Insights on Sex Therapy, Trauma & Intimacy
Intimacy Exercises for Couples: Evidence-Based Techniques for Deepening Connection at Home
Many couples long for deeper connection but are unsure where to start rebuilding intimacy at home, especially in the face of stress, mismatched desire, trauma, or communication breakdowns. Fortunately, structured, evidence-based intimacy exercises—developed by experts in sex therapy—offer a practical, research-backed path to revitalizing both emotional and physical connection.
Understanding Psychosexual Therapy Exercises: How They Support Healing and Intimacy
Sexual challenges such as diminished desire, performance anxiety, or struggles with intimacy can be deeply isolating, yet they are among the most common concerns we see in our practice.
Is Sex Therapy Right for You? Signs It Could Help Your Relationship or Self-Confidence
Sex therapy can be a game-changing resource for individuals and couples grappling with sexual concerns, intimacy challenges, or diminished self-confidence.
Reclaiming Intimacy After Trauma: An LPC's Perspective on Virginia Telehealth
At Cushing Counseling, we know what it is to sit with stories that are often unspeakable. We have spent years accompanying people as they rebuild trust, rediscover pleasure, and learn to feel at home in their own skin again. Through secure telehealth sessions, we help survivors across Virginia and the surrounding DMV region understand trauma’s impact—and reclaim the future of their relationships and sexuality on their terms.
The Mind-Body Connection: Using CBT and Somatic Therapy for Trauma Recovery
The relationship between mind and body is fundamental to trauma recovery, especially for those navigating the lasting effects of sexual trauma, relationship wounds, or chronic emotional pain.
Understanding Out of Body Experiences During Sex: Causes, Meaning, and When to Seek Support
Experiencing trauma can fundamentally disrupt our ability to connect—with ourselves, our bodies, and those closest to us. For many survivors of sexual trauma, abuse, or relationship betrayal, reclaiming intimacy is not just a return to what once was, but a journey toward feeling safe, whole, and truly seen
What Is IFS Therapy? Internal Family Systems and the Path to Sexual Healing
IFS (Internal Family Systems) is one of the most powerful approaches in modern therapy. Learn what it is, how parts work, and why it’s especially effective for healing shame and sexual trauma.
How Often Do Couples Have Sex? What the Research Actually Says
Research shows couples in long-term relationships have sex about 59–62 times per year. Here’s what that number means — and why it’s not the whole story about sexual satisfaction.
Sex Therapy in Virginia: What to Expect at Cushing Counseling
Looking for a sex therapist in Virginia? Cushing Counseling offers AASECT-certified sex and couples therapy in Fairfax, VA and via telehealth across the state.
Erectile Dysfunction and Sex Therapy: The Psychological Side No One Talks About
Erectile dysfunction has a psychological side that medication alone can't fix. Learn how performance anxiety, stress, and relationship dynamics contribute to ED — and how sex therapy helps.
Sex After Baby: What No One Tells You About Postpartum Intimacy
Low desire, pain, and disconnection after having a baby are incredibly common — and rarely talked about. Here's what's actually happening and how to find your way back to intimacy.
Why Sexual Desire Suffers When Sex Becomes a Responsibility
Sexual desire declines when sex shifts from choice to responsibility. Understanding this dynamic can help couples reconnect.
Why Sexual Avoidance Is Often a Form of Self-Protection
Avoiding sex is rarely about indifference. More often, it’s a protective response to pressure, anxiety, or emotional overload.
“We don’t have time to have sex”
Most couples measure their sex life against a standard that does not exist. Here is what research actually says about sexual duration — and why the goal is not longer, it is better.
Vaginismus: What It Is, Why It Happens, and How Therapy Helps
Vaginismus causes involuntary muscle tightening that makes penetration painful or impossible. Learn what it is, why it happens, and how sex therapy treats it effectively.
Why Pressure Kills Sexual Desire (Even in Loving Relationships)
Sexual desire often fades not because of lack of love, but because pressure replaces choice. Understanding this shift can restore intimacy.
Sexual Desire vs. Emotional Reassurance: Why Confusing Them Hurts Intimacy
Sexual desire and emotional reassurance often overlap—but they are not the same need. Understanding the difference can reduce pressure and restore intimacy.