Institute for Sexual Health

The Institute for Sexual Health (ISH) was founded in 2009 by Dr. Omar Minwalla to advance ethical, trauma-informed understanding of deceptive sexuality, abuse, victimization, and complex trauma. For over two decades, Dr. Minwalla has worked on the front lines—treating individuals, couples, and families harmed by secrecy, entitlement, and integrity-abuse—while developing a grounded clinical framework rooted in human rights, trauma science, and psychological ethics.

In 2026, Dr. Minwalla and ISH enter an academic sabbatical—sabbath in its original sense: a deliberate, disciplined pause devoted to reflection, study, writing, and moral recalibration after many years of continuous clinical and educational labor. In academic and professional traditions, sabbatical exists not as withdrawal, but as a necessary condition for clarity, depth, and renewed responsibility.

During this sabbatical, professional training programs are paused. Dr. Minwalla’s primary active focus is Be a Better Man—a program designed for men who are ready to slow down, tell the truth, and mature their relationship to power, sexuality, and responsibility. In contrast to performance-driven masculinity, Be a Better Man invites men into a practice of integrity, repair, and ethical strength.

This sabbatical reflects a deeper commitment: to model what it means for men to step out of constant production and ego-defense, and into conscience, accountability, and care. Be a Better Man is where this work is now most alive—supporting the emergence of Voice-Up Culture and a grounded, responsible vision of Alpha Masculinity.

The Institute for Sexual Health (ISH) is the official resource for education and professional trainings in Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma Treatment (DSTT) and Intentional Vibe Trauma Treatment (IVTT). Founded in 2009 by Dr. Minwalla, ISH was one of the first and only U.S. treatment centers to challenge the “co-sex addict” model and articulate the systemic abuse associated with infidelity and compulsive sexual behavior disorder. The Institute for Sexual Health (ISH) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Institute for Sexual Health maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Professional Education and Training

As of January 2026, the Institute for Sexual Health is no longer offering live professional education or certification programs in Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma Treatment (DSTT). This decision reflects Dr. Minwalla’s ethical determination that treating abuse, victimization, and complex trauma requires forms of clinical training, supervision, humility, and professional gatekeeping that cannot be responsibly delivered through abbreviated online or certification-based models. This is not a departure from psychology or its ethical ideals, but a refusal to collude with training systems that increasingly substitute acronyms, titles, and condensed certifications for depth, supervision, accountability, and the lived responsibility that real clinical work demands—systems that risk confusing the public or compromising patient safety. ISH remains committed to education, clarity, and justice—and Dr. Minwalla’s work will be protected, refined, and offered only in formats that uphold the highest standards of ethical care.

APA Intimate-Partner Abuse Primary Reference
Coaching Legal and Ethical Clarification

As of January 2026, the Institute for Sexual Health is no longer offering live professional education or certification programs in Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma Treatment (DSTT). This decision reflects Dr. Minwalla’s ethical determination that treating abuse, victimization, and complex trauma requires forms of clinical training, supervision, and professional gatekeeping that cannot be responsibly delivered through abbreviated online or certification-based models. This is not a departure from psychology or its ethical ideals, but a refusal to participate in training structures that risk confusing the public or compromising patient safety. ISH remains committed to education, clarity, and justice—and Dr. Minwalla’s work will be protected, refined, and offered only in formats that uphold the highest standards of ethical care.

This program offers professionals education and training in deceptive sexuality and trauma treatment, targeting the psychological and intimate partner abuse pertaining to infidelity, compulsive sexual behavior disorder, sex addiction, and the related trauma-and-stressor disorders. This specialized training helps improve services for patients, advances the profession towards human rights, justice and psychological health, and is an exciting and unique learning opportunity to advance your understanding of infidelity and problem sexuality in relationships from Dr. Minwalla live-online.

Becoming a DSTT

Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma Treatment

Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma Treatment (DSTT) is a grounded-theory treatment model developed specifically for the treatment of infidelity, sex addiction, and compulsive sexual behavior disorder. DSTT targets the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of deceptive sexuality and trauma, and offers patients and professionals a treatment model that attends not only to the sexual behaviors, but also to the psychological operation of integrity-abuse and the complex trauma experienced by the intimate partner, the relationship, children, and family system.

Intentional Vibe Trauma Treatment

Intentional Vibe Trauma Treatment (IVTT), based on Intentional Vibe Theory (IVT), is an emerging treatment model developed specifically for the treatment of systemic abuse and complex trauma sequences. IVTT targets the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of Abuse-Victim-Trauma-Existing-Realities, AVT-ER, and offers human beings and survivor-centered communities a conscious way of attempting to move the organic will and empathy of human beings towards justice, truth, and health.

