“Sex Worker” is an umbrella term for a diverse subset of people who consensually exchange erotic labor in a variety of ways including but not limited to stripping, full service and street-based work, porn performers, and massage workers. Sex workers usually engage this work as a result of complex choices around survival, migration, capitalism, and identity. Not everyone who does this work, uses the term “sex worker” to self-identify.

In most traditional graduate programs, clinicians do not learn comprehensive information about people in the sex industry by choice, circumstance or coercion. A sex worker identity can co-exist with any identity, marginalized or otherwise, and a therapist would not be able to identify someone as a sex worker unless they explicitly disclose — and they often do not, due to valid fear of biased care. This gap in knowledge means people in the mental health field lack the competence to work with sex workers as therapy clients. Sex workers deserve non-judgmental and affirming mental healthcare that holds space for the nuances of this work, while also not assuming that issues related to sex work are the presenting concern.

You can support ECC by volunteering your time or donating/sponsoring our work. To volunteer, join the Equitable Care Coalition, here. To donate, click here. To view sponsorship options, click here.

YES, we are offering tiered pricing for the certification that includes a lower registration price for those seeking professional development. This includes unlicensed professionals, interns as well as students.

Our prices reflect our values and investment in disrupting white supremacy, which includes acknowledging the historical impacts of systemic racism on communities of color, including the economic cost. You are welcome to choose the highest tier, regardless of your identity, if you have the capacity to do so. If you would like to sponsor a spot in the cohort please email equitablecarecertification@gmail.com

YES, continuing educations credits from the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) are accepted by most accrediting institutions. If you have any issues with credit transfers please don't hesitate to reach out to us equitablecarecertification@gmail.com or AASECT info@assect.org.

Upon completion of the certification coursework, students are required to treat/engage a sex worker in their clinical practice for a minimum of 12 hours, pro bono. ECC will refer this client through our affiliated sex worker-led organization, Zepp Wellness Center. ECC will meet with each client after 12 hours of care to discuss your competence in session. Additionally, you will be required to do 3 hours of supervision – 1 hour for every 4 hours of direct service. (Please Note: If you are interested in an AASECT specific supervisor it would be a separate fee thru our AASECT Supervisor Angie Gunn LCSW, CST) Once your direct service & supervision hours are complete and we’ve met with the clients, you will receive your Equitable Care Certification certificate and will be added to our website under the “Find an ECC Certified Clinician” for two years.

In the event that we decide that you do not pass the direct service & supervision hours after you complete the coursework and we interview your sex worker client, we will determine on a case-by-case basis what next steps look like. Completion of this program does not ensure or guarantee AASECT certification. For further information please contact info@assect.org.

The Equitable Care Certification is valid for two years following the date on your certificate. When your certificate expires, you will be removed from the “Find an ECC Certified Clinician” section of our website. In order to renew your certificate, you will be required to pay $250 and complete another 12 hours of direct service, pro bono, along with 3 hours of supervision with ECC. Once you’ve done this, you will be issued a new certificate and added back to the “Find an ECC Certified Clinician” section of our website.

A percentage of our revenue goes toward paying our sex worker storytellers, another percentage goes toward our curriculum writer and the remaining revenue goes back into ECC to pay the certification course instructors and our team's labor.