Training.
FAQ
How do I become a Practitioner?
How long does it take to become a practitioner?
The course is designed so that you can proceed at your own pace. Going through all the courses will take a minimum of 1 year, or you can take up to 3 years to complete the training.
How do I get my profile on your website?
This website features practitioners who are members of the Somatic Sex Educators Association (SSEA). The cost of a listing is included with membership. There are 3 ways to become a member of the SSEA and get a practitioner profile on www.somaticsexeducators.com
- You have received your Somatic Sex Educator or Sexological Bodyworker certification in Canada in or after 2015.
- You are a current SSE student with the Institute for the Study of Somatic Sex Education, and have successfully completed Core Course 3, and have the intention of completing certification. This will give you access to an “In-training” profile, with all the same membership benefits as full members.
- You have been certified in Sexological Bodywork or Somatic Sex Education with a different training anywhere else in the world, and you have successfully completed the online Post- Grad program offered by the Canadian Institute for the Study of Somatic Sex Education.
When does the next course start?
Registration for course 1 open and ongoing; you can sign up anytime!
Course 2 and 4 are in-person intensives. These are announced a year in advance so you can create a course schedule that works for you.
Course 3 and 5 are ongoing. You can sign up anytime for these courses – but only if you have successfully completed the course prior.
How long does it take to complete this program?
This is a self-directed study, so it will be up to you how long it takes! With dedication and good planning you may be able to complete within a year, or you may take up to 3 years to complete.
Do I have to take the courses in any particular order?
Yes, the courses must be successfully completed sequentially.
Are there payment plans available?
Yes, please send an email to Tracy Montgomery, the creative admin student advisor for our Institute. She will send you a form to fill in your ideal payment schedule. There is a $50 additional administration fee for the payment plan option. info@somaticsexeducator.com
Are there any scholarships or bursaries available?
Yes! We offer a 50% discount for IBPOC (Indigenous Black and People of Colour) students for course 1. We are committed to making our training financially accessible to IBPOC and folks who are part of other marginalized communities and will offer further scholarships to qualifying students who have successfully completed course 1, as we are able.
Will I make money as a somatic sex educator?
It depends on you! Are you an entrepreneur? Have some experience with marketing? Already have a practice working with clients? Connected in with other health care practitioners? There are so many ways to weave SSE with the awesome qualities of who you are! If you are not connected and are not motivated, this certification alone does not guarantee income.
Is SSE legal?
Some of the touch practices of SSE are considered in the legal “grey area” in some jurisdictions. However you choose to practice, the learning benefits from the embodied experiences in our program will support your work with clients, whether you choose to do hands-on work or not.
Online training feels challenging for me. What kind of support do you offer students?
We totally get this! We aim to provide some foundational knowledge through the online platform in course 1, to prepare folks before meeting in bodies together in course 2.
We provide weekly Community of Practice calls in a group conference call on the platform Zoom, where one of your faculty mentors will casually present a topic, and invite some group sharing. You can hear each other speak, share your thoughts, feelings, and questions, and start to get a sense of the bigger community. Also, embedded into the curriculum are videos of your mentors introducing the topics, as well as sharing their own experiences. We try to provide a little bit of everything for all the different types of learners, some reading, viewing, and listening, as well as a somatic inquiry at the end of each unit. You can submit your assignment in your own way! Maybe it’s written in words, or you can make a short video to describe your experience.
If I take your program, what title(s) will I receive?
As long as you are actively engaged in the program, you may refer to yourself as a student of Somatic Sex Education. Once you have successfully completed all 5 courses and 4 electives, you will receive the titles of Certified Somatic Sex Educator as well as Certified Sexological Bodyworker.
Can I just attend the In-person Intensives without doing the whole training?
If you are already a certified sexological bodyworker or a somatic sex educator then YES! You are welcome to register for course 2 or 4 at any time.
If you are a sexological bodyworker and you would like to be certified as a somatic sex educator, you are welcome to sign up for our post-graduate program. Course 1 is online, course 2 is in person, and course 3 is a supervised mentorship with one of our core faculty members.
If you are a current student, you are welcome to re-do any of the in-person intensives at any time. This could count as an elective towards the certification process.