Sexual Therapy Training – practice-oriented and evidence-based

Would you like to professionally support people with concerns related to sexuality?

The ZISS sex therapy training program offers a comprehensive, body-oriented approach grounded in scientific principles and directly connected to clinical practice. Our modular training pathway is designed for professionals in counseling, therapy, and medicine who wish to deepen their expertise in human sexuality. The certification pathway consists of three training programs. Participants may choose to attend the first program only, the first two, or all three levels leading to certification. ZISS offers training programs in Switzerland (Zurich) and Southern Germany (Kißlegg).

An Overview of Our Sex Therapy Training Program

The ZISS sex therapy training is based on the well-established Sexocorporel model. This holistic approach integrates the physical, emotional, cognitive, and relational dimensions of sexuality and forms the foundation of an effective, learning-oriented therapeutic method.

At a Glance:

Modular structure: foundational training plus two advanced levels
Designed for working professionals: four-day in-person seminars and online formats
International orientation: training locations in Zurich and Southern Germany
Certifications recognized by iSi, FSP, SGPP, SAPPM, and the German Medical Association
Open to professionals with psychosocial, medical, or counseling backgrounds

The Sexocorporel Approach

Sexocorporel is a body- and experience-oriented approach to the treatment of sexual concerns. It is used internationally in therapy, counseling, and education.

At the center of the model is the relationship between bodily functioning, sexual experience, beliefs about sexuality, and relational dynamics. Based on this understanding, clients develop new ways of experiencing and expressing sexuality consciously and pleasurably.

Learn more about the Sexocorporel approach

Program Structure: Three Training Levels

1. Foundational training in sexual therapy: Foundational program

Ideal for participants who are new to therapeutic work using the Sexocorporel approach. This program provides the theoretical and practical foundations of Sexocorporel.Topics include: Physical foundations of sexuality, sexual development, sexual dysfunctions, therapeutic concepts, counseling skills, professional attitude, and ethics.

2. Advanced professional training track: Advanced program

Following completion of the foundational program, this level is suitable for psychologists, physicians, therapists, and professionals with counseling experience or ongoing counseling training.Topics include: Deepening the concepts introduced in the foundational training, with a focus on case work, self-reflection, body language awareness, and body-oriented applications in clinical practice.

3. Advanced professional training track: Certification program

Following completion of the advanced program, this level is intended for psychologists, physicians, therapists, and professionals with counseling experience or advanced counseling training and active clinical practice.Topics include: More complex clinical issues such as couple dynamics, trauma-related challenges, low desire, chronic pain, trans* topics, and compulsive sexuality.

The certification program is organized internationally in collaboration with ZISS, IfES, and ISP Vienna.

1. Foundational program: Foundational Training in Clinical Sexology in the Sexocorporel approach

The foundational program teaches the theoretical and practical foundations of the scientific Sexocorporel model.The goals of the program are to develop counseling competencies for working with clients presenting concerns related to sexuality, while also encouraging participants to reflect on and expand their own experiential and behavioral patterns.The training combines theoretical instruction with an in-depth exploration of the methodology through self-experience, cognitive exchange, body- and emotion-oriented exercises, and therapeutic role play.

Specific Learning Objectives

Participants become familiar with and understand:

The physiological, cognitive, and psychological interaction involved in human sexual experience
The patterns individuals develop to initiate and increase sexual arousal
The broad impact of these patterns
The role of learning in sexuality
Sexual dysfunctions as outcomes of attempted solutions and complex interactions among the different components of sexuality

Participants become familiar with and apply:

Different breathing techniques and other methods influencing the autonomic nervous system and emotional regulation
The sensory, emotional, symbolic, and interpersonal effects of physical skills such as breathing, movement, muscle tension, and posture

Participants develop skills related to:

The development of sexual arousal and pleasure
Expanding sexual desire, erotic capacities, self-confidence, and other aspects of sexual experience
Regulating emotional and sexual arousal using sensorimotor and psychomotor techniques

Participants learn the foundations of sex therapy interventions, including:

Conducting a sex therapy assessment
An introduction to reading body language
Understanding the development of sexual difficulties through attempted solutions
The structure, goals, and content of Sexocorporel treatment
Basic therapeutic intervention techniques

Seminar Content

Training curriculum

Certification

Successful completion of the program is certified by ZISS with a Certificate of Foundational Studies in Clinical Sexology (Level 1, Institut Sexocorporel International – ISI).

