Society of Australian Sexologists Ltd upcoming events

2026 Re-accreditation (1 Jun 2026)

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Welcome to the re-accreditation page for 2026. We have set it up as an event to make it even easier to register your documents.

To start, please select the 'ticket' that relates to your accreditation type and level.

The registration form will require you to upload:

CPD Tracker recording 20 hours of CPD -- this must also be signed and 'yes' ticked in the declaration section. You can also include your supervision log (or mentoring log) all in the one document.

Supervision Log recording the required hours of practice and supervision for your accreditation level
OR
Mentorship Log recording the required hours of teaching and mentoring for your accreditation level
Insurance Certificate of Currency
Police Clearance (no more than 2 years old)
Therapists must also upload proof of their primary registration

If you are unsure of the requirements for your accreditation level you can download the Re-accreditation criteria.

Once registered, these documents are automatically saved to your member profile and the Accreditation Officer is notified that you have completed your registration.

*Please note you are not required to provide evidence of your CPD activities at this stage. However, if your file is audited you will need to provide evidence as part of this process.

Navigating Inappropriate Client Behaviour During Intake with Andrew Everingham, Kate Dempsey & Safari Lee (13 Aug 2026)

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 09:00:00 GMT

About

Working in sex therapy can be incredibly rewarding. Still, because of the nature of the work, we may also encounter inappropriate enquiries, boundary-testing behaviours, sexually explicit communications, "nuisance callers", and clients whose intentions are not therapeutic.

This webinar explores how to recognise and respond to inappropriate client behaviour during the intake process while maintaining professionalism, safety, and ethical practice. Through real-world case examples, we'll discuss common scenarios that sex therapists may encounter, including inappropriate phone calls, emails, online enquiries, and requests for personal information.

Together we'll explore:

Identifying genuine help-seeking clients versus inappropriate or non-therapeutic enquiries.
Responding to nuisance calls, sexually explicit communications, and repeated boundary violations.
Maintaining clear therapeutic boundaries from the very first contact.
Ethical and legal considerations, including privacy, harassment, and practitioner safety.

Whether you're new to sex therapy or an experienced practitioner, this webinar will help you navigate challenging interactions with confidence, protect your wellbeing, and create a professional intake process for both you and your clients.

Presenters

Andrew Everingham is a Clinical Social Worker, an Accredited Clinical Psychosexual Therapist with SAS, and an Approved Counsellor with NSW Victim Services. Andrew has over fifteen years of experience in the sexual health field, having worked in various positions in publicly funded sexual health clinics across NSW, and currently as the Senior Social Worker at Nepean Sexual Health and HIV Clinic. Andrew also works in private practice (Staghorn Sexology) in the Blue Mountains, engaging in psychosexual therapy and relationship counselling, and as a lecturer for the Psychosexual Therapy pathway in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Postgraduate Program at the University of Sydney. Andrew has an interest in sexual dysfunction, sexual health/HIV and sexual health anxiety.

Kate Dempsey is an Accredited Clinical Psychosexual Therapist, Accredited Clinical Sexuality Educator, Certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) Clinical Consultant and Counselling Supervisor in private practice on Gurambilbarra Country in Townsville (Sexology North Queensland). Since 2019, she has worked in acute adult mental health at a psychiatric hospital and facilitates both inpatient and outpatient programs. She is on staff with an international teaching team for IFIO relationship therapy trainings and a member of the teaching team at the University of Sydney’s Postgraduate Program for Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Psychosexual Therapy pathway, lecturing on sexuality and trauma recovery. Kate brings a barefoot, down-to-earth approach to helping people feel safer, more connected, and less alone in their therapeutic journey.

Safari Lee is a sex therapist and ACA Level 3 counsellor, working in her private practice at Sage Sexology on Gadigal Land, Sydney. This semester, she is completing her fourth postgraduate degree in counselling and sexology, and has started writing a book. Alongside private practice, Safari supports SMART Recovery Australia and Chronic Pain Australia group facilitators, and is contracted as a relationship coach across the United States and Europe. Safari works with individuals and relationships, with a particular interest in LGBTQIA+, kink, and ENM communities, sex workers, compulsive sexual behaviours, and chronic pain. She is also passionate about helping counsellors and allied health practitioners feel confident and capable discussing sexual wellbeing with clients.

