FT Stage 1 & Penner Phase 1 (Assignments 1-10)
Time: 11:00 am-1:00 pm CT
Outside Study: 2 hours
Didactic Presentation: 1 hour 45 mins
Educator: Danielle Schaefer
Description:
The aim of this training is to provide a clinically grounded overview of the sex therapy treatment process, integrating protocols from Counseling for Sexual Disorders and Restoring the Pleasure by Clifford and Joyce Penner with the stages and steps of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). The training will begin with a broad overview of the treatment framework before focusing specifically on the first session and assessment, corresponding with EFT Stage 1, Step 1. Particular attention will be given to identifying contraindications to sex therapy and recognizing factors within the assessment that may introduce additional complexities to treatment. The training will also include a brief review of the first ten Penner assignments, which align with EFT Stage 1, Steps 2–4, and incorporate Sensate Focus exercises designed to promote emotional safety, secure attachment, and the gradual restoration of sexual intimacy.
TLDR – The aim of this training is to:
- Provide an overview of the sex therapy treatment process, combining the Penner Protocol with EFT.
- First Session & Assessment = EFT Stage 1: Step 1
- Contraindications
- Complexities
- Assignments 1-10 = EFT Stage 1: Steps 2-4 & Sensate Focus
- **Experiential exercises will focus on doing Steps 2 & 3 with a couple after trying an assisgnment**
Pre – Didactic Material:
Dearest Team.
We have quite the intellectual and educational FEAST for pre-didactic materials. The main course will be the opportunity to watch THE Sarah Cowan do some wonderful, early stage sex therapy work. I would love for you all to spend at least one hour observing Sarah’s tapes. I have provided a few time stamps to help guide your viewing if you are short on time – and to prepare you, specifically, for the experiential exercises we will be doing in our didactic.
An important piece of sex therapy is combining EFT, Penner Protocol, and quality education for our clients. Sarah does such a beautiful job of demonstrating how to do this from the very beginning of work with clients. If you have any extra time, I would encourage you to watch as much tape as possible, because it can be so helpful in providing verbiage and a felt sense of what this can look like practically.
I have also included some readings from the Penner’s Counseling for Sexual Disorders. These chapters provide a good review of our overall goals, assessment, and the purpose of the assignments (if you are short on time, it is okay to skim).
Tape [[At least 1 hour]]:
- Watch Sarah complete a sex therapy intake. Step 2 (identifying and tracking the cycle) starts at 30:00 with wife, 41:00 with husband: https://app.box.com/file/1974860243974
- Watch Sarah do a session with a couple following individual sessions. If you have time, watch the entire tape, because Sarah spends the first 20 minutes introducing the guidelines for exercises. If you are crunched for time, start at 23:00 – where she demonstrates leaning into EFT Step 2 while also introducing nervous system language: https://app.box.com/file/1934412909411
- Watch Sarah, with the same couple, do Step 2 and Step 3 (uncover primary emotion, attachment needs, and position in the cycle) utilizing initial assignment (Step 2 starts at 18:00, enactment at 35:00): https://app.box.com/file/1934405915386?sb=/activity
Readings [[Approximately 30-45 mins]]:
- Counseling for Sexual Disorders: A Therapist’s Handbook by Clifford and Joyce Penner
- Chapter 6. What is Sexual Therapy? (3 pages)
- Chapter 8. Assessment (10 pages + review the assessments)
- Chapter 9. Sexual Therapy (review assignments 1-10)
Future Didactics:
11-05-25 Process Groups
11-12-25 EFT Stage 2 and Penner Phase 2 (Assignments 11-24)
11-19-25 EFT Stage 3 and Penner Phase 3 (Assignments 24-End)
11-26-25 NO DIDACTIC – THANKSGIVING
12-03-25 Process Groups
Friendly Reminder
– Articles are due by the end of November.
– Make sure that you schedule a time to film a video.
– Instructions & link to sign up for video time with Josh: https://app.box.com/file/2002100939685)
