Sex Therapy and Intimacy Counseling in Seattle and Online Across WA
Sexual disconnection can feel so isolating...whether it’s a drop in desire, tension around touch, or misaligned needs, sex and intimacy therapy can help you understand what’s happening, and then create meaningful, satisfying change.
You might be struggling with desire, mismatched libido, pleasure, shame, anxiety, past trauma, or simply feeling like the spark has faded. Whatever you're navigating, therapy (good therapy) provides a safe, nonjudgmental place to explore those patterns with someone who gets it, through compassionate sex therapy and intimacy counseling from a Certified Sex Therapist.
At Clarity, we support individuals and couples of all sexual identities and orientations. Whether your challenges are emotional, relational, physical, or all of the above, we’re here to help you feel closer, more confident, and more connected again.
Our clinicians are also frequently invited to contribute to national conversations about intimacy and desire, including recent coverage in The New York Times on how couples cultivate sexual desire in long-term relationships.
What is sex and intimacy therapy?
Sex therapy is talk therapy that helps individuals and couples address the emotional, relational, and psychological aspects of sexuality and physical connection. It’s not about performance or judgment...it’s about getting curious, feeling safe, and finding what works for you.
We work with clients facing issues such as:
- Desire discrepancy in long-term relationships
- Low or absent sexual desire (by the way, the focus should be much more about pleasure than desire, but that's a discussion for another time)
- Performance anxiety, shame, or fear of rejection
- Difficulty with arousal, orgasm, or sexual satisfaction
- Impact of trauma on intimacy or body connection
- Changes due to aging, pregnancy, postpartum, or menopause
- Aversion to touch
- Loss of emotional closeness
What can you expect from sex therapy at Clarity Counseling Seattle?
You don’t have to explain everything from scratch. At Clarity, our sex therapists are trained to hold space for sensitive topics with compassion and skill. We’re LGBTQIA+ affirming, kink-aware, and deeply respectful of every client’s boundaries, pace, and goals.
Sex therapy isn’t prescriptive. We don’t tell you what “normal” looks like...we help you define what’s fulfilling and meaningful for you.
Meet our sex and intimacy therapists
We’re often invited to speak publicly about intimacy, desire, and emotional connection. If you’d like to see how our practice contributes to these broader conversations, you can explore the topics we’ve been interviewed about on our Media & Press page.
Do we both need to attend therapy?
You actually don't. We work with individuals, couples, and polycules: whether you want to explore intimacy solo, as a couple or polycule, or as a starting point while your partner or partners warm up to the idea. If your partner isn’t ready yet, couples therapy for one can be an effective path forward as well.
How can therapy improve intimacy?
- Feel more comfortable in your body and with your desires
- Bring a focus on pleasure back into the mix
- Develop language to express needs, boundaries, and turn-ons
- Move past anxiety or shame about sex
- Reconnect emotionally and physically with your partner(s)
- Understand and heal from sexual trauma or avoidance patterns
Intimacy is more than sex, and sex is more than a checklist. We’ll help you find your way back to connection, confidence, and closeness.
Some couples prefer a more structured and guided approach when working through desire differences or reconnection. If you’re curious about what that looks like, we also offer a research-informed Couples Sex Therapy Group based on the Optimal Sexual Experiences model. Even when a group is not actively running, the exercises and insights from this approach can be blended into your individual or couples sex therapy sessions.
You deserve a relationship that includes physical and emotional closeness
We offer sex therapy in Seattle - both in person and through secure online therapy across Washington. Whether you're just starting to explore these topics or have been struggling for years, now is a good time to begin.
Start sex and intimacy therapy with us
Learn about Couples Therapy
Explore Marriage Counseling
Can sex therapy really help our relationship?
Yes! Sex therapy can absolutely help you understand patterns, repair disconnection, and find new ways to experience closeness, both emotionally and physically. For many couples, it’s an extremely powerful turning point. But in order to help we first need to know you're out there, so please do get in touch.
