This text is part of the special section Professions and careers
Unique in the world, the Professional Order of Sexologists of Quebec (OPSQ) celebrated its tenth anniversary on September 25. The organization works to protect and inform the public about a profession that is sometimes still little-known.
The profession of sexologist is specific to Quebec, the form in which it is taught being specific to the province, explains Joanie Heppell, president of the OPSQ. “Inevitably, the order is also unique because it supervises mental health and human relations professionals. They have had very specific training on how to provide support or assistance to restore well-being and sexual health,” she adds.
The profession is still little known to the public, according to Myriam Daguzan Bernier, sexologist and author of the book All naked! The caring dictionary of sexuality. “Many people who come to my office for sexology consultations are not sure they know what we do,” she observes.
Specialized training
To be part of the OPSQ, you must have obtained a bachelor’s or master’s degree in sexology. Currently, only the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) offers training at each university cycle. Laval University, in Quebec, is in the process of setting up its own undergraduate program in sexology. “We see this in a positive light, because this program will make it possible to better serve eastern Quebec,” rejoices M.me Heppell.
The president of the OPSQ explains that abroad, these specialties are often taken care of by gynecologists or urologists, trained specifically in sex therapy. “And in the United States, they are sex therapists or psychologists who focused more on human sexuality,” she explains.
In ten years, the OPSQ has worked to establish public protection mechanisms. “If certain sexologists act badly, there are recourses: we can appeal to the trustee of the Order, there can be investigations. You can discipline people who have bad intentions and who abuse their power,” emphasizes Joanie Heppell.
The organization has also established practice guides to supervise the profession and better equip sexologists to ensure their competence with different clienteles.
For meme Daguzan Bernier, the creation of the OPSQ helped establish credibility for the profession. “Even today, given that we talk about sexuality and it’s still very taboo, there’s still something very tendentious associated with it,” she observes.
Several types of customers
Whether children, adults or the elderly, people who consult a sexologist do so for various questions. Sexual dysfunction, anorgasmia, relationship problems, questions about gender identity or sexual orientation, accident, reappropriation of one’s body image after an operation or sexual assault… “It’s infinite. We can only have questions or discomfort related to sexuality, or want to explore to allow us to better understand and know ourselves better,” underlines M.me Heppell.
Depending on whether you are a sexologist in counseling or a psychotherapist sexologist, this will change the services offered, specifies Myriam Daguzan Bernier. Thus, a psychotherapist will be able to assess sexual disorders and those related to gender dysphoria of trans and non-binary people, she cites as an example.
According to M.me Heppell, the pandemic and the increase in the population’s mental health needs have allowed Quebecers to better understand and value the profession. “We know that there are fewer psychologists. We have therefore seen an increase in sexologists and psychotherapists hired or coming to offer their help to teams in health care and social services,” she notes.
In order to provide cutting-edge service to the Quebec public, the OPSQ offers free continuing education and sometimes gets involved in societal issues. “For example, we participated in parliamentary commissions on the sexual exploitation of minors. We are also thinking about the issues raised by the #MeToo movement: we have developed a microsite on sexual misconduct by professionals,” lists the president of the Order. The OPSQ also has a project on the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace, in order to train staff from different companies and institutions on this issue.
In the future, the OPSQ wishes to continue its mission of protecting the public and monitoring societal issues that could require more services for the population. “We want to stay focused on what we do well and continue our awareness raising in general,” says M.me Heppell.
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