The first question people and interviewers invariably ask is,
“How does one become a sexologist and why?” Here's the long answer.
I started my professional life as an artist, attending several colleges including Southern Methodist University, graduating from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art. I then moved to New York and worked for The Namad Gallery in the Carlysle Hotel, and later for Peter Max.
Winding the clock forward--I married and moved to Los Angeles looking for something other than art as a career. I met a sex doctor (Dr. Bob Schwartz, the author of The One Hour Orgasm). He was doing radio and TV and producing "how to" videos for couples. I thought, “Wow, this is what I want to do.”
We became great friends and I introduced my own sex self-help videos that I promoted over radio and TV. I went on to work in radio for 15 years, which included my own syndicated Clear Channel sex show that ran for many years. It was called "Sex with Dr. Natasha."
I ended up enrolling in graduate school in San Francisco. I received a degree in clinical sexology and a Doctor of education in human sexuality from The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality.
I am often asked,
“Why did I become a sexologist?”
Because I very much wanted to:
· Teach people how to have better sex,
· How to communicate more effectively, and
· How to celebrate their sexuality instead of suffering from it.
What is the difference between a sexologist and a sex therapist?
Most sexologists, like psychologists teach and publish. Just as there are specialties within psychology, so it is with sexology. There are clinical psychologists and there are clinical sexologists. I am a certified clinical sexologist and I not only study, research, teach and publish but I also treat.
Sexology, as a science, incorporates into its research and treatment of sexual concerns and dysfunctions the findings of psychology, sociology, philosophy, biology, zoology, anthropology, history, physiology, religion and medicine. Clinical sexology is not the same as "sex therapy", which bases its approach on the psychological model of talk therapy.
I'm a member of AASECT (American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists), the SSSS (Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality) and board certified by the American College of Sexologists.
Do I have a practice?
My practice is now in Dallas, Texas. For more information on what kind of issues I treat, or to book appointments and consultations refer to the sessions page of this site.
Sincerely - Dr. Natasha Janina Valdez
