Vulva Sexual Health

Sexuality is complicated and often stems from powerful messages received as a child from family, media, friends, and religious organizations. Women are supposed to know somehow things that they were never taught or shamed for thinking about. This doesn’t always allow women to explore who they are as sexual beings when they are younger. Powerful emotions create insecurity, embarrassment, anxiety, shame, and isolation leading to challenges with desire, arousal, orgasm, or pain as well as complications in relationships.

We offer a safe place for women to explore, learn, and challenge the powerful messages that keep them from being their authentic sexual selves. Our services can include individual, couples, and group modalities to meet everyone’s needs.

We offer evidence-based, trauma-informed treatment for the following:

Desire and Arousal change over time as one moves through their life. Bodies, hormones, relationships, and life events impact one’s perception of what is arousing or desirable. Motherhood and Menopause are two common (not only) times when change occurs. It is normal for people to feel more or less desire or arousal with these changes. We can help you reconnect with your body and find your sexual authenticity again.

Pelvic Pain

Sex should not hurt. You are not alone and there is help for painful sex. You are not broken or defective. There are many treatable reasons for pain during intercourse. Vaginismus, Dyspareunia, Menopause, and Vulvodynia are a few of the many causes that can create sexual pain. We collaborate with medical professionals who specialize in pelvic pain such as pelvic floor therapists, Urologists, and OBGYNs.

According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 3 out of 4 women will experience sexual pain in their life. Common times are pregnancy, childbirth, or during menopause. Many women with these experiences have medical professionals tell them they are OK or can’t find anything wrong. Some providers tell them to have a glass of wine or relax. This further perpetuates the idea that they are broken and are not! Women with sexual pain can feel shame, embarrassment, and isolation with no one to talk to about it. Talking about sex can be taboo making it difficult to talk with others or ask questions.

Sexual pain creates a fear and avoidance cycle that can make all physical touch difficult. This is a normative response to pain. You’re not alone and we can help you break the psychological barriers to feel fulfilled as a sexual being and to support you with these challenges through relationships. Most sexual pain is treatable. We utilize sensate focus therapy, cognitive behavioral approaches, and mindfulness using a trauma-informed lens.

We offer an intensive, research-based 18-week Pelvic Pain group that helps you feel validated, not alone, and empowered as you start your journey toward your authentic sexual self. The curriculum used was developed and researched by Dr. Lori Brotto.

Those who participated in the group reported:

These improvements were maintained at a 6 month follow-up. Members can join when a new 18 week cycle starts. Day and evening options are available.

Couples support for pelvic pain: it can be challenging for the partner without the pelvic pain to know how to support and connect with the partner who has the pain. The partner is also conditioned as a source of pain, which would benefit from deconditioning. Couples Sensate Focus Therapy can help the individual with pain to regain comfort with different kinds of touch from affectionate to sexual. It can be a long journey, but couples have been able to experience sexual satisfaction with time, practice, and improved communication.

The first step in working with us is to complete our simple Client Intake Form. You can do that by clicking the button below