About the ACSB

The Association of Certified Sexological Bodyworkers (ACSB) is devoted to the promotion, support, development and accountability of the profession of somatic sex education and Certified Sexological Bodyworkers.

The profession of Sexological Bodywork® was created by Joseph Kramer in 2003 at the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco, California. The profession of Sexological Bodywork and its affiliated certification programs have been approved by the state of California – through the Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education.  

Over time, as Sexological Bodywork® began to grow in numbers and status, and as the needs of our students and clients began to be more clearly identified, the faculty practitioners responsible for offering CSB programs globally began to expand on the original curriculum. The incorporation of new science on trauma, consent, gender, and the ethics of touch-based healing practices were, and continue to be, woven into the core certification program. Additionally, second level certification training programs have been developed to continue to refine and develop a level of body-based practice that brings the original Sexological Bodywork® structure and focus into a more ethical, trauma- and neurologically-informed modality. This expanded training of evidence-based practice is often referred to as Somatic Sex Education.

While Sexological Bodywork® and Somatic Sex Education represent different levels of training, both bodies of certified practitioners are supported by the Association of Certified Sexological Bodyworkers.

There are currently six international schools recognised by the ACSB who offer professional Certification in Sexological Bodywork and Somatic Sex Education:

The last two were formerly known collectively as The Sea School of Embodiment.

INTEGRITY

Our members agree to hold themselves accountable to on-going professional development and to our organization’s evolving Code of Ethics. We advocate mentorship and supervision.  As we promote the somatic integrity of the human body, it is each member-practitioner’s ethical responsibility to be in alignment with the values and ethics of our professional community. 

EVOLUTION

We hold a commitment of moving towards that which serves this field and honor the requirements of change.  This includes continuing to foster our relationships with other professional organizations in the health and wellness field.

DIVERSITY

We acknowledge and celebrate diversity in bodies, gender, culture, experience, and age. We understand how intergenerational trauma carries in the bodies of those who are directly and collectively impacted by harm. We work towards anti-racist and anti-homophobic practices, and engage in ongoing discussion and action to weave this essential learning and growth into the professional offering endorsed by our organization. We acknowledge the whiteness in the field of Sexological Bodywork and actively participate in creating structures that actively invite and raise-up the voices of more marginalized individuals and groups – whose people have shaped the somatic practices these trainings have come directly out of. We are actively building our diversity-mindedness in all of our initiatives and promoting donations to our BIPOC scholarship fund.