Conversion therapy is the pseudoscientific practice of attempting to change an individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to align with heterosexual and cisgender norms. Methods that have been used to this end include forms of brain surgery, surgical or hormonal castration, aversive treatments such as electric shocks, nausea-inducing drugs, hypnosis, counseling, spiritual interventions, visualization, psychoanalysis, and arousal reconditioning.
Sexology is the scientific study of human sexuality, including human sexual interests, behaviors, and functions. The term sexology does not generally refer to the non-scientific study of sexuality, such as social criticism.
The American Psychological Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychologists in the United States, and the largest psychological association in the world. It has over 157,000 members, including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students. It has 54 divisions, which function as interest groups for different subspecialties of psychology or topical areas. The APA has an annual budget of around $125 million.
The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional membership organization "dedicated to advancing knowledge of sexuality and communicating scientifically based sexuality research and scholarship to professionals, policy makers, and the general public." SSSS was originally incorporated in 1966 as The Society for the Scientific Study of Sex, but in 1996, the name was expanded to The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality to better reflect the wide range of members' research interests and because the term "sex" was often interpreted narrowly to refer only to "sexual behavior". The membership includes anthropologists, biologists, educators, historians, nurses, physicians, psychologists, sociologists, theologians, therapists, and others. SSSS produces the Journal of Sex Research, a scholarly journal currently published by Taylor & Francis.
Ian Kerner is a sex counselor, practitioner of psychotherapy, and author on pleasuring sex partners. He works in sex therapy and couples therapy.
Hani Miletski is a sexologist, and sex therapist living in Bethesda, Maryland. She specializes as a trainer and supervisor in the field, in sex addiction, and also works within the criminal justice system. She studied at The Catholic University of America and has a doctorate from the unaccredited Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality.
Larry M. Davis, M.D. was a practicing American psychiatrist from 1971 until his accidental death in 2006.
The Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB) was founded in 1969 as the Biofeedback Research Society (BRS). The association aims to promote understanding of biofeedback and advance the methods used in this practice. AAPB is a non-profit organization as defined in Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Service Code.
Lori Anne Brotto is a Canadian psychologist best known for her work on female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD).
Sandra Risa Leiblum (1943–2010) was an American author, lecturer, and researcher in sexology.
The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality (IASHS) was a private, unaccredited, for-profit graduate school and resource center for the field of sexology in San Francisco, California. It was established in 1976 and closed in 2018. Degree and certificate programs focused on public health, sex therapy, and sexological research.
The International Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva Association (IFOPA) is a US-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supporting medical research, education and communication for those afflicted by the rare genetic condition Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP). IFOPA's mission is to fund research to find a cure for FOP while supporting, connecting, and advocating for individuals with FOP and their families, and raising awareness worldwide. IFOPA is governed by a volunteer board of directors which may range in number from 9 to 15, at least one of whom must have FOP. The association's location is 1520 Clay St., Suite H2, North Kansas City, MO, 64116, part of the Kansas City, Missouri metropolitan area.
James M. Cantor is an American-Canadian clinical psychologist and sexologist specializing in hypersexuality and paraphilias.
Certified Sex Therapists (CST) have graduate degrees in a clinical mental health field and have obtained advanced training in sex therapy from a credentialed training body, resulting in certification. One of the largest such bodies is the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT).
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to human sexuality:
Transgender hormone therapy, also called hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), is a form of hormone therapy in which sex hormones and other hormonal medications are administered to transgender or gender nonconforming individuals for the purpose of more closely aligning their secondary sexual characteristics with their gender identity. This form of hormone therapy is given as one of two types, based on whether the goal of treatment is masculinization or feminization:
Michael A. Perelman is an American psychologist. He is a Clinical Professor Emeritus of Psychology in Psychiatry and former Clinical Professor of Reproductive Medicine, and Urology at Weill Cornell Medicine. Perelman is the co-director of the Human Sexuality Program, Payne Whitney Clinic of the NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital.
Marta Crawford is a Portuguese psychologist and author, specialising in clinical sexology. She frequently appears on Portuguese TV to discuss matters related to sexual therapy.
Stefani Elizabeth Goerlich is an American author, sexologist, researcher, and relationship counselor. She is an author of books based on academic self-help, sexual, and relational health themes. She is a licensed clinical social worker with advanced specialization in forensic social work and an AASECT certified sex therapist.