How Sex and Intimacy Therapy at Clarity Counseling Seattle Can Help You Reconnect and Rekindle Desire
Sexual intimacy is more than a physical act — it’s a deeply personal way of feeling seen, desired, and connected. Our Seattle sex therapists create a supportive, informed space for individuals, couples, and polycules to address sexual challenges, explore desire, and strengthen emotional closeness. Whether you’re navigating mismatched libido, healing from sexual trauma, or simply longing for more connection, we’re here to help you rediscover a fulfilling intimate life.
Specialized Expertise in Sexual Concerns
From desire discrepancies to pain during sex, from sexual avoidance to the impact of past trauma, our therapists are trained to address a full spectrum of intimacy challenges. We integrate evidence-based methods like the Gottman Method with specialized sex therapy techniques, ensuring that you receive both relational and sexual health guidance tailored to your unique needs.
An Inclusive, Sex-Positive Approach
We welcome individuals and partners of all genders, sexual orientations, and relationship structures, including LGBTQIA+ clients and those in polyamorous or kink relationships. Our sex-positive, queer-affirming, and kink-aware stance means you can talk openly about your experiences without fear of judgment — and work toward intimacy goals that honor your values and desires.
Holistic Support for Emotional and Physical Connection
We recognize that sexual satisfaction is deeply linked to emotional closeness. Our sessions address both the physical and relational aspects of intimacy, using conversation, education, mindfulness, and body-awareness techniques to help you and your partner(s) reconnect in a way that feels authentic and sustainable.
Guidance That Respects Your Pace and Comfort
Talking about sex can feel vulnerable — and we honor that. Therapy moves at a pace that feels safe for you, whether that means starting with emotional trust-building, learning new ways to communicate about sex, or gradually exploring physical reconnection. You set the boundaries; we provide the expertise, empathy, and tools to support your journey.
Justin Pere is one of my top referrals for men and couples in Seattle.
I have worked with many women who have seen Justin as part of couples counseling and they have felt his support and guidance were extremely helpful for their relationship. Justin is a kind, compassionate and highly experienced therapist who I would recommend without hesitation!
Meet Our Therapists :
Justin Pere LMHC-S, CST, CGT
Founder, Clinical Director & Lead Therapist
(he/him pronouns)
Please note: Therapy sessions with Justin are available via telehealth or in person in Seattle, Washington.
I’m a Certified Sex Therapist and relationship counselor in ...
Rosa Booker MS, LMFTA
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate
(she/her pronouns)
Please note: Therapy sessions with Rosa are held in-person in Seattle or through telehealth on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays, and through telehealth only ...
Hyacinth Kearney MA, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
(she/her pronouns)
Please note: Therapy sessions with Hyacinth are conveniently held through telehealth for clients anywhere in Washington State.
I work with individuals, couples, and polycules who ...
Lindsey Pepperoni MA, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
(she/her pronouns)
Please note: Therapy sessions with Lindsey are held in-person in Seattle on Thursdays & Fridays, and through telehealth on Tuesdays & Wednesdays.
I work ...
Maggie Fisher-Shipley MA, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
(she/her pronouns)
Please note: Therapy sessions with Maggie are held in-person in Seattle or through telehealth Monday through Thursday.
Many of the individuals, couples, and polycules ...
Misa Mattson MA, LMFTA
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate
(she/her pronouns)
Please note: Therapy sessions with Misa are conveniently held through telehealth for clients anywhere in Washington State.
I work with individuals and couples who want ...
Corey Thompson MA, LMHC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
(he/him pronouns)
Please note: Therapy sessions with Corey are conveniently held through telehealth for clients across Washington State.
Many of the individuals, couples, and polycules I support ...
Lisa Stewart MSW, MJ, LICSW, SUDPT
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
(she/her pronouns)
Please note: Therapy sessions with Lisa can be in-person in Seattle on Saturdays, or conveniently held over telehealth Monday through Friday.
If you're looking ...
