This page outlines the training, therapeutic models, and integrative approaches that guide my work. You’ll find how I use Crucible® Therapy, AASECT‑aligned care, and complementary modalities to support meaningful, lasting growth.
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AASECT
Crucible Therapy
Nutrition and Integrative Medicine for Mental Health
Animal Therapy
AASECT
As an American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) certified sex therapist, I uphold the highest standards in sex therapy, providing ethical, evidence‑based care. This certification reflects rigorous training, supervision, and adherence to professional ethics, and is widely regarded as the gold standard in sexual health.
AASECT‑certified therapists are specifically trained to address complex sexual concerns with depth and expertise. My clients know they are working with someone who has advanced, specialized training in sexual dysfunction, intimacy, and sexual development across the lifespan, extending well beyond general mental health education.
What Is Crucible® Therapy?
Developed by Dr. David Schnarch, a renowned clinical psychologist and sex therapist, Crucible® Therapy is a growth‑oriented therapeutic approach that strengthens intimacy, supports trauma healing, and helps clients feel more solid in themselves and more connected in their relationships. Instead of focusing on “fixing” a partner or smoothing over conflict, Crucible® Therapy helps clients grow the emotional resilience needed for deeper intimacy, clearer communication, and a more satisfying sexual connection.
The Crucible® Framework
Within the Crucible® framework, I use two distinct but integrated approaches: Crucible® Therapy and Crucible® Neurobiological Therapy.
- Crucible® Therapy focuses on helping individuals and couples develop a stronger sense of self and navigate emotional and relational challenges with greater clarity and resilience.
- Crucible® Neurobiological Therapy adds a deeper understanding of how trauma and past experiences shape the brain’s responses to intimacy, safety, and connection.
Together, these approaches address both the emotional patterns and the neurobiological reactions that keep people stuck, allowing clients to build healthier intimacy, regulate their nervous systems more effectively, and create more lasting, meaningful change in their relationships.
How Crucible® Therapy Can Help
Many sexual issues aren’t just about sex — they’re often rooted in anxiety, emotional gridlock, unspoken resentments, or the fear of being fully seen.
Crucible® Therapy helps individuals and couples:
- Understand the emotional patterns that shape their sexual relationships
- Break cycles of avoidance, shutdown, or pressure
- Navigate desire differences without blame or withdrawal
- Build confidence, presence, and emotional steadiness in intimate moments
- Create sexual connections that feel authentic, mutual, and sustainable
Sex becomes easier when individuals are no longer fighting their own anxiety or relying on a partner to regulate their emotions. Crucible® Therapy supports the development of the internal stability that makes deeper intimacy possible.
Who Can Benefit
Crucible® Therapy supports:
- Couples dealing with communication breakdowns, emotional distance, or sexual dissatisfaction
- Individuals wanting to grow personally or within their relationships
- People navigating trauma that affects intimacy or connection
- Couples facing complex issues such as infidelity, control struggles, or blended family stress
- Anyone who wants to feel more confident, grounded, and emotionally present
How Crucible® Therapy Works
With Crucible® Therapy, I apply thoughtful, non‑reactive pressure to help individuals and couples confront unhelpful patterns, emotional fusion, and avoidance. This pressure isn’t punitive — it’s developmental.
It helps clients:
- Build a “solid self” rather than relying on others for validation
- Tolerate discomfort long enough to create real change
- Stay present during conflict instead of shutting down or escalating
- Develop intimacy that’s based on authenticity rather than approval‑seeking
Sexual issues are addressed within the broader emotional and relational context, acknowledging that desire, pleasure, and connection are deeply intertwined with how clients relate to themselves and their partners.
Nutrition and Integrative Medicine for Mental Health
My work in Nutrition and Integrative Medicine for Mental Health offers a holistic, evidence‑based approach to treating the whole person—mind, body, and nervous system. This framework integrates nutrition, digestion, lifestyle strategies, and complementary therapies to support clients experiencing anxiety, depression, ADHD, stress‑related conditions, and other mood or health challenges that affect emotional well‑being.
I draw on the growing body of research showing how diet, gut health, inflammation, and nutrient status directly influence neurotransmitter production, brain function, and emotional regulation. Using a “food as medicine” philosophy, I help clients understand how targeted nutrition, herbs and supplements, and lifestyle shifts can strengthen resilience, stabilize mood, and support long‑term mental health.
This work may include:
- Personalized nutrition and digestion support
- Lifestyle strategies for stress, sleep, and energy regulation
- Relaxation practices that calm the nervous system
- Integrative tools that complement psychotherapy
- Tailored plans based on each client’s physiology, history, and needs
I have completed extensive training in Nutrition and Integrative Medicine for Mental Health, including specialized study in gut health and its connection to sexual and emotional well‑being.
Animal‑Assisted Therapy
Animal‑Assisted Therapy incorporates structured interactions with a trained therapy animal to support emotional regulation, trust‑building, and nervous system calming. Activities such as petting, brushing, playing, or simply sitting with the animal can reduce anxiety, lower cortisol, and increase oxytocin—the body’s natural “feel‑good” chemical.
This approach can be especially supportive for clients who have experienced trauma, struggle with trust or connection, or benefit from a grounding, relational presence during therapeutic work.