Requirements include:

Attendance of at least 90% of training hours
Passing scores on module assessments
Completion of the self-evaluation process

Sex therapy practice based on the Sexocorporel model should take place under supervision by an ISI-recognized supervisor.

2. Advanced program: Advanced Training in Clinical Sexology in the Sexocorporel approach

The second program deepens participants’ capacity for self-observation and objective body reading as an essential component of Sexocorporel sex therapy.The program strengthens therapeutic presence and expands counseling and therapeutic competencies across the spectrum of sexual dysfunctions. Because participants have completed the foundational training, plenary sessions allow for a deeper understanding and integration of the theoretical material. Participants in this level primarily work through observing themselves and fellow participants. Additional daily small-group sessions with seminar leaders focus on body language reading, self-awareness, objective listening, and communication skills.

Specific Learning Objectives

Participants master elements of physical observation, including:

Identifying bodily regulation mechanisms through breathing, movement rhythms, tension, and use of space
Exploratory and descriptive body reading without interpretation or projection

Participants reflect on and refine their own experiential patterns:

Deepening sensorimotor awareness and self-regulation skills
Observing, reflecting on, and expanding their own body-reading patterns and therapeutic stance
Strengthening emotional self-regulation capacities

Participants develop a deeper understanding of:

The scientific foundations of the Sexocorporel approach
Therapeutic approaches to different sexual dysfunctions
Their own beliefs, ideologies, and values in order to differentiate them from those of clients

Participants develop advanced therapeutic and counseling skills, including:

Refining work with the components of the Sexocorporel model
Expanding perceptual awareness
Structuring and differentiating bodily observations for precise analysis
Verbally describing and physically illustrating body-based observations
Establishing a coherent understanding of clients’ concerns through evaluation and body reading
Communicating the logic of a client’s experience with empathy and clarity, including strengths, limitations, and possibilities for change
Reflecting on their own behavioral and experiential patterns while becoming aware of introjection and projection processes in support of more objective therapeutic work

Structure of the Seminars

Seminars are held alongside the foundational training. Participants in the advanced level work on distinct tasks, partly in separate rooms, using exercises, role play, group work, and plenary sessions to deepen the above competencies.

Certification

Successful completion of the program is certified by ZISS with a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Clinical Sexology (Level 2, Institut Sexocorporel International ISI).

Requirements include:

Attendance of at least 90% of training hours
Passing scores on module assessments
Submission of a short written paper

Participation in supervision sessions during the seminars is strongly recommended, as is participation in Sexocorporel self-experience sessions.

Sex therapy practice based on the Sexocorporel model should take place under supervision by an ISI-recognized supervisor.

3. Certification program: Certification training in clinical sexology based on the Sexocorporel approach

The certification program has been restructured. In collaboration with the three German-speaking Sexocorporel training institutes, it now follows its own curriculum and independent structure rather than running parallel to the first two programs.

The certification program consists of six four-day modules. Two modules each are hosted by ZISS, ISP Vienna, and IfES.

Information regarding locations, dates, costs, and registration forms can be found here.

Graduates of the certification program have integrated the physical and cognitive principles of Sexocorporel and are able to provide individualized, comprehensive Sexocorporel therapy. They are also prepared to work with complex therapeutic situations and maintain a reflective awareness of their own therapeutic process.

Participants learn precise exercise guidance techniques and work through complex therapeutic scenarios in role play settings.

