Toward Inclusive, Affirming, and Developmentally Attuned Counseling Practice

In this issue of the Journal of Counseling Sexology and Sexual Wellness, we present a timely collection of six articles that together reflect a central aim: to deepen the field’s understanding of sexuality as a lifelong, contextual, and complex component of human development—and to better equip counseling professionals to meet the evolving needs of diverse populations across settings.

We open with “A Sex-Positive, Contextual Approach to Children’s Sexual Development”, a conceptual article that directly addresses a common discomfort in the field: counselors’ hesitance to engage with sexuality when working with younger clients. This piece offers a developmentally attuned and affirming framework, including a clinical case application, to encourage counselors to approach childhood sexuality with greater competence and confidence.

From foundational development, we move to an examination of counselor training in “The State of Sexuality Counseling Training in Counselor Education.” This national review of Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs reveals a lack of consistency in course offerings and a continued presence of stigmatizing language, even in courses that aim to be sex-positive and inclusive. Building on this, “Educating the Educators: Increased Sexuality Training for Counselor Educators” highlights the parallel need to ensure that counselor educators themselves are adequately prepared to deliver sexuality-related content and proposes a doctoral-level model for integrating sexuality education into the curriculum.

The next two articles shift the focus from education to advocacy and policy. “Content Analysis of U.S. State-Level Legislation Impacting Gender-Affirming Practice in Schools” offers a sobering look at the legislative landscape that shapes—and often restricts—school counselors’ ability to support LGBTQ+ youth. Through analysis of 225 bills, the authors uncover common themes in policy efforts that target pronoun use, restroom access, and affirming curriculum. This article sets the stage for “Transgender Meta-Analysis Study on Healthcare Affirming Care,” a synthesis of 20 studies that assesses how educational interventions impact providers' competence in working with transgender patients. While results show that knowledge and comfort can improve, the persistence of transphobia in healthcare systems underscores the need for more transformative training approaches.

Finally, we close the issue with “The Correlation of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Pornography Consumption Among Males,” which examines how early trauma relates to pornography use across the lifespan. By utilizing both the ACE questionnaire and a modified pornography consumption measure, this study reveals statistically significant relationships between childhood adversity, age of exposure, and adult patterns of consumption. These findings highlight the importance of trauma-informed approaches when addressing potentially problematic sexual behaviors in clinical settings.

Together, these articles invite a broader, deeper, and more nuanced conversation about sexuality in counseling. They call us to build training that goes beyond the surface, to push for systems that are affirming and just, and to meet clients wherever they are—with developmentally appropriate, culturally sensitive, and research-informed care.

Importantly, this issue arrives at a critical time. Across the United States, there has been a marked rise in legislation and rhetoric targeting LGBTQ+ communities, comprehensive sexuality education, and gender-affirming care. These political efforts not only threaten the well-being of clients but also place counselors and educators in ethically fraught positions. The articles in this volume respond directly to these threats—offering evidence, insight, and strategies for advocacy within and beyond the counseling profession.

We hope this issue serves as both a resource and a call to action for those committed to equity, wellness, and the protection of all people’s right to live as their full sexual and gendered selves.