Rekindling Connection: How Sex Therapy Helps Couples Grow in Portland OR

Written By Madeline Ball

Intimacy is more than physical connection—it’s emotional safety, communication, and trust. In relationships, sexual disconnection often mirrors deeper emotional patterns. Whether you’re navigating desire differences, exploring gender identity, or working within nonmonogamous dynamics, sex therapy in Portland OR can be a healing path toward deeper intimacy.

At our practice, we integrate Motivational Interviewing, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to support couples of all backgrounds, including LGBTQIA+ and polyamorous clients. This trauma-informed, inclusive approach helps partners reconnect both emotionally and physically.

Understanding the Layers: It’s Not Just About Sex

Many couples come to sex therapy hoping for better communication around intimacy. But what often unfolds is much deeper. Using EFT, we explore the emotional dance beneath surface conflicts—how attachment needs, fears, and past wounds shape each partner’s reactions.

At the same time, IFS helps clients explore the internal “parts” of themselves—those carrying shame, anxiety, or protective roles around sex and vulnerability. By building inner compassion and communication, individuals begin to shift longstanding patterns of avoidance or conflict.

In therapy, each partner may be at a different stage of readiness for change. Motivational Interviewing (MI) helps us meet each person where they are—exploring ambivalence, identifying values, and building intrinsic motivation.

This is especially powerful when navigating complex topics like:

  • Healing from sexual trauma

  • Exploring gender identity shifts within a relationship

  • Negotiating boundaries in nonmonogamy

  • Reclaiming intimacy after children, conflict, or disconnection

As a LGBTQIA+ counselor in Portland OR, I recognize the importance of creating a space where all identities and relationship structures are seen and affirmed. Whether you're a queer couple exploring open relationships or a trans person seeking a therapist who truly understands gendered experiences of intimacy, my work is rooted in affirmation and safety.

I specialize in working with:

  • LGBTQIA+ couples

  • Clients exploring gender identity transitions

  • Polyamorous and nonmonogamy-practicing relationships

  • Neurodiverse and mixed-neurotype couples

Why Choose Sex Therapy in Portland OR?

Portland is a city known for its openness, inclusivity, and deep commitment to personal growth. Here, sex therapy isn’t just about solving a “problem”—it’s about aligning your relationship with your values, identities, and desires.

Whether you're struggling in silence or simply seeking to deepen intimacy, you're not alone. Working with a compassionate, skilled sex therapist in Portland OR can help you rediscover connection, pleasure, and understanding—on your terms.

Reach out today to schedule a free consultation with a nonmonogamy therapist and LGBTQIA+ counselor who gets it.

Madeline Ball