Sex Therapy
Caring, talk-based support for desire, intimacy, and sexual concerns, for individuals and couples.
In-person sex therapy in Halifax and Membertou, and online anywhere in Nova Scotia.
"We love each other. We just don't know Show to talk about this part."
Sex is one of the hardest things to bring up, even with the person you share a bed with. Maybe your desire and your partner’s stopped lining up years ago. Maybe something isn’t working the way it used to, and every attempt feels like pressure. Maybe an affair, a secret, or an old experience has made closeness feel unsafe. Whatever it is, it’s been sitting there long enough.
In sex therapy, we take the time to understand what’s really going on, in a space where nothing you say is too awkward or too much, so you can reconnect with your partner, your desires, and yourself.
Let’s start with a conversation.
Sex Therapy | Halifax & Membertou, NS
Sex therapy might be right for you if you are:
- Wanting sex less or more than your partner, and feeling like the gap is growing
- Dealing with erectile difficulties, premature ejaculation, or changes in how your body responds
- Experiencing pain or discomfort during sex that's affecting how you feel about intimacy
- Struggling to feel present, aroused, or able to reach orgasm
- Rebuilding after infidelity, betrayal, or a discovery that changed everything
- Carrying sexual trauma that still shows up in your body and your relationships
- Worried that your sexual behaviour has gotten out of your control
- Exploring your sexual orientation, gender identity, or relationship style and wanting a place to talk it through
Meet Our Team
Match With a Sex Therapist
in Membertou or Halifax, NS
Our registered counselling therapists have specialized training in sexuality, intimacy, and relationships, including a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT)-informed approach to compulsive sexual behaviour and betrayal trauma. Sex therapy here is talk therapy. It involves conversation, education, and psychological strategies, and never physical examinations, sexual activity, or physical touch between therapist and client.
Registered Counselling Therapist, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist
Sex Therapy | Halifax & Membertou, NS
Who Is Sex Therapy For?
Adults
For adults who want a healthier, more comfortable relationship with their own sexuality. That might mean working through performance worries, low desire, sexual trauma, body image, or questions about identity, at a speed that feels right for you.
Couples sex therapy is for partners who've drifted apart in the bedroom or can't seem to talk about it without a fight. We help you approach differences in desire with curiosity instead of blame, rebuild trust after betrayal, and find your way back to each other.
For those who've discovered a partner's hidden sexual behaviour, lies, or broken promises. Betrayal trauma is real, and you deserve support that takes your experience seriously, whether or not your partner is in therapy too.
Sex Therapy | Halifax & Membertou, NS
What We Treat in Sex Therapy
Sex therapy looks at the whole picture: the physical, emotional, and relational factors behind what’s happening, including stress, confidence, communication, and the patterns you’ve fallen into together.
Differences in Desire
Wanting different things at different times is common. We help you talk about it honestly and find connection again.
Sexual Functioning & Performance
Erectile difficulties, premature ejaculation, and changes in sexual response, and the pressure that builds around them.
Pain During Sex
Support for the emotional and relational side of sexual pain, alongside your medical care.
Arousal, Orgasm, & Pleasure
Reconnect with your body and what feels good, without frustration or pressure.
Infidelity & Betrayal
Process the hurt, understand what happened, and decide what rebuilding looks like.
Sexual Trauma
Reclaim safety and trust in your body and your relationships, as and when you’re ready.
Compulsive Sexual Behaviour
Understand the patterns behind behaviour you can’t seem to stop, and build a path to lasting change.
Identity, Orientation, & Relationship Styles
Affirming space to explore sexual orientation, gender identity, consensual non-monogamy, and body image.
Sex therapy draws on evidence-based talk therapy, psychoeducation, trauma-informed care, and a CSAT-informed approach for compulsive sexual behaviour and betrayal trauma.
Sex Counseling | Halifax & Membertou NS
How Our Sex Therapy Works
Our team has the experience, tools, and support to help you feel safe and heard. In sex therapy, our goal is the same as anywhere else in our clinic: caring, culturally inclusive, and gender-affirming therapy that helps you bridge the gap from where you are to where you want to be.
We use a three-step approach to help you move forward:
1. We get to know you
Start with a free consult with our intake team. Then your sex therapist takes the time to understand your history, your relationship, and what you'd like to be different, without judgment or assumptions.
2. We develop a roadmap
Together, you and your therapist build a plan that fits, whether that's individual sessions, couples work, or both. You'll know what you're working on, how, and why.
