You miss your partner. The mental load, mounting resentments, and the pace of San Diego life can make intimacy feel like a chore. No matter what you do, the same fights keep pushing you apart.
Sex therapy in San Diego can help you rebuild trust, improve communication, and reignite the spark that brought you together in the first place.
One of the most eye-opening lessons I learned in graduate school at the University of Southern California was this: the biggest factor in a client’s success isn’t the type of therapy, the technique, or even the duration — it’s the strength of the therapeutic relationship.
Don’t let past trauma and past experiences stand between you and your partner. Intimacy and sex therapy will support you in being open and free without fear of rejection. Book an introductory call to see how you can start having more intimacy with your partner today.
My husband now wants to cuddle and we are enjoying a lot more physical contact naturally. Because we are closer now, we are having more sex!
We’re more authentically connected for the 1st time in our entire relationship, and the entire culture of our family is happier and joyful!
– MARRIED ENTREPRENEURS IN CA
When life in San Diego moves fast, your relationship can start to feel like just another task on your to-do list. You used to feel that rush of excitement when you saw each other — maybe on date nights in North Park or weekend getaways to Del Mar — but now you feel more like roommates.
Evidence-based sex therapy and relationship counseling can help you become stronger partners — even if your week is packed with school pickups, creative projects, or board meetings downtown. Reconnect from wherever you are in Southern California.
Being playful and having fun again would be amazing. You want to get the spark back, yet the defenses win almost every time. Bring back the ease, connection, and desire that once felt effortless. The idea of losing each other is heartbreaking. Life is better together.
Married. Engaged. Long-term committed. Straight. Bi. Gay. Neurodivergent. Polyamorous.
Improve your bond no matter what your relationship looks like.
– QUEER COUPLE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
DEBBIE CHERRY, LMFT
Sex therapy offers an affirming, trauma-informed space for individuals and couples to explore sexuality, sexual intimacy, and communication in a safe environment with a licensed relationship therapist. Together, we address sexual behaviors, sexual concerns, and relationship challenges such as desire discrepancy, diminished interest, or performance anxiety that affect emotional intimacy and connection.
Through a compassionate, non-judgmental, and sex-positive process, I integrate emotionally focused therapy, somatic practices, and other cutting-edge modalities to help you heal sexual shame, body-image struggles, or religious trauma and build healthier intimate lives that support both mental health and relational wellness.
Whether you’re working through erectile dysfunction, painful intercourse, or chronic pain — or exploring sexuality within the kink community, ethical non-monogamy, or alternative lifestyles — sex therapy can help you improve communication, deepen attachment, and rediscover healthy sexuality. It’s a supportive environment where sexual health, somatic tools, and personal growth are openly discussed as intrinsic parts of well-being.
Finding the right therapist is key to healing. I offer a free 15-minute consultation for new clients who want to learn more about working together in San Diego.
Yes. I provide secure, confidential online therapy sessions throughout San Diego and Southern California. Online sex therapy lets you explore intimacy and sexuality at your own pace in a comfortable, non-judgmental space.
Research shows online therapy is just as effective as in-person care. Many clients — including professionals balancing work and family life — find that being in their own home reduces anxiety and encourages more authentic conversations about sexual health, gender identity, and emotional intimacy. Therapy offers a safe environment where cultural identity, values, and underlying issues can be openly discussed with respect and compassion.
Individuals and couples seek sex therapy for many reasons, including:
Sex therapy goes beyond symptom management to address deeper relationship patterns and emotional connection. Together, we create a non-judgmental space to practice effective communication, rebuild trust, and strengthen relational wellness.
General therapy explores overall mental health, while sex therapy focuses on sexual health and intimacy. It combines talk therapy, clinical psychology, and somatic tools to help you understand your experiences on mental, emotional, and physical levels.
Unlike general counseling, sex therapy provides a safe space to strengthen communication skills, explore healthy sexuality, and build intimacy that honors your values and body. You’ll learn strategies for conflict resolution, self-awareness, and healing that support lasting change in your intimate relationships.
Ready to explore your next step? Build a deeper connection, improve communication, and rediscover pleasure. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation today.
Many couples have tried therapy that felt like “just talking.” My approach is active and holistic — integrating emotionally focused therapy, body-based healing, and somatic practices designed to resolve sexual shame, emotional blocks, and physical discomfort.
Sex therapy in San Diego is grounded in compassion, social justice values, and cultural sensitivity. Together, we explore your relationship dynamics, attachment patterns, and underlying issues that create disconnection.
Each relationship is unique. Whether you’re navigating sexual behaviors, modern life stress, or cultural identity challenges, this process helps you rediscover hope and connection.
Every relationship is different. Some clients see progress in just a few sessions; others benefit from several months of consistent therapy. Many couples feel relief and renewed closeness after the first session.
For some, sex therapy is short-term repair for specific issues; for others, it becomes a journey toward deep intimacy and personal growth. The goal is always a stronger connection and greater relational wellness.
