I am passionate about working with individuals who have experienced shame associated with their sexual experiences, sexuality, and sexual health.

Sex and Sexuality are a Normal Part of Being Human

Being interested in and curious about exploring sexuality is normal. Sex can be incredibly pleasurable. Sex can also feel violating at times. Sometimes we regret choices we make in a sexual experience. Sometimes we experience a painful outcome of sex that we weren’t expecting and it can shape the way we think about our sexual experiences. Sometimes our sexual interests or behavior conflicts with the values we were raised with (such as with a conservative religious upbringing) and this can result in confusing feelings around sex that might otherwise be enjoyable.

Pressure from Society

We experience so much pressure from society, family, media, and faith communities about how sex should be engaged with, what your body should look like, who gets to have sex and who doesn’t, under what circumstances sex is acceptable, how you should feel if you contract an STI, how your body should and shouldn’t respond. Worry about getting it right can impact your ability to navigate sex in a way that feels right and pleasurable to you.

I care deeply about the pain people experience around what are often normal or common experiences associated with sex. I also care about the pain and shame people carry about sexual experiences they wish they didn’t have.

A Safe, Non-Judgmental Space to Heal and Re-Connect with What’s Right for You

It is important to me to provide a safe non-judgmental place for you to work through your thoughts and feelings about your sexual experiences or sexuality. I hope we can come to a place where you can heal, feel more empowered, and find pleasure in this part of your life.

Populations that I have the most experience with are

  • Men and women who have contracted an STI like genital herpes.

  • Heterosexual women who often struggle with expressing their preferences or setting limits due to socialization and pressure to please men in order to be accepted (or feel safe).

  • And people from the LGBTQ community from conservative Christian faith backgrounds, who have been hurt by their faith communities or feel conflicted about the beliefs they grew up with.

It’s my interest to sit with you and understand your story and to work through feelings of pain and shame and the experiences that these feelings emerged from. And as you are ready, it is my hope to help you connect with sex and sexuality in a way that is right for you, so that you can seek out experiences you desire, express your needs, and set limits in ways that are aligned with who you are.

Interested in Working with Me?

If you are interested in possibly working with me, please contact me for a complimentary phone consultation to see if we might be a good fit. I would like to learn a bit about your needs and goals to see if I can help. 917-689-6530 or melissa@myheartdances.com