AASECT Book Awards

AASECT Sexuality Book Award

This award is presented to the author(s) of a book that makes a significant contribution to our understanding of human sexuality.

AASECT Book Award for Children under 18 years old (audience focus)

This award is presented to the author(s) of a book that makes a significant contribution to AASECT’s vision of sexual wellbeing and education, specifically as it applies to children and adolescents, and which elevates the standards of the field. This award is open to all.

AASECT Book Award for Sexuality Professionals (professional focus)

This award is presented to the author(s) of a book that makes a significant contribution to the field of clinical sexology, sexual health, and/or sexuality education. The nominated book must be written for other sexuality professionals by a sexuality professional(s) and elevate the standards of the field. Please include a brief description of why the book is being nominated of the award (no more than 250 words) . Please contact the author(s) and/or publisher to have the book sent to the subcommittee This award is open to all.

AASECT’s Sexuality Professionals Book Award for General Audience (audience focus)

This award is presented to the sexuality professional(s) who authored a book that makes a significant contribution to the general public’s knowledge of sexuality. The nominated book written for a general audience must have been published between 2019 – 2022. Please include a brief description of why the book is nominated for the award, ( no more than 250 words). Please contact the author(s) and/or publisher to have the book sent to the subcommittee.

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Digital Media Awards

AASECT Social Media / Web Series Award) (YouTube, Instagram, etc.)

AAESCT Awards

AASECT Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

This award recognizes a sexuality professional whose work is building towards a more sexually liberated world. Areas of impact may include but are not limited to, art, activism, organizing, leadership, education, public advocacy, or media. Nominate your colleagues and friends who are disrupting systems of oppression, raising awareness about harm in our professions and our world, and enacting real change in our communities. Tell us about sexuality professionals centering disability, racial, gender, and reproductive justice. The nominee should have one letter of support, no more than 500 words, from individuals familiar with their work.

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AASECT Award for Emergent Professional

This award is presented to an emergent AASECT member (educator, counselor, or therapist). This award recognizes individuals who have made contributions early in their career of being a sexuality professional. Early in career is in the first 3 years of AASECT membership. This award may be considered for any practical or theoretical body of work, including (but not limited to) trainings, retreats, online courses, videos or a published paper or book. The nominee should have 1 letter of support, no more than 500 words, from individuals familiar with their work.

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Professional Standard of Excellence Award

This award is presented to a member or non-member of AASECT who has worked extensively to represent or advance the field of human sexuality through activities including, but not limited to, clinical programs or other original clinical contributions; the development and implementation of sexuality education curriculum; scientific research; and art, print, radio, television or internet media contributions. The recipient of this Award will be an individual who is recognized by his/her peers as a competent and accomplished colleague, an expert in his/her field, and an exemplary bearer of the standards of professional and personal ethics as well as the standard of excellence in achievement.

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Distinguished Service to AASECT Award

This award is presented to an AASECT member in good standing who is certified in at least one area and has worked to promote the mission of AASECT, advocating for sexual health through the  development and advancement of sexuality education, counseling or therapy. This individual will have served the organization through activities including, but not limited to, recruitment of new members;  presentation of a paper or workshop at AASECT meetings; serving on the Board of Directors, a committee or task force; developing publications for or about the organization; assistance in the development of AASECT policy; and representation of AASECT in the public sector.

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Humanitarian Award

This award is presented to an individual or group who has contributed to the field of human sexuality through private endeavor, charitable event(s), public awareness campaign, organizing effort, sex-positive educational offering, or political platform, and who has received national and/or international recognition for their contribution. Please submit a brief justification for your nomination at no more than 500 words, in addition to relevant documentation which may include links to websites, event pages, photo, and/or video documentation. The committee will view a maximum of 5 minutes of video documentation, so please cut your media accordingly, or include a time signature to reference for longer submissions. This award is open to all.

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AASECT Award for Integrative Approaches to Sex Therapy

This award is for creative applications of an integrative and interactive approach to sexual issues in clinical work with individuals, couples, groups, and/or supervisees of all ages, genders and other diversities. This award may be considered for any practical or theoretical body of work, including (but not limited to) trainings, retreats, online courses, videos or a published paper or book. Nominees should be AASECT Certified sex educators, therapists or sexuality counselors who have demonstrated a clinical consciousness that is multidimensional: inclusive of some combination of physical, emotional, cognitive and/or spiritual dimensions of sexual experience, along with relational and/or social contexts. The nominee should have one letter of support, at no more than 500 words, in addition to relevant documentation which may include links to websites, event pages, photo, and/or video documentation. The committee will view a maximum of 5 minutes of video documentation, so please cut your media accordingly, or include a time signature to reference for longer submissions. This award is open to AASECT Certified Sex Counselors and Therapists.

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Awards Committee

Anne Mauro, LMFT, DHS, CST, CSE (she/her)

Molly Adler, LCSW, CST, ACS (she/her)

Bill Johnson, Psy.D. (he/him)

Mariotta Gary-Smith, MPH, CSE (she/her/Queen)

Terri Barrios, PhD, LMFT, CST (she/her/hers)

Lauren Morris, MA-AQR, MA-CFT, LMFTA (she/they)

Avery Whittington, MEd (he/him/his)

Joe Molinari, LCSW, CST (he/his)

Jeannie Miller, MSSA, Surrogate Partner (she/her)

Allie Peyton, MA, LMFTA (she/her)

Claudia Johnson, MA, LMFT (ella [Spanish] | she/her/hers)

Jenn Parretta, MA, LMFTA, CSE, ATR-P (she/they)

Austin Cresap, MA, LMFTA (she/her)

Jenny Shealy, LCSW CST (she/her)

Linda Schlapfer LMFT (she her)

Lisa Meyers, PhD, MSW (she/her/dr)

Pamela Kennebrew, Ed.D, MHS (she/her)

Marissa Stein, MS, LMHCA (they/she)

Donna Blumenfeld, MA, LPCC, NCC (she/her)

Xuan Ho, MA, LMFTA (she/her)

Suzie Galstian (she/her)

Ciera Coyan, MA, LMFTA (she/her)

Maria Carrington, LCISW, CST (she/her/hers)

Alana Crawford, B.A (she/hers)