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Documentation and billing are often the perceived showstoppers for doing sex and intimacy interventions.  Let me tell you, I get a ton of questions about this, so you are not alone if you’re wondering,

“how the heck do I bill for, ‘Ronnie will mount Sammie during sex with mod I”?

So here is a quick and dirty blog post about documentation and billing to match the actual simplicity of this task.   

Goals:

First off, I don’t write goals like the one above. (Although straight to the point, it doesn't quite meet the expectations of a S.M.A.R.T. goal ;) )

But, here are some examples of goals I do write, which specifically have to do with sex and intimacy.  Please note, they are generalized so you'll want to modify them to the clinic you work in and the assessments you typically use:

1. Client will engage in sexual activity with a decrease (insert pain scale) in self-reported pain. 
2. Client will engage in sexual activity with a decrease (insert anxiety scale) in self-reported anxiety...

The process of going from your typical 9-5 occupational therapy job to building a sex and intimacy clinic where you work or having your own private practice does not happen over night. But, tiny steps accumulate into big changes! As you embark on the journey you might hit resistance but don’t get discouraged. Just because no one is doing it does not mean you shouldn’t. Identifying a gap in care is exactly why you should fight to fill it. 

Read on for my top 6 tips for starting a sex and intimacy clinic or private practice!

1. Build your competency

How would you build your competency for any other topic?  You'd seek out training and CEUs.  When I first started there wasn't much out there (like none) so I dedicated my efforts to developing CEUs specifically for OTs based on research, training, and my own experience.  You can take what you've learned from the Certified Sexuality OT CEUs and apply it to your work with your clients. Practice, practice, practice! Then, I suggest doing ...