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Therapy for Desire, Pain, and Arousal Difficulties
If you've lost your pleasure in sex, are having a hard time getting in the mood, can't finish, or want it more/less than your partner, it can feel painful and isolating.
I work with individuals to help get to the root of your experiences and work toward sexual wellness.
Feelings of frustration, confusion, or guilt can bubble up when our body or libido isn’t responding the way it's "supposed" to.
Arousal and desire disruptions can feel especially mysterious because a sheer willpower alone cannot change the situation. If you are exploring therapy for arousal, pain, and desire concerns, chances are the solutions you've tried aren't working. Our experiences of intimacy can be influenced by many factors, including stress, lifestyle, hormonal changes, relationship dynamics, body image, and experiences of trauma. Influences on sexual arousal and desire are often subconscious (below your immediate awareness) and even unconscious (completely outside of your awareness). Therapy is a non-judgmental space to tune into what is happening inside of you and to work toward understanding what your body and emotions are trying to tell you.
Although the experience may be a lonely one, it is worth sharing that most of us will experience desire disruptions at some point in life. Over time, you may begin to wonder if something is seriously wrong with you. Whether the issue is physical, emotional, or relational, this is a space where you are supported in openly exploring thoughts or feelings that may feel too taboo to speak out loud else where. We’ll focus on understanding your desires, needs, and boundaries. Sometimes, I will gently challenge beliefs or expectations that may not be helpful to you on your journey.
It is important to know that feeling pressured to meet specific sexual expectations (whether that pressure is self-imposed, cultural, or from a partner) will only amplify the issue and make the journey to healing bumpier. The first step we will work on in sex therapy is to turn down the dial on critical thoughts and shameful feelings about what is happening. From there, gaining deeper insight and resolution becomes possible. I work with my clients to enhance body awareness, emotional awareness, self-compassion, and self advocacy, so that you can explore pleasure and intimacy in ways that honor who you are once again.