What I Offer

I offer support to people (individuals and couples) who have:

• lost their sense of fun, excitement and joy around sex and intimacy
• a wish to know their bodies better, to experience greater pleasure
• a desire to be a better lover, to develop new and deeper connections with their intimate partner
• a desire to explore the life-enhancing possibilities of Tantra
• difficulty in expressing themselves, knowing what they enjoy, asking for what they want, being clear about their boundaries
• limited or no experience of being sexual or intimate with another
• reduced sensation or pain during sex (for example medical conditions such as vulvodynia and vaginismus, or as a result of surgery)
• erectile dysfunction, or who wish to experience greater ejaculatory choice
• difficulty in reaching orgasm
• a desire to connect with their body and all it has to offer, in new and different ways
• low self-esteem or body confidence, which affects how they see themselves as sexual beings
• a different way of expressing their sexuality (for example as a result of disability)

I do this in a variety of ways:

Tantra

Through my training with Shakti Tantra (shaktitantra.co.uk), and continuing experience as an assistant on their workshops, I use tools and techniques to develop enhanced self-awareness, self-esteem and confidence in all aspects of life, and especially in relation to sexuality and identity. Tantra offers fresh perspectives on intimacy with self and others, how we behave in relationships, how we make choices and agreements, how we express our true selves in all areas of our lives. It supports us to recognise how we limit our pleasure, our self-determination and our full potential. It shows us what we hide from, and what limits us, in life.

Psychosexual Somatics

Psychosexual Somatic Practitioner training (psychosexualsomatics.com) brings together elements of bodywork (somatic awareness, sensate mapping, trauma release, supportive and therapeutic touch) and counselling, coaching and psychotherapy. It supports people in awakening their body confidence, sexuality and self-esteem.

Although not a psychotherapeutic or counselling training, practitioners are skilled in identifying issues and options, and supporting specific needs. It can be very effective when combined with a talk-based therapeutic approach such as counselling or psychotherapy, to assist clients to move from intention to physically experienced change.

Psychosexual Somatics Practitioner Training is endorsed by the recently formed UK professional association ASIS (www.the-asis.org) as a professional education.

Sexological Bodywork and Somatic Sex Education

Sexological Bodywork (sexologicalbodyworkers.org) combines coaching, somatic (body based) sex education and bodywork to connect people with their true erotic potential.

With a focus on conscious breath, movement, sound and touch, Sexological Bodywork creates new connections within the body and greater awareness and embodiment. It challenges habits and patterns of behaviour, by creating a nurturing and supportive space in which to explore all aspects of the erotic self, regardless of gender or sexuality. Sexological Bodywork emphasises the role of practitioners as educators, and the importance of client's intentions around learning and practice, both during sessions in collaboration with the practitioner and as an ongoing supported, then self-directed, approach.

Sexological Bodywork can be very effective when combined with a talk-based therapeutic approach such as counselling or psychotherapy, to assist clients to move from intention to physically experienced change.

It is endorsed by ASIS (www.the-asis.org) as a professional education.

Health care professional training

Although I don't currently practice as a nurse, I draw on many years of specialist training and experience, including cancer, gynaecological, urological and colorectal nursing. This gives me a deep understanding of a wide range of conditions that affect sexuality and sexual expression. A health care background is not necessary to do this work, but when combined with training in the body-based approaches described above, it gives a unique perspective and range of skills with which to support clients.