Seattle Sex Therapist for Couples

Yes, I specialize in couples therapy. Unlike many therapists who do “a little of everything,” my practice is exclusively devoted to working with couples, especially regarding issues of sexuality and intimacy.

I have pursued extensive training, completing an intensive externship in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, PACT couples therapy,  as well as several multi-day clinical workshops in Crucible Therapy with David Schnarch and Ruth Morehouse.

Because I am also an AASECT certified sex therapist, I can integrate sex therapy and couples therapy creating an holistic approach to intimacy issues.

Certification is important because it signifies a significant amount of training, supervision and experience dealing with sexual issues.

AASECT (American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists) requires over 160 hours of rigorous curriculum, 50 hours of supervision and hundreds of hours of clinical experience in order to grant certification.

While Washington state does not regulate the term “sex therapist,” certification distinguishes a therapist who has made the commitment to be fully qualified to provide sex therapy.

The people that I help the most come to me knowing that they cannot keep doing things the same way anymore.

They are open to self-reflection, they have an ability to confront themselves and to be honest about what they are doing, and they have a real desire for growth and integrity in their lives.

They focus on their own contribution to their issues and resist the urge to blame others.

They value honest feedback and directness delivered with good will.

They are ready to make the commitment of time and resources that change requires, and they are determined to make the most out of that investment by being committed to and engaged in the process and expecting me to bring my best to every session.

No. Couples work is always done together. The process is something you share and experience in my office. 

This policy maintains a balanced relationship with both people. It also serves to prevent me from having any information that has not been shared with the absent partner.

So much depends on exactly what situation a client faces and how much they want to accomplish at this time. While some people come in for a very particular question or decision (resulting in very brief therapy), others come in determined to shift many longstanding issues (which can mean remaining in therapy for a year or more). Most of the time, however, I work with clients for somewhere between 3 and 6 months to accomplish their goals.