RISE Library: Articles on Sex, Intimacy, and Communication 

When difficult conversations with your partner feel overwhelming, when you need to resolve things right away or you need space to process, when a look or a tone shift sends your nervous system into overdrive, that's often PTSD showing up in your relationship. It doesn't mean you're broken or that you're the problem in the relationship. There's a learnable process for managing your symptoms so they don't manage you. You can find the moment between what triggers you and how you

As a sex and relationship therapist, I love working with couples who are beginning to explore ethical non-monogamy (ENM).  Most of these couples are excited to explore the depths of non-monogamy with their long-term partner and possess a solid foundational knowledge of the amount of work it’ll take to cultivate healthy and fulfilling non-monogamous partnerships.  However, many times, one partner is reluctant to explore ENM due to feeling anxious, stressed, jealous, or confuse

As a licensed psychotherapist specializing in sex and couples therapy, I frequently get referrals from other therapists who want me to work with their clients on challenges related to sexual intimacy. It makes sense, because as therapists we were never trained in graduate school on how to navigate the sexual challenges of our clients. And, depending on what modality of therapy we were trained in, we may have learned that fixing the other problems in relationships outside of s

When couples stop having sex, they usually assume it's about laziness, manipulation, or lack of attraction. But sexual disconnection is actually a signal that something deeper needs attention—usually safety, repair, and attunement. Your nervous system, emotional dysregulation, and unspoken resentment all play a part in creating sexless relationships. In this episode of The RISE to Intimacy , I walk through the critical difference between consent and coercion, avoidance and co

When most people hear "sex therapy," they assume it's about technique or performance. It's not. Sex therapy is about understanding how your nervous system, past experiences, and attachment patterns show up in intimacy. For years, I only associated sex with pressure and duty. I sabotaged a relationship I cared about because my body was screaming no, and I had no idea how to restore safety after my own trauma. That experience is why I do this work, and why I never separate trau

Sex is everywhere. Yet meaningful conversations about intimacy are still wrapped in silence, shame, and confusion. Low desire, erectile struggles, or difficulty with orgasm get framed as personal failures when they should be framed as messages from the body shaped by culture, conditioning, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm.  In this premiere episode of The RISE to Intimacy Podcast , I invite you to gain a deeper understanding of what actually gets in the way of desire. Drawing

Exploring the long-lasting effects of sexual trauma on the brain and nervous system, and how this knowledge can inform therapeutic...

What is sex addiction? Sex addiction is characterized by the lack of control over sexual thoughts, urges, and impulses, leading to...

Jealousy comes up in all types of relationships, sexual and otherwise. A kid can experience jealousy when their mother is talking to...