A somatic sexologist helps you understand and work through sexual difficulties using specialized tools and knowledge, blending conversation with body-based practice. A typical session includes:

1. Listening — sharing your experiences and feelings around the issue.

2. History-taking — understanding the background and context of the problem.

3. Practice — depending on their approach, this may include homework, breathwork, movement, self-touch, touch skills, or communication tools, along with support in moving through shame.

4. Integration — guidance on carrying these changes into daily life.

A session may include breathwork, touch skills, genital and anal mapping, arousal anatomy education, massage, mindful erotic practice, and scar tissue remediation — all offered as experiential ways to deepen self-awareness, connection, and pleasure.

Boundaries and ethics: Touch is one-directional (practitioner to client), and protocols such as gloves during genital or anal touch are always followed.

Training and certification: Sexological Bodyworkers in Australasia are trained through the Institute of Somatic Sexology. I'm certified and a current member of the Somatic Sex Educators Association of Australasia (SSEAA), and I practice in adherence to their code of ethics.

An intimacy and relationship coach helps individuals and couples build practical tools and skills for partnered intimacy and relationship connection.

This spans both the physical and emotional sides of relating — from intimacy and sexual skills, like seduction and sharing erotic intensity, to navigating relationship repair, needs, capacities, and communication.

Sessions usually can involve two-way touch, either between you and the coach or between you and your partner, guided by the coach.

As a Somatica®-certified Sex & Relationship Coach, I offer this support to individuals and couples, both online and in-person in Wellington, NZ.

No — sexological bodywork and intimacy coaching do not involve sex. In a therapeutic context, the only professionals permitted to have sex with clients are sexual surrogates (where legal, typically requiring concurrent treatment with a sex therapist) or, in some countries, licensed sex workers operating within legal frameworks. Sexological bodywork and intimacy coaching are distinct modalities — deeply sexual in nature, but they do not involve sex itself.

That said, both do use hands-on methods to teach sexual and intimacy skills — including touch, arousal, and forms of seduction — within clear legal and ethical boundaries. These boundaries differ by modality:

• Intimacy Coaching: Touch is two-way (between you and the coach, or between partners with the coach guiding). Both people stay fully clothed, with no genital touch. Sessions may include sharing erotic energy and passionate touch.

• Sexological Bodywork (SBW): Touch is one-way, from practitioner to client, with no exchange of sexual energy or attraction. The client can bring up and explore arousal within their own body, while the practitioner's role is purely to guide and facilitate the learning.

Yes — research shows online sessions can be just as effective as in-person ones, with some added benefits:

1. Accessibility — no geographic barriers; support is available wherever you are.

2. Flexibility — sessions fit around busy or irregular schedules, including for single parents and carers.

3. Privacy — a comforting layer of discretion, backed by strong security measures to protect your information.

4. Comfort — many people find it easier to open up from home, in a familiar, relaxed environment.

I offer online sessions, so you can access support from wherever you are.

Can a Somatic Sexologist help me with low libido or if I'm in a sexless marriage?

Yes. If you're experiencing low sex drive, loss of desire, or lack of intimacy in your marriage, working with a Somatic Sexologist can help you understand what's really happening beneath the surface and guide you toward reawakening desire.

Low libido is rarely just physical — it's often connected to sex that doesn't feel good, emotional disconnection from your partner, unresolved resentment, stress and exhaustion, or simply not knowing what genuinely turns you on.

Together, we'll identify what's blocking your desire and build a personalized approach to reignite intimacy. You'll learn:

• How to reconnect with pleasure in your body and everyday life, so desire can return naturally

• What genuinely arouses you, and how to communicate and teach that to your partner

• Tools to repair emotional disconnection and address resentment that kills attraction

• Self-exploration practices to rediscover your sensual self, without pressure or expectation

• How to create intimate experiences that actually feel good — bringing the spark back

This isn't about fixing yourself — it's about reawakening parts of you that may have gone quiet for very good reasons.

Read the full article: What Causes Low Sex Drive In Women? How To Reignite Desire & Intimacy

Yes. I help men overcome erectile dysfunction and reclaim sexual confidence through somatic sexology — a body-centered approach that creates lasting change, not temporary fixes.

Together, we'll work on getting out of your head and into your body, transforming stress into arousal. You'll learn practical techniques to stay present with sensation, build and sustain natural arousal, and shift focus from performance to genuine pleasure and connection.

You'll also discover what truly excites you — mentally and physically — and develop the communication skills to express your desires and teach your partner how to support you, reducing performance pressure. We'll address the deeper patterns behind your ED, whether that's performance pressure, relationship dynamics, or unmet needs for stimulation.

If you're managing physical ED alongside medical treatment, this work can help expand your pleasure possibilities beyond erections — often leading to more fulfilling experiences than you thought possible.

What sets this approach apart: you're not just getting erections back — you're becoming a more confident, present, and skilled lover.

Read the complete guide on overcoming erectile dysfunction, then reach out to start your personalized journey.

Absolutely. If you're experiencing anorgasmia or difficulty reaching orgasm, working with a Somatic Sexologist can be transformative. Unlike traditional talk therapy, this work uses body-based techniques that help you experience what you're learning, not just discuss it intellectually.

Together, we'll identify what's blocking you from reaching climax — whether it's physical, emotional, or related to past experiences. Through hands-on guidance, you'll learn:

• Breathwork and embodiment practices to help your body relax into higher states of arousal

• Self-exploration techniques to discover what specific touch, pressure, and stimulation works for your unique body

• How to quiet mental chatter and stay present in your body, rather than spectating yourself from the outside

• Communication skills to express your needs and guide your partner effectively

• "Mental lubrication" — discovering what mental stimulation enhances your arousal

Many women who've felt stuck in this area go on to have more frequent and easier orgasms with consistent practice and guidance.

