Philosophy and Design of IPSA Professional Training

Every IPSA training program employs a rich combination of lecture, group discussion, experiential exercises and personalized feedback in order to optimize trainee learning and growth.

Each class is led by a team of experienced IPSA trainers. Trainers guide class participants through a series of structured relaxation, communication, and sensual awareness exercises. These structured exercises are integrated with non-structured experiences that enhance trainee self-awareness, capacity for intimacy, and clinical skills.

Trainers provide individual feedback and advice for every trainee for the duration of the class. Members of the surrogate and therapist communities contribute expertise through the lecture portion of each course.

The experiential aspects of therapist and surrogate training are modeled on the practices of modern sex therapy and Surrogate Partner Therapy. This design provides trainees with a multi-dimensional clinical education—developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for effective clinical work. Experiential learning also generates significant personal enrichment for most trainees.

Surrogate Partner Training

Level 1: IPSA Training: Human Sexuality and Intimacy; Sex Therapy and Surrogate Partner Therapy
Level 2: Supervised Internship
Level 3: Individual Case Consultations
Level 4: Continuing Education

Therapist Training

Level 1: IPSA Training: Human Sexuality and Intimacy; Sex Therapy and Surrogate Partner Therapy
Level 2: Individual Case Consultation

Class Details

Length: Classes are approximately 100 hours, and require significant additional reading, writing, and studying. Applicants may apply for either the 12-week training or the 12-day intensive training, or indicate availability for both.
Costs: Tuition for classes is $1,500 per participant. (Partial scholarships are sometimes available for individual Therapists and Personal Enrichment participants who are able to join otherwise full classes.)

Trainees are responsible for their own lodgings, transportation and meals during the class. Interns pay their mentors an honorarium of $15 per client session. Private consultation fees are set by each consultant, on a case by case basis.

Locations: Classes are usually held in Southern California. IPSA will consider conducting trainings in other locations by special arrangement—when a sufficient number of appropriate applicants from another geographic area are accepted into the training program.

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