Dr. James Wadley is a tenured professor in the Counseling and Human Services department at Lincoln University. As a scholar-practitioner, he is a licensed professional counselor and maintains a private practice in the States of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He is Director of the Sex Therapy Program at Council for Relationships and serves as a mental health consultant to the Philadelphia 76ers.
He is the founding editor of the scholarly, interdisciplinary journal, the Journal of Black Sexuality and Relationships (University of Nebraska Press). Dr. Wadley’s vision and efforts have created a scholarly medium that is now available at over 1300 institutions globally. He is also the founder and Principal of the Association of Black Sexologists and Clinicians and his professional background in human sexuality education, educational leadership, and program development has enabled him to galvanize scholars and practitioners in the field of sexology around the world.
His research and publication interests include sexual decision making among young adults, masculinity development and conceptions of fatherhood by non-custodial fathers, and HIV/AIDS prevention. He has written undergraduate and graduate courses and authored twenty-two courses for the Master of Science in Counseling program for Lincoln University (PA). In addition, he recently co-authored thirteen doctoral level courses for the Theological Seminary of Puerto Rico. In 2015, Dr. Wadley earned his NBCC-International Mental Health Facilitator certification after spending time with Rwandan therapists discussing the impact of genocide and trauma in the early 1990’s. In 2016, he helped developed curricula and conducted a sexuality education course at the University of Muhimbili in Tanzania for the nursing and midwifery program. Later that year, he developed and taught an applied research methods course at Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2017, Dr. Wadley’s work and advocacy domestically and abroad enabled him to complete his first documentary, Raw to Reel: Race, Drugs, and Sex in Trenton, New Jersey, which captures some of the challenges that emerge in addiction and recovery. In 2018, Dr. Wadley co-edited The Art of Sex Therapy Supervision (Routledge) which is a book devoted to the clinical experiences of supervisors and supervisees in the field of sex therapy. The book won AASECT’s 2019 Book of the Year Award. In 2020, his book, The Handbook of Sexuality Leadership: Inspiring Community Engagement, Social Empowerment, and Transformational Influence (Routledge) carves a new path for sexuality educators, counselors, and therapists in that it serves as an invitation for re-conceptualizing the consultative and leadership roles that sexuality professionals engage in. In 2021, he co-edited a book, An Intersectional Approach to Sex Therapy: Centering the Lives of Indigenous, Racialized, and People of Color, that draws attention to the experiences of BIPOC sex therapists and educators. Finally, Dr. Wadley’s book (to be released in 2024), The Professional’s Guide to Sexuality Consultation: An Exploration of Entrepreneurship, Strategic Planning, and Business Influence continues a needed discussion about navigating best business practices in the field of sexuality.
Dr. Wadley received his Doctorate of Philosophy degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania with a concentration in Educational Leadership and Human Sexuality Education. He earned a Master of Science in Education degree in School Psychology from the University of Kentucky after completing his B.A. in Psychology from Hampton University. He holds a clinical postgraduate certificates from Thomas Jefferson University/Council for Relationships in Philadelphia. In 2020, Dr. Wadley also earned a Performance Leadership Certificate from Cornell University and his MBA from Keystone College. As a result, he has helped leaders engage in courageous and transformative dialogue about corporate social responsibility and strategic change. Finally, he is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist Supervisor as well as a SASH Certified Sexuality and Wellness Therapist Supervisor. These credentials and a wealth of domestic and international clinical experiences, has catapulted him to be one of the nation’s best marriage, family, and sexuality clinicians.