We are delighted to announce that the recording of our first conference in 2025 is now available.
This conference brings together academics and practitioners to explore what Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy really is, and how it is evolving in 2025.
The term Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy sees increasing use in recent years, but many remain uncertain on where it comes from and why. What is Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy? How is it different to Sex or Psychosexual Therapy? And given the ever-changing world around us, how must it adapt to meet the needs of Service Users?
This conference tackles those issues and much more. With thought-provoking content suitable for specialist and generalist therapists alike, this is an invaluable learning opportunity.
Session one: Judi Keshet-Orr
How did we get to Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy? From small beginnings to an integrated modality.
This session will explore the evolution of the discipline. We will look at the gradual interlinking of previously separated conceptual and practical elements. The necessity for our modern, integrated modality which uniquely takes account of the interplay between the psychological, social and biological will be laid bare.
Session two: Bernd Leygraf
Think Global not Local: Challenging Western Models of Sex Relationships and Gender.
What happens when we don’t assume cultural superiority and learn from and within cultures where the road-signs are not in English?
The therapies we discuss and practice have too often been defined by being insular. Western views have dominated whilst gender and wider demographic diversity has been rare. This session will explore how looking for evidence and insight globally can bring lessons to change our practice and improve outcomes for Service Users.
Session three: Dr Reenee Singh
Diversity in Couple Relationships.
In the fast changing, globalized context of 2025, intercultural and transnational relationships are on the rise. Such relationships may be heterosexual, same sex or present in different forms, such as polyamorous. Although intercultural relationships have strengths and resiliencies, they present with unique challenges. In this presentation, I will start by providing a brief theoretical and research overview. I will draw on clinical vignettes and extracts from contemporary film and media to highlight the complexity of intercultural relationships and the dilemmas they pose for us, as relationship and psychosexual therapists.
Session four: Dr Stephanie Buehler
“Couples Doesn’t Cut It: Using the Sexological Ecosystem in Understanding ENM”
Much of therapy has focused on a person within a couple, or on the couple itself. This session will show delegates why that simply does not meet the needs of modern Service Users. The modern diversity of relationship models will be explored, with a focus on Dr Buehler’s sexological ecosystem framework and how this can enable therapists to better support Service Users in more diverse relational structures.
Session five: Dr Eli Joubert
What about the old core business? New perspectives on common presentations and treatments.
At the centre of Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy are issues that don’t go away. Sexual dysfunction, sexual behaviours, the impacts of medical interventions and so on. But the understanding and treatment of issues does change, often outside the realms of talking therapy. Dr Joubert’s session will explore how things such as the roll out of PREP, or new advances in medical interventions change the landscape in which talking therapy takes place – and why therapists must stay informed.
Conference Speaker Profiles
Conference Rapporteur: Julie Sale
Julie Sale is a UKCP Registered Psychotherapist, COSRT Accredited Psychosexual Psychotherapist and Supervisor, and a leading figure in the ethical development of psychosexual and relationship therapy in the UK.
She is the Director of the Contemporary Institute for Clinical Sexology (CICS), where she leads on the design and delivery of specialist training in psychosexual and relationship therapy. Julie is deeply committed to shaping the next generation of therapists, with a strong focus on ethical practice and clinical excellence.
Appointed Chair of COSRT’s Ethics Committee in 2015, Julie has played a central role in defining and upholding professional standards.
Alongside her leadership roles, Julie maintains a busy clinical practice and supervises practitioners nationwide. Her work reflects a long-standing commitment to ethical integrity, inclusive practice, and the advancement of high-quality therapy and training.
Judi Keshet-Orr
Judi Keshet-Orr is the founder and course director of the London Diploma in Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy. The course has been running for over thirty years and is one of the largest training providers in the UK as well as providing overseas training via electronic platforms to many professionals who otherwise would not be able to access training.
Judi’s original career was in social work and child protection, where she later worked as a joint investigation trainer. She was the first person to be awarded an MSc in Psychosexual Therapy in the UK which led her into a professional life of educating other therapists, namely at the Whittington and St. George’s Hospitals.
Judi’s contributions to the field extend far beyond the therapy room and she has been involved with several corporate and local government organisations, has contributed to academic journals and has a strong media profile from her work on radio and TV. Judi’s book, which she co-authored, was published in 2019 and is entitled, ‘In the Footsteps of the Fathers – Psychosexual Therapy with the Orthodox Jewish community’ and which reflects her expertise in the intersection of therapy and religion. In light of this, Judi has recently been commissioned to contribute a chapter to Routledge in their library edition of Sex Therapy & Religion. Judi also has a private practice in London and as a qualified mediator runs a successful mediation practice.
In recognition of her immense contribution to the specialism, Judi was awarded COSRT Fellowship status in 2013.