Ethics: Staying on the Right Side of Complaints with Trish Purnell-Webb (2 Sep 2026)

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMT

About

One of the most stressful situations a health professional can find themselves in is dealing with a professional complaint through our state authority and/or professional body. Tens of thousands of notifications about psychologists, social workers, counsellors and psychotherapists are made every year across Australia. This workshop will explore the most common notifications made about health professionals offering sex therapy as part of their services. The workshop will be interactive and illustrated with case studies. Tips for protecting your practice will be offered.

Presenter

Trish Purnell-Webb is a Clinical Psychologist, Certified Gottman Therapist, Advanced Clinical trainer and Consultant for the Gottman Institute. Trish has worked with couples for 30 years in her private practice based on Burleigh Heads, QLD and is the founder of Relationship Institute Australasia, a training organisation for those wishing to work therapeutically with couples.

Trish is an active educator teaching into Masters programs in several Australian and Singaporean universities as well as being a board-approved supervisor (AHPRA), Assessor for the Supervisor Training Accreditation Program and Supervision Masterclass Facilitator (AHPRA).

Trish regularly provides support and supervision to professionals facing notifications and conditions set by AHPRA, QCAT, HPCA and regularly provides professional development workshops for many community and professional organisations throughout Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the USA.

When Trauma Affects Sex: Practical Tools and the SHIFT Model for Integrating Sexual Wellbeing into Trauma-Informed Practice with Dr Sarah Ashton (15 Oct 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 09:30:00 GMT

About

Sexual concerns are among the most common and enduring impacts of trauma, yet they are often overlooked or treated separately from broader therapeutic work. Many clinicians feel uncertain about how to raise conversations about sex, respond to disclosures, or integrate sexual wellbeing into trauma-informed care.

Drawing on current research, clinical experience, and the themes explored in her newly published book When Trauma Affects Sex, Dr Sarah Ashton will introduce the SHIFT Model—an integrative framework for understanding how trauma can shape sexual wellbeing across the lifespan. Participants will explore how sexual concerns can be understood within their broader developmental, relational, and biopsychosocial context, rather than as isolated symptoms. Using a clinical case study, Sarah will demonstrate how a trauma-informed formulation can guide assessment, therapeutic conversations, and intervention, helping clinicians

feel more confident incorporating sexual wellbeing into their existing practice. The session will also explore practical strategies for initiating conversations about sex, reducing shame, recognising when interdisciplinary collaboration may be beneficial, and supporting clients experiencing trauma-related sexual concerns.

Key Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Recognise the common ways trauma can affect sexual wellbeing and understand why sexual concerns are often overlooked in trauma-informed practice.
Apply the SHIFT Model to conceptualise sexual concerns within their broader developmental, relational, and biopsychosocial context.
Develop a trauma-informed formulation that integrates sexual wellbeing into assessment and intervention.
Increase confidence initiating conversations about sexual wellbeing, responding to disclosures, and reducing shame in clinical practice.
Identify practical therapeutic strategies and recognise when interdisciplinary collaboration or referral may enhance client care.

Presenter

Dr Sarah Ashton is a sexual health psychologist, board-approved supervisor, educator, and founder of Sexual Health and Intimacy Psychological Services (SHIPS) and the Institute of Sexual Health Psychology Australia (ISHPA).

With over 17 years of clinical experience, Sarah is passionate about providing compassionate, evidence-informed care and advancing the integration of sexual wellbeing into mainstream psychological practice. Through her clinical work, education, supervision, and advocacy, she has dedicated her career to increasing confidence and capability among health professionals to address sexual wellbeing as an essential component of holistic healthcare.

Sarah has lectured at universities across Australia, delivered professional development workshops nationally, advised organisations including the Australian Psychological Society (APS), the Society of Australian Sexologists (SAS), and Labia Library, and developed more than 28 online professional training programs in sexual health psychology.

She is the author of the newly published book When Trauma Affects Sex, which introduces the SHIFT Model - an integrative framework for understanding and treating the impact of trauma on sexual wellbeing.