Yes. I offer flexible scheduling, including weekend appointments, to support the diverse lifestyles of San Diego couples. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, creative professional, healthcare worker, or parent, therapy can fit into your schedule and help you make space for connection, healing, and emotional balance.
In your first session, you’ll share your background, current sexual concerns, and goals for therapy. We’ll explore relationship dynamics, emotional intimacy, and any underlying issues contributing to distress.
This is a supportive environment where sexuality, identity, and personal experiences can be discussed openly and without shame. The process is collaborative, focusing on safety, empathy, and healing from the inside out.
Yes. Each session includes practical, evidence-based tools tailored to your needs and goals. These may include:
These tools help couples explore human sexuality and apply what they learn in therapy to everyday life, building more satisfying, healthy relationships and a deeper sense of partnership.
Absolutely. I work with clients of all genders, orientations, and cultural backgrounds. My practice is trauma-informed, family counseling, intersectionality-affirming, queer-affirming, and inclusive of poly relationships and alternative lifestyles.
Sex therapy in San Diego welcomes everyone — from the kink community to couples exploring spirituality, cultural identity, or social justice themes within their intimate relationships. Together, we create a supportive environment that honors who you are and what you need to thrive.
No. A licensed family therapist remains neutral and provides a non-judgmental space for both partners. The goal is to build understanding, compassion, and communication — not to assign blame or push a specific outcome.
Even when facing psychological challenges like extramarital affairs, diminished interest, or emotional withdrawal, therapy offers clarity, empathy, and direction toward healing.
No. Many couples begin sex therapy proactively — not because of crisis, but to strengthen communication, increase intimacy, and maintain a healthy relationship.
Therapy can help you rediscover closeness, reignite desire, and prevent small disconnects from becoming larger issues. Many clients describe it as learning the emotional and physical skills to sustain love in a fast-paced, modern world.
Sometimes. Insurance may cover therapy related to mental health diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, or trauma. However, sessions focused primarily on sexual health or relationship concerns are typically not covered.
Many clients choose private pay to protect privacy and keep the focus on growth, healing, and intimacy — free from medical labeling or insurance limitations.
Sessions range from $175–$350 per 50-minute session. Most clients view therapy as an investment in their emotional well-being and long-term relationship satisfaction.
Coverage varies by provider. Some plans reimburse therapy that addresses mental health issues like anxiety, grief, or trauma, while others don’t cover sessions centered on sexuality or couples counseling. Always confirm with your insurance company before beginning therapy.
I accept credit cards, debit cards, and HSA/FSA cards. Payments are automated for your convenience and privacy.
Yes. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, I’m legally and ethically bound to confidentiality, except in rare cases related to safety. Many clients prefer private pay to ensure complete privacy for their sessions and avoid a mental health diagnosis being shared with insurers.
Look for a therapist with advanced training in sexual health, emotionally focused therapy, and relational dynamics. The best fit is someone who creates a supportive, non-judgmental space where you can safely explore sensitive topics.
With more than 20 years of experience counseling countless patients in San Diego and throughout Southern California, I’ve helped clients feel safe to address sexual shame, rebuild trust, and reconnect using integrative, evidence-based methods. Therapy here is designed to restore confidence, understand sexual education and erotic desires, increase pleasure and orgasms, deepen intimacy, and strengthen your bond.
San Diego couples come from every background imaginable — from engineers in Sorrento Valley to creatives in North Park and families in Carlsbad. I honor your cultural identity, values, and beliefs as intrinsic parts of your healing process.
My practice is inclusive, culturally sensitive, and grounded in respect for intersectionality. Together, we explore how cultural influences, family history, and social expectations shape intimacy and connection in your relationship.
Yes. I provide affirming therapy for neurodivergent individuals, nontraditional couples, and those navigating unique relationship structures.
Therapy offers flexible access to tools that support communication, emotional safety, and understanding. Whether you’re exploring poly relationships, ethical non-monogamy, or alternative expressions of intimacy, the process helps deepen attachment and relational confidence.
That’s completely normal. Many people begin therapy on their own to understand their sexuality, process emotional pain, or explore relationship patterns before inviting their partner to join.
Therapy can help you feel more grounded, confident, and hopeful — often inspiring your partner to join once they see positive changes in you.
Yes. I provide affirming, inclusive therapy for LGBTQ+ clients and couples. Sessions are designed to address sexual health, body image, cultural identity, and relational challenges in a compassionate and supportive space.
That’s okay. Therapy doesn’t force a decision — it supports clarity and compassion. Whether you choose to rebuild your relationship or part ways respectfully, the goal is healing, understanding, and peace.
If there’s active violence, untreated addiction, or immediate safety concerns, individual therapy or crisis intervention may be necessary before beginning couples or sex therapy.
Otherwise, this process welcomes anyone ready to explore healthy sexuality, strengthen intimacy, and grow in a supportive, non-judgmental environment.