Why Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma Treatment?

Unlike traditional treatment models, DSTT:

1.

Remedies the victim-blaming and diagnostic mislabeling of deceptive sexuality victims and survivors.

2.

Designates a name for the abuse disorder associated with deceptive sexuality.

3.

Provides effective treatments for abusers, victims, and the relationships injured by deceptive sexuality.

4.

Helps mental health professionals address the abusive impacts of deceptive sexuality.

Learn What's Up

Be a Better Man Program

Be a Better Man is a live webinar that provides psychoeducation for men who want to better understand how maintaining a secret sexual life is a psychological operation of abuse and harm that causes traumatic injuries and symptoms to the intimate partner, children, and family. This program helps men see more clearly this system of entitlement, covert abuse, and the harm to other people. Dr. Minwalla’s curated content ultimately encourages men to become more conscious and accept the responsibility of mature masculinity to attend to the self, and particularly those who have been harmed, better. The program involves a five sequence complete healing path; 1) Be a Better Man 1: The Illumination Course; and; 2) Be a Better Man 2: The Application Course; 3) The Better Man Bridge: Working the Ten Steps; 4) Be a Better Man 3: Practice and Brotherhood; 5) Alpha Circle.

This is the heroic path and sacred initiation into Voice-Up Culture and Alpha Masculinity. Vibe in…or not, and Masc-Off!

Be a Better Man

The Sister Course

Here I Am Becoming: The Sister Course is a 42-Hour, 5-day, live webinar +1 day (Synthesis & Planning) that provides psychoeducation for female survivors, curated and conducted independently at the Private Practice of Trish Haight, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), SEP, NARM, NATouch, AF-EMDR, DSTT, CSAT, CPTT, CCPS. Trish will present the same Illumination curriculum from the Better Man 1 Course specifically for the intimate partner or spouse who has been harmed and impacted by deceptive sexuality. The primary objective here is illumination to help empower and offer stabilization by shining a light on the DST model and specifically the 22 specified traumatic impacts (DST-22).

The Sister Course

Institute for Sexual Health (ISH)

The Institute for Sexual Health (ISH) is the official resource for education, professional trainings, and certification in Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma Treatment (DSTT). Founded in 2009 by Dr. Minwalla, the ISH was one of the first and only U.S. treatment centers to challenge the “co-sex addict” model and articulate the systemic abuse associated with infidelity and compulsive sexual behavior disorder.

The Institute for Sexual Health (ISH) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Institute for Sexual Health maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

What is Dr. Minwalla's Story?

Dr. Omar Minwalla is a Licensed Psychologist and Clinical Sexologist trained at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Dr. Minwalla has spent 20 years as a first responder on the front lines of treating infidelity and compulsive sexual behavior. His grounded theory of Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma Treatment (DSTT) not only establishes a new standard of care for the treatment of infidelity, compulsive sexual behavior disorders, and sex addiction, but shines a light on a unique method for the treatment of systemic abuse, injustice and complex trauma, called Intentional Vibe Trauma Treatment (IVTT). And now, in 2026, this work enters its next phase —the emergence of Voice-Up Culture and an Alpha Masculinity grounded in honesty, accountability, and care. 

Dr. Omar Minwalla is a Licensed Psychologist and Clinical Sexologist trained at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Dr. Minwalla has spent 20 years as a first responder on the front lines of treating infidelity and compulsive sexual behavior. His grounded theory of Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma (DST) not only establishes a new standard of care for the treatment of infidelity, compulsive sexual behavior disorders, and sex addiction, but shines a light on a unique method for the treatment of systemic abuse and complex trauma.
His Story...

What is Dr. Minwalla's Story?

Lighthouse to Vanishing Point

Dr. Omar Minwalla is a Licensed Psychologist and Clinical Sexologist trained at the University of Minnesota
Medical School.

Dr. Minwalla has spent 20 years as a first responder on the front lines of treating infidelity and compulsive sexual behavior. His grounded theory of Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma Treatment (DSTT) not only establishes a new standard of care for the treatment of infidelity, compulsive sexual behavior disorders, and sex addiction, but shines a light on a unique method for the treatment of systemic abuse, injustice and complex trauma, called Intentional Vibe Trauma Treatment (IVTT).
his Story...

Be a Better Man 1: Sabbath Schedule

Different Schedule for Sabbath Observant Men, the exact same course and content with Dr. Minwalla, but simply scheduling change, and anyone who has been accepted to take Be a Better Man 1 is welcome.

4-Days:

7am-3pm PST (Los Angeles Time Zone)

  • Friday, May 23, 2025
  • Sunday, May 25, 2025
  • Monday, May 26, 2025
  • Tuesday, May 27, 2025

You can apply, which includes scheduling a free 20-minute phone consultation with Dr. Minwalla to discuss the course further and answer any questions you may have and suitability.