3. We support you on your path
Have weekly or biweekly sessions, in person or online, for as long as you need. We check in along the way and adjust as you go, until the changes stick.
Sex Therapy | Halifax & Membertou, NS
Questions About Sex Therapy
What is sex therapy?
Sex therapy is a specialized form of talk therapy focused on sexuality, intimacy, and relationships. It uses conversation, education, and evidence-based psychological strategies to help you understand what’s getting in the way and what to do about it.
What do sex therapists actually do?
At East Coast Psychotherapy & Trauma Clinic, our sex therapists help you talk about the things that are hard to say out loud, and they know how physical, emotional, and relational factors work together. Sessions might cover desire, communication, trust, body image, past experiences, or specific sexual concerns.
Does sex therapy involve touch or sexual activity?
No. Sex therapy never involves physical examinations, sexual activity, or physical touch between therapist and client. Everything happens through conversation, and it’s very different from surrogate therapy or anything physical.
Should I come alone or with my partner?
We want different amounts of sex. Is that fixable?
Differences in desire are one of the most common reasons couples come to sex therapy. The goal isn’t to make one of you want what the other wants. It’s to understand what’s behind the difference and find ways to connect that work for both of you.
Can therapy help with sexual pain?
Yes, alongside your medical care. Pain during sex often has both physical and emotional layers, and therapy helps with the fear, avoidance, and relationship strain that build up around it. We’ll encourage you to work with a physician or pelvic health specialist too when that’s the right call.
How do I know if I have a problem with compulsive sexual behaviour?
A healthy sex drive doesn’t cost you things. With compulsive sexual behaviour, sometimes called hypersexuality or “sex addiction,” you keep trying to cut back and can’t, you continue even when it’s damaging your relationships, work, finances, or health, you use it to cope with stress, loneliness, or past trauma, and over time you need more to get the same relief.
Ask yourself:
- Are you often preoccupied with sexual thoughts?
- Do you hide some of your sexual behaviour from others?
- Have you ever sought help for sexual behaviour you didn’t like?
- Has anyone been hurt emotionally because of it?
- Do you feel controlled by your sexual desire?
- Do you feel depressed after sex?
Two or more yeses is worth talking to a trained therapist about. Treatment usually involves talk therapy, sometimes alongside support groups, and in some cases medication through your physician.
What is betrayal trauma?
The deep pain that comes when someone you love and depend on breaks your trust, often through discovering hidden sexual behaviour, lies, or repeated broken promises. It isn’t a formal diagnosis, but it can look a lot like trauma, anxiety, or depression: being constantly on guard, replaying what happened, doubting your own judgment, shutting down, or feeling it in your body through headaches, stomach problems, and poor sleep.
Is sex therapy LGBTQIA2S+ affirming?
Yes. Sexual orientation, gender identity, and relationship styles, including consensual non-monogamy, are welcome topics, and you’ll never be asked to justify who you are.
are. What does sex therapy cost, and can I do it online?
Sessions are billed at our counselling therapist rate, and couples sessions run 90 minutes. Full details are on our fees and policies page. Sessions are available in person or by secure video anywhere in Nova Scotia.
Still have questions? We're happy to answer them.
Sex Therapy | Halifax & Membertou, NS
What You Can Expect From Sex Therapy
As you continue with sex therapy, you may start to notice shifts in how you feel about yourself and your relationship, such as:
- Talking about sex stops feeling like walking on eggshells
- Intimacy becomes something you look forward to instead of something you brace for
- Your body feels like yours again
- Differences in desire become a conversation instead of a standoff
- Trust starts to rebuild, one honest exchange at a time
- Behaviour that felt out of control loosens its grip
Connection is at the heart of this work. When you're ready to rebuild it, we're here.
East Coast Psychotherapy & Trauma Clinic
How To Get Started
Here's the first one:
Call
Speak with us to ask questions or to book your consult or session.
Membertou
Halifax
Message
Fill out the contact form, and we'll get back to you within 24-48 business hours to discuss the next steps.
Finding the right fit matters, so our intake team takes the time to understand what you’re looking for before matching you with a clinician. Complete this form to begin.
201 Churchill Drive, Suite 205, Membertou, NS B1S 2M9
Meet us for sex therapy in Membertou and across Cape Breton, with online therapy anywhere in Nova Scotia.
Virtual Only
Offering virtual sex therapy anywhere in Nova Scotia.