Are you shy about proclaiming yourself a sex coach or a sex coach in training? Are you worried about being judged or misunderstood if you apply this label to yourself and your work? Some aspiring and professional sex coaches prefer to refer to themselves as clinical sexologists for these reasons. But is that the right answer?

There’s a stigma that comes with being a sexuality professional.

It’s true: it can be scary to own that you work with sexuality. Many of your friends, family, and other acquaintances may have misguided ideas about what it is a sex coach does. Some people have negative reactions to anything having to do with the word “sex.” Using a term like “clinical sexologist” may seem to confer more authority on your career. 

At its most basic, the term “clinical sexology” refers to a wide range of professions that focus on helping people improve their sex lives. Sex coaching is one of the professions that falls under this umbrella term. Sex coaches are clinical sexologists.

However, the term “clinical sexologist” does not indicate how the professional works with their clients. It’s like using the term “therapist.” That term is a catch-all that can include psychotherapists, physical therapists, and massage therapists, among others.

At Sex Coach U, you’re trained as a Sex Coach, by Dr. Patti Britton, the Mother of Sex Coaching, who developed this specific approach to working with clients.

“Will people take me seriously as a ‘sex coach?’”

You may be worried that, since coaching in general is an unregulated profession, you could be compared to unscrupulous people who have taken a weekend certificate course and aren’t actually qualified to work with sexuality. This challenge is actually fairly easy to address. To anyone who indicates doubt about your training and qualifications, you can simply send them to our website to review how comprehensive and in depth our training is!

Another concern you may have is about online censorship; in other words, will you be able to advertise online? This is a valid concern, but this issue isn’t unique to sex coaches. Anyone working with dating, sex, or relationships is subject to throttling or censorship by website hosting companies, email providers, and others in the online space.

There’s no correct answer to what you “should” call yourself.

The choice is yours, of course. Our graduates use a variety of titles to denote their profession. You want to think about your ideal clients and what they will respond to. Who is seeking out the services you offer and which title may speak to them and most accurately describe who you are and what you do? Clients who already feel at least somewhat comfortable with sexuality might feel at ease seeing a sex coach, while more reserved clients may be more likely to approach a love or relationship coach.

The international profile of sex coaching as a profession in its own right is growing. Sex coaching was on the world stage in Mexico City during the WAS 2019 Congress, where Sex Coach U presented an invited symposium on the profession. Thousands of sexuality professionals were in attendance. 

The more we proudly claim the title of sex coach, the more we raise the profile of our profession in the public consciousness. After all, when people see others discussing “taboo” topics like sexuality with comfort, ease, and even a smile, it becomes easier for them to do the same. It is okay to say, loud and proud: “I am a Sex Coach!”

Curious about training to become a Certified Sex Coach™? Join the next live Info Session to meet the SCU team and participate in a live Q&A!