If interested, Submit an application here.

Professional Education and Training 2025

This education and training helps professionals become more aware, ethically informed, and able to treat the psychological abuse and trauma associated with infidelity and compulsive sexual behavior disorder.
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Waiting List

Dates for the next Level 3 Education and Training Cohort are yet to be decided. However, you may submit an application for Level 1 now and be on our waiting list.

Apply for Level 1

Waiting List

Dates for the next Level 2 Education and Training Cohort are yet to be decided. However, you may submit an application for Level 1 now and be on our waiting list.

Apply for Level 1

Waiting List

Dates for the next Level 1 Education and Training Cohort are yet to be decided. However, you may submit an application now and be on our waiting list.

Apply Now

Be a Better Man 2: The Ten steps curriculum

A new curriculum that educates on the Ten Steps to Deceptive Sexuality, and also integrates education on what to start doing, actions and how to consider developing a plan, after the Illumination, with a focus on three types of work: Integrity-Abuse Behavioral work, Attending work (how to help those harmed), and Ego work (your Self). The program will likely be starting mid-April 2025, be once per week for about 2 hours, and will run for 12 consecutive weeks.

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Student Discount

If you are a clinical grad student or currently unlicensed but under the supervision of a licensed professional, you are considered a candidate to receive a 50% discount for the entire Levels 1-4.
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Group Discount

If you have a group of 4 or more clinicians/professionals who practice in a treatment center or healthcare facility, you may qualify for a group discount.
Apply Now

Level 4 Applications Open May 5, 2024?

Only professionals who have successfully completed Level 1 and Level 2 can apply for Level 3.??

Level 1 Application and Registration Open Now

  • Level 1 Application and Registration Ends: April 7, 2024.
  • To Avail Early Bird Discount for Level 1, Please register before: February 28, 2024.
Level 1 Application

Level 3 Applications Open Oct 6, 2024

Only professionals who have successfully completed Level 1 and Level 2 can apply for Level 3.

Level 1 Application and Registration Open Now

  • Level 1 Application and Registration Ends: April 7, 2024.
  • To Avail Early Bird Discount for Level 1, Please register before: February 28, 2024.
Level 1 Application

Level 2 Applications Open May 5, 2024

Only professionals who have successfully completed level 1 can apply for Level 2.

Level 1 Application and Registration Open Now

  • Level 1 Application and Registration Ends: April 7, 2024.
  • To Avail Early Bird Discount for Level 1, Please register before: February 28, 2024.
Level 1 Application

Trish Haight, LMFT

Licensed Psychotherapist

Trish Haight, LMFT is a certified Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma Therapist (DSTT), a specialization in deceptive sexuality and trauma (DST), offered by The Institute for Sexual Health (ISH).Trish is a leading professional voice in Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma Treatment (DSTT) and is an Adjunct Professor and Faculty Member of The Institute for Sexual Health (ISH), and currently teaches Level 2 and 3 of the DSTT Professional Training along with Dr. Omar Minwalla, Licensed Psychologist and Clinical Sexologist. Trish formally trained directly under Dr. Omar Minwalla and was an instrumental part of Dr. Minwalla’s original core clinical treatment team at The Institute for Sexual Health from 2009 – 2015, which is referred to as Dr. Minwalla’s, Sacred Clinical Incubator, giving birth to both DSTT and IVTT, Intentional Vibe Trauma Treatment. IVTT is a treatment for systemic abuse, injustice, and complex trauma, and relevant in particular to survivor-based communities.

Dr. Omar Minwalla, Psy.D.

Licensed Psychologist & Clinical Sexologist

Dr. Omar Minwalla is a Licensed Psychologist and Clinical Sexologist trained at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Dr. Minwalla has spent 20 years as a first responder on the front lines of treating infidelity and compulsive sexual behavior. His grounded theory of Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma Treatment (DSTT) not only establishes a new standard of care for the treatment of infidelity, compulsive sexual behavior disorders, and sex addiction, but shines a light on a unique method for the treatment of systemic abuse, injustice and complex trauma, called Intentional Vibe Trauma Treatment (IVTT). Dr. Minwalla is the founder of The Institute for Sexual Health (ISH) which was one of the first and only U.S. treatment centers to challenge the “co-sex addict” model and articulate the systemic abuse associated with infidelity and compulsive sexual behavior disorder.

Professional Education and Training

While we are in the process of putting together a comprehensive program that meets your expectations, we understand that you may be eager to secure your spot and we appreciate your patience.

Please subscribe to the waiting list to ensure that you receive updates and notifications once we have finalized the program.