The Institute of Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Life Research and Training (iSMART) has successfully organised its first-ever Sex Therapy Specialization Training Programme.

The two-week event, held from January 27 to February 9, 2025, brought together over 250 professionals from Ghana and beyond to engage in Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR) and practical sex therapy workshop.

The training programme, the first of its kind in Ghana, aimed to equip participants with the tools to address sexuality-related challenges both professionally and personally.

The event combined online sessions with an in-person practical workshop held in Accra on February 8, 2025. Topics covered included sexual anatomy, behavior, vocabulary, and therapy techniques, all designed to foster self-awareness and reduce biases around sexuality.

The event attracted a diverse group of professionals, including psychologists, counselors, healthcare workers, educators, legal practitioners, and beauticians. Participants hailed from Ghana, Nigeria, the USA, South Africa, and the UK. Among the speakers were iSMART’s Board Chairman, Reverend Dr. Emmanuel Apea, CEO Mr. Joshua Yeboah, and board members Dr. Ayongo Mate-Kole and Dr. Aaron Adjei.

The training was organised to address the growing societal challenges surrounding sexuality, marriage, and family life.

Rev. Dr. Apea, in a speech read on his behalf, highlighted the urgency of the initiative: “Society is at a stage where marriage is strained, sexuality is distorted, families are fragmented, and communities are wallowing in moral confusion. These rising concerns need redress.”

He emphasised that iSMART’s initiative goes beyond education. “It is indeed a call to action. Through the TheoPsychosexual model—a framework that integrates theological wisdom and evidence-based clinical practice—iSMART is poised to equip professionals with the tools necessary to address sexually related challenges holistically,” he said.

The hybrid event featured online sessions accessible to participants worldwide, while the in-person practical workshop was held in Accra, Ghana. The Accra session provided a safe space for participants to engage in explicit and detailed discussions about sexual health and therapy.

A key focus of the training was to tackle the stigma surrounding open discussions about sex.

Joshua Yeboah, CEO of iSMART, emphasised the importance of breaking societal taboos. “Discussing sex-related issues should not be stigmatized, especially when someone needs help,” he said.

“The SAR and sex therapy sessions aim to address the stigma associated with being open about sex, sexual organs, and orgasm while empowering participants with the right techniques to enhance their sexual intimacy”, he added.

Dr. Ayongo Mate-Kole, a Family Physician and iSMART Board Member, urged parents to educate their children about sexual organs.

“Teaching children the correct names of sexual organs can help them accurately describe incidents of abuse, aiding legal practitioners in defilement cases,” she explained.

However, she cautioned that children should also be taught not to misuse this knowledge to insult peers.

Participants hailed the training as transformative. Professor Stephen Ankamah-Lomotey described it as “revolutionary,” with the potential to make lasting impacts on relationships and societal attitudes.

Another participant, Professor Jemima Ankamah-Lomotey, added, “Sessions like this will help couples navigate their sexual lives more effectively.”

Abigail Abena Asiamah, a midwife and women’s health advocate, shared how the training directly benefited her work. “I used the mindfulness and meditation exercises I learned during the sessions on a client, and the outcome was remarkable,” she said.

As Mr. Yeboah aptly put it, “We must appreciate our bodies and our stories, scars and all. Only then can we truly begin to address the challenges surrounding sexuality and build a more open and understanding world.”

With its commitment to advancing research and practical solutions in sexuality, marriage, and family life, iSMART continues to lead the charge in transforming societal attitudes and fostering meaningful change across Sub-Saharan