Somatic sexology is a practice modality that supports people to understand and expand their sexual wellbeing through the body as well as the mind. Rather than treating sexual concerns as cognitive or behavioural, somatic sexology focuses on breath, sensation, movement, boundaries, communication and embodied awareness.

Through education, coaching and experiential learning, somatic sexology invites people to reconnect with their bodies, deepen pleasure, and cultivate a more curious, compassionate and authentic relationship with their sexuality. Sessions are educational, exploratory, and grounded in consent, safety and body-based awareness.

Somatic sexology and psychological therapy share some commonalities, but also have significant points of difference. Psychological therapies focus primarily on emotions, memories, thoughts, and beliefs; whereas, somatic sexology focuses more on sensation, breath, arousal patterns, nervous-system responses and pleasure pathways. However, both psychological therapy and somatic sexology may include elements such education, challenging unhelpful beliefs, home practices, and exploring the origins of certain behaviours or habits.

The two modalities can and often do work synergistically together. A common scenario might be someone who has completed EMDR work with a psychologist for sexual trauma, who now wants to work with a somatic sexologist to focus on how to experience sexual pleasure, either alone or with a partner.

The kinds of concerns people might bring to somatic sexology sessions are wide-ranging. They can include lowered libido or difficulty feeling arousal, a sense of boredom in sexual experiences, or physical challenges such as vaginismus or early ejaculation.

Many clients notice shifts in desire or sexual function that come with aging, hormonal changes, or life transitions. Others struggle with sexual shame or internalised messages that interfere with pleasure, or find it difficult to express their sexual desires to their partners. Some may have questions like “what do I actually enjoy?” or “why do I have these sexual beliefs?” and are seeking a safe, non-judgmental space to explore these questions. Somatic sexology sessions provide tools and guidance for clients to navigate these concerns.

In 2025, I completed a one-year training program with the Institute of Somatic Sexology. This training was grounded in somatic science, pleasure-based learning, and nervous-system-informed coaching. I am now a member of the Somatic Sex Educators’ Association of Australasia.

My somatic sexology training builds on my 20 years as a Clinical Psychologist and educator. I’ve worked with people navigating trauma, hormonal transitions, anxiety, eating disorders, depression, and OCD. I’ve completed extensive additional training in practices such as EMDR, schema therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Combining this experience with somatic sexology allows me hold the whole person in mind, and help them to bring awareness, curiosity, and care to experiences of intimacy, pleasure, and embodiment.

Somatic sexology is an emerging field with practices still being explored and refined. That said, it draws on a substantial body of established research from multiple disciplines. These include neuroscience (particularly interoception, neuroplasticity, and autonomic nervous system regulation), psychology (attachment and trauma theories), and somatic sciences.

It is also informed by trauma studies and body-based trauma therapies, including research on bottom-up processing, nervous system regulation, and the role of the body in memory and emotional experience. Additional foundations come from sexology and sexual health research, mindfulness research, movement science, and relational neuroscience, particularly where these fields examine consent, arousal patterns, pleasure, boundaries, and the social contexts of sexuality.

Somatic sexology sessions are for anyone who wants to feel more at peace in their body and experience greater sexual pleasure, or to reconnect with the erotic part of themselves. Somatic sexology sessions can help individuals and couples to experience more ease, pleasure, curiosity and self-understanding, and to build a healthier, more compassionate relationship with their sexuality over time.

I am not currently offering somatic sexology sessions, as I am focussing on training and supervision. The Somatic Sex Educators’ Association of Australasia has a directory of qualified practitioners to help you find someone to meet your needs.