“Sexual desire isn’t just about getting what you want. It’s about wanting what you have - and finding yourself in that wanting.” David Schnarch Clinical psychologist, author, pioneer of sexuality, intimacy, and relationships.
“When we treat sexual dysfunctions with compassion and understanding, we uncover not failure but the human longing to love and be loved.” Dr Helen Singer Kaplan Psychiatrist, pioneer of modern psychosexual therapy, founder of the first sex-therapy clinic at Cornell Medical Centre.
Sex and sexuality can be complex, shaped by the body, mind, relationships, and lived experience. At times, this may show up as something that no longer feels comfortable, possible, or satisfying. At other times, it may be about desire, curiosity, or a sense of disconnection that’s harder to name.
Often, these are not separate experiences, but part of the same story.
The words above from David Schnarch and Helen Singer Kaplan remind us that sex and sexuality can be physical, emotional, and relational - a reflection of both the body’s pleasure and the heart’s longing to connect. They point to the quiet longing that can sit beneath sexual difficulties, including what are often referred to as sexual dysfunctions - the wish to feel close, confident, and connected again. This is often what brings people into psychosexual therapy. Many people reach out when sex begins to feel more like pressure than pleasure. For many people, sex can be difficult to talk about - shaped by silence, secrecy, shame, or mixed messages received over time.
For some, it’s about desire or libido - a spark that feels dimmed or uncertain. For others, it’s about arousal or function, such as difficulty getting or staying aroused, erection difficulties, difficulty reaching orgasm, rapid or delayed ejaculation, or pain during sex. Often, these experiences overlap, shaping not only how sex functions, but how it feels - emotionally, relationally, and in your sense of self.
Psychosexual therapy can be helpful whether you come on your own or with a partner or partners. Some people seek therapy individually to explore private concerns, past experiences, or the emotional roots of sexual difficulty. Others attend with a partner or partners to address sexual disconnection, mismatched desire, or ongoing difficulties together.
It’s common to wonder what’s happened, or to worry that something is “wrong” with you. But sexual difficulties are not signs of failure or weakness and they don’t mean that you are broken - they’re part of being human. They often arise from a mix of emotional, psychological, and physical factors, and they can be understood and treated.
Psychosexual therapy offers a space to explore these experiences with care and curiosity. The work isn’t only about restoring function or reigniting desire. It’s also about understanding what the difficulty might be communicating: the anxieties, losses, or unspoken feelings that may live beneath it. In time, this work can help you rebuild confidence, rediscover pleasure, and reconnect - with your body, yourself, and, where relevant, your partner or partners.
Psychosexual therapy is not only for times when something feels difficult or has gone wrong. It can also be a space to better understand your sexual self - your desires, turn-ons, inhibitions, longings, and the meanings you attach to intimacy and pleasure. For some people, the question is not simply about dysfunction, but about disconnection - a sense of distance from desire, pleasure, confidence, or aliveness in their sexual life. You may feel unsure what you want, disconnected from your body, burdened by shame, or curious about patterns that repeat in intimacy. This may also include exploring your erotic template. This refers to the unique ways desire, attraction, fantasy, and meaning take shape for you. Your erotic template is deeply personal and natural, and has often been shaped by your experiences over time. It’s not something fixed or static. It may change, deepen, or evolve throughout your life - and that’s okay.
What feels exciting, comforting, or meaningful to one person may feel unfamiliar or not right for someone else. It’s not something to be judged or quickly assumed to need fixing. Understanding your erotic world can be an important starting point. It can help you make sense of what turns you on, what shuts you down, where shame may have taken hold, and what feels healthy, honest, and life-giving for you.
Therapy can also help you explore these questions through the lens of consent, non-exploitation, shared values, and mutual pleasure. Sometimes this work is about easing anxiety or restoring confidence. Sometimes it’s about making sense of your sexual story more deeply. And sometimes it’s about creating more room for pleasure, authenticity, and connection.
Psychosexual therapy integrates body, mind, and relationship - exploring how emotional patterns, past experiences, and physiology interact in the realm of sex and intimacy. Whether you attend individually or with a partner or partners, together, we might explore:
the emotional and physical factors influencing sexual confidence or comfort
how anxiety, stress, or shame can shape desire and arousal
your unique erotic language or template - how attraction, fantasy, and pleasure express themselves for you
ways to reawaken curiosity, safety, and connection
developing a clearer, more confident relationship with your sexual self
This is a talking therapy. The work takes place through conversation, reflection, and, where appropriate, agreed exercises to explore between sessions at a pace that feels manageable for you.