Featured Blog Posts - Sex and Intimacy Therapy
Why Desire Often Follows Initiative (Not the Other Way Around)
Many people assume sexual desire works like a green light: first you feel desire, then you act on it. When desire is low or inconsistent, people often wait—sometimes for weeks or months—for that feeling to return before initiating intimacy.
In long-term relationships, that sequence often flips.
Rather than desire leading the way, ...
The Pressure to Perform: When Sex Feels Like a Test
Sex is supposed to be about connection...but what if it starts to feel like something else entirely? Like a test you’re afraid to fail? For many people that shift happens slowly. And then, one day, they notice they’re no longer looking forward to intimacy - they’re bracing for it.
Let’s talk ...
Understanding Your Accelerators and Brakes: How Therapy Can Help You Overcome Barriers to Intimacy
When couples struggle with intimacy, the first instinct is often to focus on desire. "Why don’t I want sex more?" "What happened to my libido?" But from our work with individuals, couples, and polycules at Clarity, we’ve learned that desire is rarely the whole story. Often something is simply getting ...
Frequently Asked Questions
Relationship coaches can offer general support and strategies for improving communication or reaching goals in a relationship, but they aren’t licensed mental health professionals. A couples therapist is clinically trained and licensed to address deeper emotional, relational, and psychological issues, including trauma, attachment patterns, and long-standing conflict.
Therapists also adhere to strict ethical and confidentiality standards and often integrate research-based approaches like the Gottman Method. If you're dealing with repeated arguments, emotional disconnection, or intimacy struggles, working with a licensed couples therapist is likely the most effective choice.
Sex & Intimacy Therapy in Seattle
Not at all. Many concerns related to sex and intimacy—such as low libido, challenges with arousal, or difficulty forming emotional bonds—can exist independently of a romantic partnership. Whether you’re currently single, dating, or navigating complex dynamics with a partner, individual therapy can be a powerful space to explore sexual concerns.
Even when you are in a relationship, it’s not always possible or appropriate for your partner to attend sessions. Sex and intimacy therapy can still be highly effective when attended solo, allowing you to focus on your own growth, healing, and understanding of how you relate to sexuality and connection.
Reach out if you'd like help exploring these topics—we're here when you're ready.
Sex therapy at our Seattle practice functions much like any other individual therapy or relationship counseling session—the key difference is that the focus is specifically on concerns related to sexuality and intimacy. Our therapists, including certified sex therapy professionals, are specially trained to help you explore challenges like mismatched desire, low or no libido, compulsive sexual behavior, or sexless relationships.
Treatment may include guided conversations, psychoeducation, and homework between sessions to support growth and change. Clients often benefit from learning known solutions and strategies to restore connection and pleasure.
Sex Therapy Standards and Ethics
Sex therapy is always governed by professional standards, including those of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT). It’s important to clarify that sex therapy never involves physical touch or sexual activity in session. All participants are fully clothed and sessions are conducted within clear, ethical, and professional boundaries.
Reach out with any questions about what sex therapy might look like for you.
Becoming a certified sex therapist requires extensive training and experience. The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) sets rigorous standards for education, supervised clinical work, and ongoing consultation in the field of sex and intimacy therapy.
Expertise and Training in Sex Therapy
Sex therapists complete in-depth academic coursework, participate in specialized clinical trainings and peer consultation, and are mentored by leaders in the field. Our clinicians bring both advanced knowledge and compassionate care to help clients address concerns around intimacy, sexual desire, and more.
Personally, I (Justin Pere) have trained extensively with Dr. Tina Schermer Sellers at Seattle Pacific University and Dr. Stella Resnick in Los Angeles, two leading voices in the field of sexual health and intimacy.
Connect with a Certified Sex Therapist in Seattle or Online
If you're seeking a therapist who specializes in sexual health, or if you'd like to explore whether individual counseling or relationship therapy might also be helpful, we’re here to support you. Reach out to Clarity Counseling Seattle to learn more.