Specific Learning Objectives

Participants are able to:

Conduct comprehensive Sexocorporel assessments and explain the logic underlying clients’ functioning
Objectively analyze the bodily organization of sexual tension and the intrapsychic meaning of bodily dynamics
Design and conduct Sexocorporel therapy, including in complex clinical cases
Evaluate themselves objectively and apply emotional self-regulation processes

Seminar Content

In-depth work on topics that are particularly challenging in sex therapy practice
Strong focus on the personal development of participants as therapists
Detailed curriculum information is available here

Admission Requirements

Admission is limited to successful graduates of Programs 1 and 2 who meet the following criteria:

Ongoing independent therapeutic work with clients (multiple hours per week) or a plan to establish this within the first six months of the program
Advanced or completed counseling or therapeutic training
Ability to provide video recordings of therapy sessions for group supervision

Admission decisions are made by the training directors following an interview process.

Individuals who do not meet these criteria or who wish to attend without pursuing certification may participate in a consolidation track upon request (currently available only in Zurich).

Time Commitment

In addition to seminar participation, participants are expected to complete:

At least five hours of individual self-experience or supervision with ISI-recognized supervisors
Independent study of assigned literature
A video recording of a therapy session for supervision
A final case study paper

Certification

Successful graduates receive the “Certificate of Completion in Clinical Sexology Sexocorporel ISI.”

Graduates of Sexocorporel master’s programs may qualify for simplified certification requirements upon request.

Participants attending the third program as a consolidation track alongside the first two programs receive a certificate of participation from ZISS rather than the ISI certification.

Certification Requirements

A minimum attendance rate of 90% is required.

To receive certification, participants must demonstrate the ability to communicate knowledge and concrete learning steps clearly and effectively, while engaging clients with empathy, objectivity, and self-reflection.

This is demonstrated through:

A written case study (minimum of 10 sessions or one completed case)
An in-depth supervised case presentation including video material

Recommended, though currently not mandatory:

Completion of the “Vivre en Amour” cycle (Sex and Love)

Possible additional professional titles for graduates of the certification program

1) Diploma Clinical Sexologist ISI
For the acquisition of the title "Clinical Sexologist ISI" additional criteria must be fulfilled in addition to the completion of the certification program (including multi-year ISI membership, supervision and self-experience hours, sexological foundational training or foundational seminars 1 and 2). The current criteria for obtaining the title can be found here.

2) Accredited Sexocorporel Therapist on ziss.ch
Persons who have successfully completed the certification program and live or work in Switzerland may apply to be registered as an accredited Sexocorporel-Therapeut:in on [www.ziss.ch](http://www.ziss.ch), provided they meet the criteria of ZISS.

Who is the training suitable for?

Our training is aimed at people who work (or wish to work in the future) professionally with topics related to sexuality;

Professionals in psychiatry and psychotherapy
General practitioners
Gynecologists
Urologists
Midwives
Professionals in education & social work
Occupational therapists
Physiotherapists
Career changers & newcomers

Why ZISS?

Many years of experience in education & training as well as research in the field of sexuality
Compact teaching staff ensuring continuity in didactics and personal support
Instructors broadly trained in therapy, medicine, and research
Training specifically oriented toward practical clinical work
Small groups for individual development & personal guidance
Strong network across the DACH region
Recognition by various professional associations

ZISS Faculty

Karoline Bischof (top right); MD, FMH Specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Sexologist ISI, Psychosomatic and Psychosocial Medicine SAPPM, PhD in Sexology IASHS
Program Director; Foundational Training Switzerland and Southern Germany; Certification Program

Annette Bischof-Campbell (bottom left); MSc, Psychologist FSP, Federally Licensed Psychotherapist, Clinical Sexologist iSi
Advanced Training Switzerland and Southern Germany; Certification Program

Ronny Kriebisch (bottom right); Dipl. Psych., Psychological Psychotherapist
Foundational Training Southern Germany

Adrian Stumm (top left): Sexuality Educator ISP, Clinical Sexologist iSi
Foundational Training Switzerland

Information About the Training Programs in Switzerland (Zurich) and Southern Germany (Kißlegg)

Training Program Zurich

Training Program Southern Germany

Dates & Registration

The next training cohorts begin on July 1, 2027, in Southern Germany and on October 6, 2027, in Zurich.