People arrive with many different experiences. These can show up in different ways, including:
Low, reduced, or mismatched sexual desire
Difficulty getting or staying aroused
Erection difficulties - sometimes referred to as erectile dysfunction (ED)
Rapid ejaculation - sometimes called premature or early ejaculation
Delayed ejaculation
Difficulty reaching orgasm - sometimes referred to as anorgasmia
Pain during sex - sometimes referred to as dyspareunia
Vaginismus - involuntary tightening of the vaginal muscles that can make penetration difficult or painful
Changes in sex or intimacy linked to illness or medication (such as cancer or antidepressants, among others)
Sexual anxiety, avoidance, or loss of confidence
Shame or confusion around fantasies, desire, or sexual identity
The impact of trauma - including sexual trauma, or early experiences in relation to sex, intimacy, or relationships
Feeling disconnected or distant, or a lack of closeness or connection, during sex or intimacy
In some cases, I may work alongside other professionals, such as doctors, GPs, or sexual health specialists, as part of supporting your overall well-being.
Psychosexual therapy can help individuals, couples, and people in other relationship forms make sense of these experiences - offering both understanding and a practical path forward.
I work from a humanistic and integrative perspective - collaborative, compassionate, and attentive to each person’s individuality. Put simply, our work is about understanding you as a whole person - and, where relevant, your relationship, whatever that may look like - your emotions, body, experiences, and the contexts that shape them. I don’t see you as a set of problems to solve, but as someone with a unique story, and we work together at a pace that feels right for you.
I see sexuality as a form of expression as much as experience - a language of the body and imagination that can tell us about our needs, fears, and capacity for closeness. Therapy offers a space for that language to be heard - a place where old stories of shame can soften and where something more alive, more truthful, can begin to take shape.
I welcome individuals and couples of all genders and sexualities, including transgender, non-binary, queer, or people exploring their gender or sexuality. I support all forms of relationship - monogamous or ethically non-monogamous, exclusive or open, casual or committed. This includes couples with different sexual orientations or identities, as well as those in polyamorous partnerships or exploring ethical and consensual non-monogamy. I also offer an affirming space for sex workers and for those whose sexual expression includes kink or BDSM. My approach is sex-positive, trauma-informed, and rooted in respect for diversity, consent, and the right to pleasure.
I also recognise that sexual expression and comfort can be influenced by many factors - including disability, health conditions, cultural or religious background, or the impact of trauma and shame. Every person’s story is unique, and my aim is to meet you where you are, with warmth and respect.
As part of my ongoing postgraduate training in Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy with the London Diploma in Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy (LDPRT) - accredited by the College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists (COSRT) and validated by Middlesex University - I offer psychosexual therapy as part of this specialist training. This training is designed to meet COSRT’s professional standards for clinical competence, supervision, and ethical practice in psychosexual and relationship therapy. All work in this area is conducted under regular specialist supervision and in accordance with the COSRT Code of Ethics and Practice, which upholds the highest standards of integrity and public protection.
You can learn more about COSRT and its ethical framework at www.cosrt.org.uk.
Once you get in touch, I’ll usually reply by e-mail to arrange a brief initial call if that feels helpful. This gives you a chance to get a sense of me, ask any questions, and share a little about what’s bringing you to therapy. If you decide to go ahead, we can then arrange a regular session time.
This is a talking therapy. We explore your experiences, concerns, and questions together in a safe and confidential space. Where appropriate, we may also agree on gentle ways of exploring things between sessions, at a pace that feels right for you.
I offer both. Sessions can take place in person in Dublin city centre or online via Zoom. We can decide together what feels most comfortable and practical for you.
It can vary. If I don’t have a suitable time, I can add you to a waiting list and let you know when a space opens up.
This will depend on what you’re looking for or hoping to get from therapy. Some people come for a shorter period to focus on a specific concern, while others choose to stay longer to explore things more deeply. We can review this together as we go, depending on what feels helpful for you.
Not always. Some people come with a clear focus on sex or intimacy, while others are unsure where their concerns sit. We can talk this through together in an initial conversation and decide what feels like the best fit.
You’re always in control of what you share. Some people find it helpful to speak openly, while others take more time. We move at a pace that feels manageable for you.
Sometimes. Where it feels helpful, we may agree on gentle reflections or ways of exploring things between sessions. These are invitations - always optional and guided by what feels manageable and relevant for you.
No. Psychosexual therapy is a talking therapy. There is no physical or sexual contact in sessions.
Both. Some people attend on their own, while others come with a partner or partners. We can decide together what feels most helpful for you.
Yes. I welcome people of all genders and sexualities, and all forms of relationship. I don’t see one way of relating as better than another, and we can explore together what works for you.
Yes. The themes listed on this page are not exhaustive. People come with many different experiences, and you don’t need to have a clearly defined “problem” to begin. If something is on your mind or doesn’t feel quite right, you’re very welcome to get in touch.