Sex therapy isn’t just about addressing individual symptoms, it’s also liberatory. Drawing on Audre Lorde’s work on “the erotic,” MTS therapist Brantly Ireacleanos explores how reclaiming our right to pleasure, intimacy, and connection allows us to heal from cultural repression, unlearn systemic shame, and build authentic relationships in a chaotic world.

Reading spicy romance novels is a healthy, pressure-free way to explore desire, consent, and fantasy. In this post, Seattle sex therapist Jennifer Anderson, MS, LMFT, breaks down why smut is so popular, how romance literature challenges patriarchal sexual shame, and what to do if you’re feeling a disconnect between your favorite books and your real-world relationships.

Sensory differences can affect sexual comfort, desire, and intimacy. Learn how touch, sound, light, smell, and other sensory needs can shape sex.