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What is a Mixed-Orientation Relationship?

What is a Mixed-Orientation Relationship?

You don’t have to be a sex and intimacy therapist to know that romantic relationships are complex. Two people can be madly in love despite having completely different interests or personalities. Sometimes, even differences in sexual orientation cannot stop two people from becoming attracted to one another and falling in love.  This is known as a Mixed-Orientation Relationship. In most …

Herpes Positive: How to Date After Getting Your STD Results

Herpes Positive: How to Date After Getting Your STD Results

If you’ve been diagnosed with genital herpes, it’s imperative that you disclose your diagnosis to anyone you plan on becoming intimate with. It’s normal to worry about being judged when you disclose your diagnosis, because that’s exactly what some people may do. But when you approach the conversation with the right mindset – and don’t wait to long — most …

My Girlfriend is Reluctant to Have Sex Because She Was Raped Years Ago

My Girlfriend is Reluctant to Have Sex Because She Was Raped Years Ago

As one of the most traumatic things a human being can possibly experience, sexual assault is extremely difficult to recover from.  Years can go by, and yet a single piece of stimuli like a smell, a word, or a sound can instantly remind your partner of the event, triggering a powerful emotional and/or physical response. When you try to be …

We Haven’t Had Sex Since My Girlfriend was Raped

We Haven’t Had Sex Since My Girlfriend was Raped

Sexual assault is a horrifying, traumatic experience that impacts nearly every aspect of the victim’s life, especially romantic relationships. Not only does your partner not want to have sex, but they might also have no desire to be intimate with you at all.  This can generate some painful emotions, like anger and frustration. You want your relationship to return to …

My Partner Doesn’t Do Enough Foreplay

My Partner Doesn’t Do Enough Foreplay

Men and women tend to have different sexual needs. Two spouses could find pleasure from different sexual activities or have very different ideas of what constitutes “good” sex.  A common example of the former scenario is foreplay. Many women look to foreplay as a fun, sexually engaging predecessor to sex that can actually build their own self-confidence and change how …

Is Body Dysmorphia Impacting Your Sex Life?

Is Body Dysmorphia Impacting Your Sex Life?

Lots of people are uncomfortable with their bodies. We all have physical parts of ourselves that make us self-conscious, parts we wouldn’t necessarily want someone else to see up close.  But your image of yourself is not supposed to stop you from enjoying sex and romantic relationships. If you feel so uncomfortable with your body that you’re afraid of being …

I Couldn’t Get an Erection Recently. Is it E.D.?

I Couldn’t Get an Erection Recently. Is it E.D.?

If you’re the kind of guy who enjoys dating, you probably have no trouble getting or maintaining an erection with someone you’ve just met. You’re attracted to this person, sex has always felt great, so everything else just happens naturally, with no manual effort required.  Then, one night, you’re alone with an attractive stranger. You’re ready to get hot and …

When Porn is Impacting Your Work Day

When Porn is Impacting Your Work Day

Like anything that makes you feel good, having a healthy relationship with porn can be difficult. It’s especially challenging in the age of remote work, when many people can watch porn during the day without facing immediate consequences.  In addition to its accessibility, what makes porn so easy to overuse is how quickly it provides pleasure. Porn isn’t an ordeal, …

How to be Present During Sex

How to be Present During Sex

Anxiety is an extremely common cause of erectile issues, especially in younger men. If you fail to perform sexually – even just once- it’s only natural to fear the same thing happening again, because it affected you so deeply. That’s what anxiety is in a nutshell: fear of something bad happening.  When you’re so focused on what could happen, you …

Are You Constantly Giving Your Partner What They Want in Bed, Ignoring Your Own Needs?

Are You Constantly Giving Your Partner What They Want in Bed, Ignoring Your Own Needs?

Some people are givers. Nothing pleases them more than making other people happy, especially when it comes to sex. However, being selfless in bed can come with a cost.  Throughout my career as a board-certified sex therapist, I’ve met lots of people who are so dedicated to pleasing their partner that they unknowingly let their own needs go ignored. Sometimes, …