Bernd Leygraf
With a background in Sacred Ministry in Germany and clergy formation, Bernd Leygraf has been practicing clinically since 1978. His work has always been globally focused, spanning clinical practice in both the NHS and private settings across the UK, as well as in the Middle East and Asia. Bernd is the author of the UK’s first Master’s programme in sex and relationship therapy, “The London Diploma in Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy,” which he co-led with Judi Keshet-Orr for three decades in collaboration with South Bank and Middlesex University. Through this programme, he helped train thousands of practitioners from over 40 countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, Africa, and regions shaped by colonial history.
As CEO of the Naos Institute (www.naos-institute.com), Bernd runs one of only two COSRT-accredited training programmes in Relationship Therapy and the only psychosexual and relationship therapy training in the UK that leads directly to the Accredited Register (PSA).
Bernd is also known for co-developing, alongside Prof. Petruska Clarkson, a therapeutic approach “beyond schoolism.” This approach discourages an over-reliance on theoretical models, instead emphasizing the intentional use of self—a methodology that, according to his late friend Dr. David Schnarch, is central to the work in sex and relationship therapy.
In 2025, Bernd has been commissioned by Routledge to publish a critique of psychosexual and relationship therapy based on his work with radically different cultures provisionally entitled, “When the Road Signs Are Not in English”.
Dr Eli Joubert
Dr. H Eli Joubert is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Psycho-Sexologist, and Gender Specialist. He serves as Clinical Director within an NHS Mental Health Trust and works clinically in a Gender Identity Service. Eli also leads a busy private practice with his associates. A former trustee of COSRT, he has served on the Council of the British Society for Sexual Medicine.
Eli is a Certified Psycho-Sexologist, a qualification awarded by the European Federation of Sexologists and the European Society of Sexual Medicine. He brings a psychodynamically informed approach to addressing sexual distress, with a particular interest in complex cases.
His focus on men’s mental health is reflected in his Honours, Masters, and Doctoral research, as well as his peer-reviewed journal publications. Dr. Joubert is officially recognised as a Gender Specialist by the UK Department of Courts and Tribunal Services and the Government Equalities Office, and holds certification in Adult Gender Healthcare from the Royal College of Physicians. He has also acted as an expert witness in Crown Court and Employment Tribunal proceedings.
Eli has significant experience as a lecturer and trainer, currently delivering sexology training to psychologists and psychotherapists in the Balkans. He also provides clinical supervision, presents at conferences, and holds a postgraduate certificate in higher education. As a supervisor, he supports both clinical psychologists and sex therapists at various stages of training and professional development.
Outside of his professional life, Eli is a passionate gardener and enjoys long walks with his husband and their dog, Bailey.
Dr Reenee Singh
Dr. Reenee Singh is a Consultant Family and Couples Systemic Psychotherapist with over 30 years of clinical experience. She currently works at The Child and Family Practice in London, where she is the co-founder and Director of the London Intercultural Couples Centre. A former editor of the Journal of Family Therapy, she was also the first CEO of the Association of Family Therapy (AFT).
Dr. Singh has authored and edited four books, including Race and Culture (2018), The Intercultural Exeter Model (2020), and Home Is Where the Heart Is: Aporias of Love and Belonging in Intercultural Couples (2020). She has also written numerous articles and chapters focused on issues of race, culture, and qualitative research in family therapy. Her work is widely cited, and she presents internationally on topics related to intercultural relationships, family therapy, and systemic approaches.
Her research and clinical practice focus particularly on supporting intercultural and mixed-race couples, helping them navigate challenges such as language barriers, cultural differences, and questions of identity. Dr. Singh’s contributions to the field have been recognized with awards, including the Outstanding Achievement award at the British Sikh Awards in 2022.
Dr Stephanie Buehler
Stephanie Jona Buehler, MPW, PsyD, CST-S, IF is a highly respected psychologist, AASECT-Certified Sex Therapist and Supervisor, and a Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health. As the President of LearnSexTherapy.com by The Buehler Institute, Inc., she leads a premier educational platform offering APA, NBCC, AASECT, and California BRN-approved continuing education for mental health and healthcare providers.
A prolific author, Dr. Buehler is best known for her widely used textbook, *What Every Mental Health Provider Needs to Know about Sex* (3rd Ed.), which has become an essential resource. She serves as a reviewer for esteemed academic journals, including *Current Reports in Sexual Health*, ensuring the advancement of evidence-based practices in sexual health and therapy.
Dr. Buehler is a sought-after speaker, presenting at leading conferences such as ISSWSH, AASECT, SSTAR, and the California Psychological Association. Her expertise has been featured in major media outlets, including The Atlantic, Prevention, and Women’s Health. Previously, she practiced at a major regional hospital, where she specialized in the intersection of physical, mental, and sexual health. Today, she provides expert consultation and supervision in sex therapy and sexuality counseling, guiding clinicians in delivering compassionate, informed care.