Reserve your place now – spaces are limited.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the training program take?

Depending on the selected program and professional goals, the training comprises 32, 64, or 88 days in four-day seminars, distributed over 2 to 5 years.

Is it possible to complete the training while working?

Yes, our modules are specifically designed for working professionals. As a rule, four four-day seminars take place per year (Wednesday to Saturday or Thursday to Sunday). The preparation required between seminars is limited to a few hours, including online small-group work.

Can I enter the advanced training directly with a background in therapy or medicine?

The advanced training requires foundational training in the Sexocorporel approach. We are happy to review your documents as part of a consultation.

What will I be able to do after completing the training?

This depends on the specific program level (foundational, advanced, or certification) and on your prior experience.

If you do not yet have a background in counseling, the foundational training provides an introduction to sexual therapy in the Sexocorporel approach and helps you determine whether this field is a good fit for you. If you are already working in a counseling or therapeutic profession, the foundational training will give you extensive knowledge and allow you to enrich your own practice with elements of the Sexocorporel approach.

The advanced training is designed to further develop and refine your skills in sexual therapy in the Sexocorporel approach.The certification training enables you to work as a sexual therapist with complex sexual concerns and is recommended if you intend to practice sexual therapy in the Sexocorporel approach as your main professional focus.

What happens if I miss a seminar?

You have the option of making up the seminar at a cooperating institute (ZISS, IfES, ISP Vienna). No additional seminar fee is charged for making up a missed seminar; however, any additional seminars are subject to a fee.

How do the different Sexocorporel training programs differ?

Three German-language training institutes are recognized by the umbrella organization iSi (Institut Sexocorporel International): ZISS (Zurich and Kißlegg), the Austrian Institute for Sexual Education (ISP Vienna), and the Institute for Embodiment and Sexology (IfES, Berlin and Innsbruck).

The structure of the training programs at all three institutes follows the guidelines set by iSi. The foundations of Sexocorporel are the same across all programs. The institutes are in continuous exchange and cooperate on both theoretical and practical levels. This means that all institutes provide a high-quality, professional training.

Differences mainly lie in the personal preferences and teaching styles of the instructors. ZISS is medically led and inspired by Feldenkrais and polyvagal theory, IfES has an embodiment-oriented and systemic background, and ISP Vienna places a strong emphasis on sex education.

To date, only the ZISS training has been certified by various professional associations with continuing education credits.

How does the sex therapy training at ZISS differ from the ISP in Zurich?

The three training programs at ZISS comprise 88 in-person training days delivered in four-day blocks over a period of five years, making them well suited to be completed alongside professional work.

The sex therapy training at ISP consists of 100 days in three-day blocks over a period of three years. ISP recommends reducing professional work to 80% during the training period.

The ZISS training follows the guidelines of the international Sexocorporel institute iSi. It therefore fully covers the requirements for a Sexocorporel sex therapist in clinical practice. A dedicated module (the advanced training) focuses on the practical development of therapeutic skills such as self-reflection, emotional regulation, understanding body language, and translating theoretical knowledge into body-oriented work. This component is also experienced as highly enriching by already experienced therapists. The ISP training places a stronger emphasis on the transmission of theoretical content.

At ISP, around 25 instructors with different areas of expertise teach the program, allowing for a variety of perspectives and working methods. At ZISS, there are 3 core instructors, complemented by occasional guest lecturers, which supports continuity in content delivery, didactics, and personal supervision.

The ZISS training is certified by several professional associations (SGPP, SAPPM, FSP, iSi, and the German Medical Association) and is accredited with continuing education credits.

Training Information Brochures (PDF)

Training Information Switzerland

Training Information Southern Germany