Read the full article: Why Orgasms Can Feel Out of Reach For So Many Women

Vaginismus is when vaginal muscles involuntarily tighten, making penetration painful or impossible. While it's a physical response, it often stems from psychological causes like fear of pain, past trauma, relationship dynamics, or negative messages about sex. The good news: vaginismus is highly treatable, with success rates of 75–100%.

Somatic sexology offers something beyond traditional pelvic floor physiotherapy — integrating arousal, pleasure, and partnered dynamics into treatment. Your body needs to feel aroused and safe for penetration to feel welcoming rather than threatening.

This approach includes:

• Addressing underlying fears, emotions, and beliefs in a safe, controlled environment where you're fully in charge

• Teaching mind-body relaxation and pelvic floor (PC muscle) awareness techniques

• Sexual anatomy education, including how arousal prepares your body for penetration

• Real-time insertion practice during sessions, with immediate feedback and support

• Working with couples to improve attunement, communication, and readiness for partnered intimacy

Throughout treatment, you'll build positive associations with penetration while maintaining a sense of safety, control, and predictability — essential for retraining your nervous system and reclaiming pain-free, pleasurable intimacy.

Read more: The Somatic Sexology Approach to Treating Vaginismus

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Yes — a short, free introductory call comes first. Intimacy coaching is intimate work, so it's important we're a good fit before diving in. This call lets us both get a feel for whether we suit each other and want to work together.

If I'm not the right fit for your needs, I'll do my best to point you toward another skilled practitioner who can help.

I welcome all genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and relating styles. I work with adults (18+) who bring an open mind and heart, and a genuine desire to learn, grow, and discover.

My practice is committed to accessibility and supporting people with disabilities. My clinic is wheelchair accessible, and I also offer home visits when clinic access is challenging.

While sex therapy can involve diving into childhood wounds with lingering effects on your adult life, somatic sexology focuses on actionable tools and exercises to help you overcome your erotic roadblocks.

Somatic sexologist often work in tandem with therapists, G.p’s, and other professionals.

The biggest issues couples face are around differences in beliefs and needs around money, sex, and child-rearing. While a Intimacy coach and a marriage coach have very similar approaches to these, couple’s therapy is quite different.

In couple’s therapy, you are limited to only talking through issues.

Intimacy coaching for couples, however – especially if it is somatically-based or experiential, offers tactile practices that help overcome challenging dynamics in a relationship. They can also help you to establish secure attachment, and provide tools for relationship repair during challenging times.

The right intimacy coach is someone whose training matches your specific goals, who makes you feel safe and not judged, and who is transparent about their methods and boundaries. Here's what to look for:

1. Match their specialty to your goal.

• An intimacy coach works with clients — single or partnered — who want to build skills and confidence for partnered intimacy, including two-way touch, connection, and communication.

• A sexological bodyworker works one-on-one with you on knowing your own body — including guided touch, feedback, and communication skills you can bring into any relationship.

• Somatic means the work is experiential rather than just talk-based — you learn through direct embodied practice, not only conversation.

I work across all three of these approaches — as a Certified Somatic Sexologist (American Board of Sexology), Certified Sexological Bodyworker (SSEAA registered), and Somatica®-certified Sex & Relationship Coach — so I can tailor sessions to whether you're looking to build partnered intimacy skills, deepen your relationship to your own body, or both.

2. Check their training and credentials. Look for certifications from recognized somatic sex education, sexological bodywork, or coaching programs, and don't hesitate to ask where they trained and how long they've practiced.

3. Understand their scope of practice. A good coach will be upfront about what they do and don't offer — including whether sessions involve touch, nudity, or physical practices, and what their consent and boundary protocols look like. This should be explained clearly before you ever book a session.

4. Notice how safe you feel in a first conversation. Most coaches offer an initial call or consultation. Pay attention to whether they listen well, avoid judgment, and give you space to ask questions — trust and rapport matter as much as expertise here.

Look for someone trained through a recognized somatic sexology or coaching program — such as the Institute of Somatic Sexology (ISS) or Somatica® — and check that their training includes hands-on, experiential (somatic) methods, not just talk-based coaching. Ask directly about their certifications, specialties, and approach before booking.

I'm a Certified Somatic Sexologist (American Board of Sexology), Certified Sexological Bodyworker (SSEAA registered), and Somatica®-certified Sex & Relationship Coach, offering experiential, embodied intimacy coaching.

Yes — many somatic sexologists and intimacy coaches, including myself, offer online sessions via video call for coaching, education, and guided somatic practices that don't require in-person touch. This makes support accessible regardless of location.

I offer online sessions for clients who prefer remote support or don't have access to in-person practitioners in their area.

Sexological bodywork is hands-on sex education — using experiential learning rather than just talk — to help resolve issues like erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, painful sex, vaginismus, low libido, and difficulty orgasming. It builds capacity to feel and relax into pleasure and sensation, reduces performance anxiety, and improves body image.

For couples, it also offers a space to learn each other's bodies and build confidence with erotic touch skills, communication, and embodiment together.

As a Certified Sexological Bodyworker, I offer these sessions both online (worldwide) and in-person, for individuals and couples.

Read the full breakdown on what sexological bodywork is and how it helps.

I run these workshops both in-person in Wellington and online, so you can join from anywhere. There's a couples workshop focused on navigating intimacy and connection, and a women-only workshop focused specifically on navigating low libido.