SEX-POSITIVE CARE

Online LGBTQ+ Therapy for Sex, Sexual Identity & Intimacy

Sex and intimacy can be difficult to talk about, especially if you've been made to feel ashamed of your body, your desires, or the way your relationships work. Allswell offers virtual, LGBTQ+ affirming, trauma-informed therapy for sex, sexual identity, and intimacy across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

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CONTEXT

What Is Sex Therapy?

At Allswell, sex therapy is talk therapy that treats your sex life as a real part of your health, rather than something you have to avoid, minimize, or feel embarrassed about. You and a licensed therapist talk through what's happening, what you want, and what may be getting in the way.

Our therapists work from a sex-positive clinical approach. That means kink, non-monogamy, and sex work aren't automatically treated as problems. Instead, your therapist focuses on questions that actually matter: Is it consensual? Do you feel safe and respected? Is the dynamic working for you? The goal isn't to judge your choices, but to help you build a sexual identity and life that feels healthier, more connected, and more your own.

You won't have to use your sessions explaining what consensual non-monogamy means, defending kink, or watching for a therapist's reaction before deciding how honest you can be. Our therapists already understand the language and the context, so you can focus on what's actually bringing you in to therapy, whether that's shame, anxiety, mismatched desire, difficulty feeling present, questions about identity, or trouble asking for what you want.

Common Challenges Addressed in Sex Therapy

People come to sex therapy for many different reasons, and you don't need a specific diagnosis or a crisis to start. These are some of the things our therapists help with most often:

Desire and arousal: Maybe you want sex less than you used to, or you want it more than your partner does. Maybe your body and your head just don't seem to agree anymore. A therapist helps you figure out what's driving the change and what you'd like to be different.
Intimacy and connection: Getting close to someone may feel tougher, and putting words to why can be even harder. A therapist can help you understand what makes closeness feel risky, and help you build trust and connection at a pace you can handle.
Sex after trauma: When past trauma has made intimacy difficult, sex can feel unsafe, distant, or complicated. Your therapist can help you reconnect with your body and your sexuality on your own timeline.
Exploring your sexuality: Sometimes you're still working out what or who you want. Therapy gives you room to explore this without steering you toward a particular answer.
Kink and BDSM: Allswell therapists treat kink and BDSM as legitimate parts of a sex life, and they're trained to tell the difference between kink and genuine concerns around consent. You can talk about what you're into and get real clinical support.
Shame and self-image: LGBTQ+ people may absorb early messages that their desires are wrong, and that can stick around long after you've stopped believing it consciously. Therapy can help you trace where those beliefs came from and loosen their hold.
Mismatched intimacy needs with a partner: Differences around frequency, interests, or boundaries can leave you unsure how to ask for what you need. Therapy sessions are one-on-one, not with your partner, so you can work out your needs and how to articulate them in a safe, judgement-free space.

How Sex and Intimacy Concerns Show Up in the LGBTQ+ Community

You might have grown up with little affirming information about your own sexuality, and you might have absorbed early messages that your desires are something to hide. That history may leave a mark on how you relate to sex and intimacy as an adult.

On top of that, finding a therapist who is genuinely comfortable and knowledgeable about LGBTQ+ sexuality, including non-monogamy, kink, and BDSM, can be its own challenge. Too often, people end up explaining or justifying the basics instead of getting help. Research consistently shows that LGBTQ+ people face higher rates of stigma and greater barriers to affirming healthcare, and sexual wellbeing is no exception.

That's why affirming care matters so much. A therapist who already understands minority stress, and who won't flinch at your relationships or your desires, can help you work through what's actually going on instead of managing their reaction to it.

TREATMENT

How Allswell's Online Sex Therapy Works

Allswell offers two ways to work on sex and intimacy: individual online therapy and affirming support groups. In individual therapy, you meet privately with a licensed therapist over secure video, which many people find makes these tender topics easier to open up about. Support groups, when they're a fit, run in 6-week cycles with the same small group each time. Groups offer a way to connect with others who are navigating similar questions.

