Blog & Updates

The gossiper's power is significant.

Explore the CICS Diploma in Pluralistic Psychotherapy – a Level 4, SCoPEd-aligned course for flexible, integrative therapist training.

Julie Sale shares how attending a Justice in Therapy event inspired her to reclaim optimism and create an inclusive psychotherapy training course.

Julie Sale’s blog reflects on how current societal behaviours are at odds with core psychotherapy values like empathy, reflexivity, and integrity.

We have developed eight anti-oppressive teaching strategies to guide our approach and to guard against tokenism, unconscious collusion or bias.

We are very excited to announce our new Diploma in Pluralistic Psychotherapy starting in September 2025.

Our Advanced Diploma directly focuses on deepening learning and skills.

All sorts of issues get in the way of effective communication.

But how should we talk to our kids about sex and relationships?

You might hear the word "neurodivergent" thrown around, but it’s not just a label - it’s a community!

Julie Sale's thoughts on language sensitivity in the therapy profession.

If you try to stop drinking you’re called boring, you’re asked to explain why, you’re actively encouraged to get back off the wagon and stop being a kill joy.

This letter is addressed to gay men and is based on my work with the community over the years.

CICS is well known for our gender, sexuality and relationship diversity awareness and focus.

CICS Director, Silva Neves, on his journey to becoming and being a Clinical Supervisor.

‘I know you’re going to think I’ve lost the plot, but I decided after our last session to shave my fanny’.

Why would you choose to study Clinical Supervision with a specialist sex and relationship therapy institute?

There are many advantages to working with a therapist in training.

This letter is addressed to people who don’t identify with the gender they were assigned at birth.

This letter is addressed to people with vaginas who identify as women.

Some things about sex that apply to people with penises.

In a rare moment of peace and quiet, at the brink of a New Year, I am taking time to reflect on what I care about.

The topic of pornography is an emotive one, often bringing up binary thinking in conflicts rather than debates.

Why the term ‘sex addiction’ is outdated and incorrect.

Julie Sale introduces our new Online Certificate in Psychosexual Therapy

We have a strange relationship with the concept of pride in British culture.

Most of us have been socialised to receive ‘treats’ when we’re feeling down.

Christmas is for family connection, joyous festivities, and a break from our busy working lives.

The risk of depression is very much a reality and, if we don’t respond quickly enough, despair and anger will also abound.

It would be safe to say that the concepts of sex and porn addiction are controversial in the field of sexology.

Samantha Evans from Jo Divine asks if sex toys can improve sexual health.

What actually counts as domestic violence and abuse? What can I do about it?

My dreams are insane at the moment. Last night I dreamt that the Government banned broccoli due to the coronavirus pandemic.

‘When you see that you can find and enjoy new cheese, you change course’

Move beyond the surface level concept of consent being a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

None of us want to be very well-intentioned, accidental conversion therapists.

Vaginismus is caused by a wide range of biological, psychological and social factors.

My aim in writing this blog is to bring some clarity on the diagnosis of compulsive sexual behaviour disorder.

Andy talks about his referral to a sex & relationship therapy service.

As Christmas approaches I have been reflecting on one of its central aspects – giving and receiving gifts.

'She was just so beautiful!’ my client declares, more to herself than to me.

People are always curious and perhaps a little unsettled when I tell them that I am a sex therapist.

“You study what?” This was the response from family in friends when I told them I was investigating programs of study as a Sexologist.

I take issue with the very definition of a ‘sexless marriage’, both the ‘sexless’ and the ‘marriage’ parts.

I’m sitting here in my local coffee shop refining and developing materials for the CICS Diploma in Clinical Sexology, in anticipation of our next module.

This is an issue that has come to prominence for me as I prepare my teaching module on Gender Diversity for the Cambridge Institute of Clinical Sexology.

Kirstie McEwan, CICS Lead Tutor on Gender Diversity, reflects on why a therapist's gender seems to matter to clients.

In response to this year's World Mental Health Day theme, CICS Course Director, Julie Sale, writes on First Aid for Relationships.

Infertility was something that I had personally experienced so I fully understood the agony of desperately wanting a child and not being able to conceive.