Welcome to the American Association of Somatic Sexology

The American Association of Somatic Sexology (AASS) is dedicated to promoting the integration of somatic and sexological practices for the advancement of sexual health and well-being. Our mission is to educate, train, and support practitioners, researchers, and educators in the field of somatic sexology, as well as to provide resources and support for individuals and couples seeking to improve their sexual health and well-being. 

Our membership based organization is dedicated to creating a community of professionals and individuals who are committed to advancing the field of somatic sexology through research, education, and clinical practice, with the goal of promoting sexual health and well-being for all.

Why AASS, Why Now? 

I often tell the story about my transition into this work. In 1997, I started working as a sex surrogate* under the auspices of the now controversial Dr. Dean Dauw, who was a pioneer in the field of sex surrogacy. For the next 20 years, I studied voraciously, consuming anything from spiritual doctrines to scientific journals around sex and sexuality.

When I graduated from massage school in 2004, I began looking into programs at the Esalen Institute and Source Tantra, but for a young Black queer femme in Chicago, those programs seemed so far out of my reach, financially and physically. In the majority of the trainings I attended, I found that I was  often the only person of color  and almost always the youngest person in the room. The teachings were not easily accessible, and my lived experience as a queer Black woman was not made to feel welcomed in these spaces. 

It would be over a decade later, when I decided to create a program with young, Black sexual revolutionaries in mind, that I found out there was really no way to get my program accredited without white teachers and facilitators in my curriculum.. I sent my curriculum to several “accrediting” organizations who could not offer any review for potential accreditation or evaluate it against any rubric they had set. I met with some of the founders of those organizations, only to find out that they had no way to include programs outside of the ones they created in their “accreditation” process. I found this extremely problematic, as many of these organizations were raising money for potential students of color to attend their programs. The timing, seemingly in response to the Black Lives Matter movements across the globe, without any BIPOC representation in educational leadership, and no immediate plan to include programs with facilitators and educators of color. Many of these organizations included outdated and gendered language that have historically excluded members of our communities, with little to no accountability or acknowledgement when corrected. 

I decided to start the American Association of Somatic Sexology after noticing these discrepancies in the world of accreditation for sexuality professionals. Realizing that pioneering organizations for sex professionals didn’t have a rubric for accreditation or any assessment protocol for curriculum was eye-opening. It seems that many, like the now defunct American College of Sexology, were charging for seals of approval, fundraising for their own financial gain, and offering no form of restorative justice when faced with their own problematic historic legacies. This way of doing business is not only highly unethical, it leaves those who have been systematically disenfranchised from professional organizations at risk of exclusion and harm.

It was painfully obvious that there was a need for accreditation standards and the creation of a general  rubric for evaluating institutional effectiveness. We are raising the bar to ensure a reputable foundation for the field of sexology that is inclusive, coherent and necessary for any field’s advancement and success. 

Defining Somatic Sexology & Standards of Use

Somatic sexology is a branch of sexology that focuses on the connection between sexual health and overall physical wellness and uses techniques such as body awareness, breath work, movement, and touch to help individuals and couples explore their physical and emotional experiences of sexuality. We are looking at ways to incorporate a variety of modalities– including sex therapy and coaching, bodywork, surrogate partner therapy and sex education–that see the body as a whole system and human sexuality as an integral part of our human experience.

Our advisory board is representative of our community and we are taking the time we need to serve our community in a way that is inclusive and in integrity. We are modeling our accreditation standards after tried and true, globally accepted models in the world today. Our seven accreditation standards are: 

• Institutional Mission & Effectiveness
• Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship
• Educational Effectiveness, Program Requirements & Evaluation
• Educational Administration & Faculty Qualifications
• Admissions Policies & Practices
• Management, Leadership & Governance
• Integrity, Transparency, and Public Disclosure

Ensuring institutional excellence is a key goal for AASS accreditation.Our standards serve as a tangible, measurable set of guidelines and expectations that define quality and provide the basis for continuous improvement.

Accreditation standards are necessary in sexology education, as they assess not only the quality and effectiveness of programs and support services but also the overall success of the practitioner and institution in fulfilling its mission. These new, community agreed-upon standards serve as a framework for institutional accountability, transparency, and progress, while ensuring that students receive a comprehensive education, and that faculty and staff have the resources and support they need to deliver it.

Moreover, by implementing standards, sexology education institutions can demonstrate their commitment to diversity, equity, quality and continuous improvement, as well as their willingness to be held accountable.

The world of sexology is expanding exponentially and we believe these standards will not only protect our work, but also and more importantly protect the community at large. You are invited to be a part of this expansive healing model  and become a founding member below. 

In pleasure and power,

Amina Peterson
Founder & Interim Board President
American Association of Somatic Sexology