Sex, sexuality & identity counselling in Norwich
Sex and sexuality can be some of the most personal and defining parts of who we are. They can bring pleasure, connection, excitement and joy. But they can also be complicated, confusing, and sometimes wrapped up in an awful lot of shame.
There are things we might never have spoken about because we're worried about how other people will react. Things we don't quite understand about ourselves, or that don't fit with the expectations we've grown up with.
I want counselling to be somewhere you can explore those experiences openly, without feeling you have to hide, justify or defend who you are.
The things we find difficult to talk about
There are all sorts of reasons someone might want to explore sex, sexuality or identity in counselling.
It might involve:
Sexual orientation, attraction and desire
Gender identity and the expectations surrounding gender
Shame, guilt or embarrassment about sexual feelings
Kink, fantasies and aspects of sexuality that feel difficult to share
Relationships, intimacy and sexual boundaries
Conflicting feelings about sex, faith, family or personal values
Feeling disconnected from yourself or uncertain about what you want
And sometimes it's not about a particular difficulty at all. Perhaps there's a part of yourself you're curious about, or something you're beginning to understand differently.
You don't need to arrive with a problem to fix or a label that explains everything.
Somewhere you can be yourself
I think a lot of us learn, in one way or another, that certain parts of ourselves are more acceptable than others.
We become pretty good at working out what's safe to share, what might upset people, and what we're better off keeping to ourselves.
Sometimes that leaves us feeling disconnected from who we actually are.
I'm interested in understanding your experiences rather than deciding what they should mean. I won't impose my own beliefs about sex, relationships, gender or how you ought to live.
My hope is that counselling can offer a relationship where you feel increasingly able to be yourself, including the parts you've struggled to accept or share elsewhere.
How I work
I work in a person-centred way. That means I won't analyse your sexuality, try to put you into a category or steer you towards a particular identity or relationship choice.
Instead, we'll explore whatever feels important to you, at your pace.
That might involve understanding shame, questioning expectations, exploring relationships, or gradually becoming more comfortable with aspects of yourself.
I offer talking therapy rather than specialist psychosexual treatment for sexual dysfunction.
Counselling in Norwich, outdoors or online
I offer one-to-one counselling for adults:
In person: In Norwich city centre (NR2).
Walk and talk: At Mousehold Heath, Norwich.
Online: Across the UK.
Sessions last a full 60 minutes and cost £60. There's no fixed number of sessions.
Thinking about counselling?
I know it can feel exposing to contact somebody about subjects that are deeply personal, especially if you've never spoken about them before.
You don't need to explain everything in your first message.
I offer a free 15-minute introductory call so we can get a feel for one another and see whether working together might be right.
There's no obligation to go ahead.
