Training Content (Foundation and Advanced Training Program*)

*The content of the newly restructured certification program can be found here (German)

Seminar 1

Introduction to Sexocorporel

• Sexualities in Social Change
• Development of sexual sciences, sexual therapeutic models/schools
• Theoretical foundations of Sexocorporel: overview of the model of physiological, cognitive, perceptual, and relational components of sexual functioning/heal

The process of sexualization (sexual development)

• From birth to old age: age-specific stages in the integration of the arousal reflex into developing psychological, social, cognitive, and bodily functions
• Working with childhood sexuality
• Counseling parents regarding childhood sexual development

The sexual arousal function

• Sexual arousal curves: physiological processes and the experience of sexual arousal as distinct phenomena
• Sources and stimuli of arousal
• Sexual arousal modes: acquired patterns of stimulation and bodily involvement in triggering, increasing, and releasing sexual arousal
• Exploration of fundamental bodily capacities such as the three dimensions of movement (amplitude, rhythm, and muscle tone), breathing, bodily centering, posture, and grounding, and their effects on experience and cognition
• Exploration of specific bodily strategies for increasing, diffusing, channeling, and releasing sexual arousal (“Double Swing”)
• Gender-specific differences in the perception, codification, symbolization, and integration of the arousal function
• Influence of arousal modes on the autonomic nervous system and the experience of sexuality
• Possibilities for expanding arousal modes through specific bodily strategies
• Prerequisites for pleasurable experience of sexual arousal, intensification of arousal, surrender, emotional and orgasmic release as prerequisites for orgasmic experience

Cognitive components

• Reflection on knowledge, myths, norms, ideals, and beliefs regarding sexuality; individual concepts of sexuality
• Influence of cognitions on sexual self-perception and sexual learning processes across different life stages
• Understanding the top-down and bottom-up interaction between cognition and the body and their reciprocal influence
• Working with dysfunctional cognitions

Seminar 2

The bodily basis of emotional experience

• The autonomic nervous system as the basis of emotional experience in sexuality and interpersonal interaction
• Principles of Polyvagal Theory (according to Stephen Porges) within Sexocorporel
• Interaction between sexual arousal modes and the autonomic nervous system
• Possibilities for emotional self-regulation through influencing autonomic processes (breathing, posture, movement)

Emotional components: definition and development

• Gender identities, sociocultural gender roles
• Sense of gender belonging: perception of one’s own sexual body and belonging to one’s gender group. Developmental stages from birth onward
• Learning processes involved in eroticizing one’s own sexual body: experiencing, imagining, and symbolizing it as sexually arousing
• Sexual self-confidence: the ability to develop pride in one’s erotic competence and sexual body and to show oneself in it. Bodily strategies to support sexual self-confidence
• Sexual pleasure experience: the ability to perceive genital sexual arousal pleasurably and connect it with pleasurable emotions and thoughts
• Emotional intensity: the ability to experience sexuality passionately

Relational components

• Senses and sensuality
• Erotic capacities: exploration of the three dimensions of movement in touching and being touched

Introduction to reading body language

• Developing and practicing first principles of structured observation of body language using a person as a model (“modeling”): distinguishing observation, impression, and interpretation

Seminar 3

Emotional components: definition and development

• Sexual desire in its various forms – identifying the different underlying needs and the bodily capacities that support it
• Sexual attraction codes: nature, development, and expandability of sexual preferences, inclinations, and orientations
• Sexual fantasies as resources or challenges and their connection to the body
• Cognitive engagement with pornography

Relational components

• The relational modes of self-centering/ego-centering/other-centering as forms of autonomy and relatedness in relationships
• Influence of the autonomic nervous system on relational modes
• Seduction and “anti-seduction”: inviting versus applying pressure – effective strategies
• Body language in the dynamics of seduction
• Eroticization of closeness and distance
• Erotic communication
• Sensate Focus couple intervention in the style of Sexocorporel

Bodyreading

• Practicing the principles of structured observation of body language using a person as a model (“modeling”). Establishing a logical understanding of the person’s experience through ideomotor expression.

Seminar 4

Therapeutic approach

• Understanding sexual problems as solution strategies
• Developing a vocabulary for talking about sexuality
• Couples therapy and/or individual therapy?

Evaluation model

• Evaluation of the arousal function
• Evaluation of cognitions, components of sexual experience, and relationships
• Bodyreading: ideomotor expression as bodily structuring of emotional and sexual tension; the role of Bodyreading in sexological diagnostics

Evaluation, diagnostics, system logic, and treatment models

• Premature and early ejaculation
• Anorgasmia/orgasm difficulties, vaginal anorgasmia

Therapeutic techniques, work with practice assignments

• Biological and sexual-medical foundations
• Introduction to the anatomy and physiology of sexuality

Seminar 5

Evaluation, system logic, diagnostics, and treatment models

• Problems with sexual desire: differentiating emotional and sexual motives for sexuality, coital sexual desire
• Vaginismus based on phobia or identity-related difficulties
• Dyspareunia in women and men
• Erectile dysfunction
• Delayed/absent ejaculation and male orgasm difficulties

Biological and medical foundations

• Effects of aging, physical illnesses, and disabilities on sexuality
• Genital pain syndromes

Seminar 6

Gender identity

• From biological sex to social gender
• People between genders, “intersexualities”

The sense of gender belonging (SGB)

• Development and construction
• Importance of the arousal function

Identification with gender groups and gender stereotypes (cultural attributions)

• Symbolization and eroticization of one’s own sexual body and its function
• Evaluation, system logic, diagnostics, and treatment models for difficulties related to gender belonging
• Insecurities in the experience of one’s masculinity/femininity in connection with sexual problems
• Non-binarity, ambivalence, ambiguity, heterophobia, homophobia, autogenitophobia, intersex and transgender identities

Sexual attraction codes

• Polarity, orientation, spectrum
• Function in autoeroticism and relational sexuality
• Changes in attraction codes with aging

Evaluation, system logic, diagnostics, and treatment models for difficulties related to attraction codes

• Exclusivity as a source of arousal: fetishism, transvestism, dominance/submission, sadomasochism
• From traditional theories of perversion to the concept of Sexocorporel

Seminar 7

Evaluation, system logic, diagnostics, and treatment models for problems related to sexual compulsivity

• Subjective experience of losing control over one’s sexual impulses
• Compulsive search for sexual contact; for sexual pleasure/arousal
• Compulsive exhibitionism, voyeurism
• Compulsive pursuit of seduction scenarios
• Compulsive pedosexuality

Sexual therapy following sexual assault/trauma experiences

Evaluation, system logic, diagnostics, and treatment models for related themes

• Compulsive eating behavior
• Uncontrolled anger, emotion regulation

Seminar 8

Self-evaluation

• Evaluation of strengths, capacities, and limitations within the components of one’s own sexual system as a result of established solution strategies and one’s personal learning history
• Interventions from Sexocorporel as a basis for further learning processes

Conclusion

• Conclusion and evaluation of the training program