“It is both an honour and a privilege to have been recommended to work with so many of you and I understand that this message may be disappointing or frustrating to read. I have closed my practice for private client appointments in 2025, to focus on an academic project around sexual function and trauma recovery (for both sexual and non-sexual trauma). Through this process my hope is to support a greater reach of people as well as other health care providers, as there is such a great need in this space. Please know that you are not alone, and I am leading my energies to create more support options in the future. I look forward to returning to private client appointments in the future and will make the announcement through this website.” Kate Dempsey
This is a very common and normal experience. Many things impact our sexual function like ageing, illness, surgery, disability, medication, childbirth, relationship tension, parenting responsibilities, grief and loss, trauma, abuse, anxiety, depression and general life stress. Sex therapy can help to develop awareness of your own unique sexuality and explore ways to have more pleasurable and empowering experiences (even when your body has been changed by events in your life).
This is also a very common reason that people seek out sex therapy and there is a lot of support available to work through these issues. There is no "normal" way to experience sexual pleasure, regardless of your gender or orientation, and there are endless ways of interacting erotically.
Everyone has the right to a fulfilling and healthy sex life. Sex is a skill and a lot of us, did not receive helpful sex education and support around sex, pleasure and intimacy. Speaking with a therapist who has had specific training in sexual function can be extremely helpful in addressing these issues. Sex therapy can help to open up safe conversations that allow people to feel more comfortable exploring their values and beliefs about sex.
Sex Therapy (or Psychosexual Therapy) is like seeing a psychologist, psychotherapist or counsellor, except that the focus is on sexual issues.
A Sexologist (or Sex Therapist) can provide a comfortable, confidential and non-judgemental space for people to talk about and explore sexual issues.
If your therapist believes that your issue is not within their scope of practice, they will have a discussion with you about referring onto another practitioner with more experience in this area.
Some examples of issues that bring people to Sex Therapy include:
Sexology North Queensland acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of Townsville, the Wulgurukaba and Bindal people.
We pay our respects to their cultures, their ancestors and the Elders, both past and present, and all future generations.