Our therapists draw on evidence-based methods suited to sexual wellbeing and intimacy. Depending on what you're working through, your tailored treatment plan might include:

CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

CBT can help you identify and shift the anxious or shaming thoughts that can get in the way of a healthy relationship with sex.

MFN

Mindfulness-based approaches

Mindfulness can help you get out of your head and back into your body, building presence and ease around intimacy.

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

When past trauma is affecting your intimacy, EMDR can help you revisit those memories in small, guided doses so bad experiences lose their rawness and you can feel more present.

OUR APPROACH

Allswell's Clinical Model for Sex and Intimacy

Affirming care is where Allswell starts, but working through sex and intimacy questions or issues requires proven clinical frameworks. We treat your sex life as part of your health rather than a subject to manage around. Here's how we approach it:

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Sex-positive practice is a written standard

Allswell therapists are trained and held to an explicit clinical standard for working with sexuality, covering kink, non-monogamy, and sex work, so respectful, knowledgeable care is consistent throughout our practice.

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Affirming care is a clinical requirement

The American Psychological Association and WPATH set affirming care as the professional standard, and Allswell holds every therapist to it.

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The clinical questions are about consent and power

When therapists assess your sex life, they're trained to look at what actually matters clinically, including consent, coercion, power dynamics, and whether things are working for you, rather than measuring your choices against someone's idea of normal.

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Risk gets harm reduction, not ultimatums

If something in your sex life carries actual risk, your therapist works with you on practical ways to reduce that risk.

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Trauma care is there when you need it

If your therapist notices that past trauma is tangled up with sex and closeness, your therapist will draw on structured, evidence-based trauma treatment.

Progress is measured and we adjust the plan as needed

You'll complete a brief check-in at intake and every 60 days, and your therapist reviews these with you. If there isn't progress, we'll adjust the approach.

What Makes Allswell Different

Not every therapist who says they're LGBTQ+ friendly is actually ready to talk about sex and intimacy with you. Allswell therapists are. We hire for real clinical experience with LGBTQ+ clients, training in evidence-based and trauma-informed care, and experience with transgender and non-binary clients, and we look for people who can talk about sex, relationships, and desire openly and without awkwardness.

We also run support groups alongside individual therapy, because a lot of healing happens in the company of people who get it. Affirming care is the whole point of Allswell, not a feature we added on.

Paying For Allswell's Sex Therapy

Allswell accepts both Medicaid and commercial insurance in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. Before your first session, our team will verify your benefits and give you a clear estimate of your cost per session.

MEDICAID

Sessions typically fully covered, with no out-of-pocket cost.

COMMERCIAL INSURANCE

$10–25

Most clients pay this per session, depending on their plan.

SELF-PAY

$125–175

$175 for your first session, $125 for ongoing sessions.

If Allswell is out-of-network with your plan, we can provide a superbill that you can submit for possible reimbursement. We accept Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) card payments as well.

Getting Started With Allswell

Book a free consult

Schedule a 15-to-20-minute call with one of our Care Coordinators to talk through what you're looking for and get matched with the right therapist.

Meet your therapist and build your care plan

Your first session is a 60-minute Welcome Session, where you and your therapist get to know each other and shape a plan that fits your goals.

Begin ongoing sessions

From there, you'll meet for 45-minute sessions, usually weekly, and can join a support group if that feels right for you.

Allswell's Reviews and Success Stories

Allswell is a refuge for queer minds, where being understood isn't a privilege but the start.

Since my transition, every talk with family was tense and stressful. At Allswell, I felt heard.

Allswell Client, 26

When I was considering opening a relationship, Allswell was where I felt safe to talk.

Allswell Client, 39

I lost my job and was at a low. Allswell found me a great therapist covered by Medicaid.

Allswell Client, 32

I loved my Allswell experience. I found the community grounding and encouraging.

Allswell Client, 22

I felt safe, connected, and understood. We were dealing with dark, difficult topics.

Allswell Client, 41

I loved having supportive people to talk to who resonated with my struggles.

Allswell Client, 35

Meet Your Therapists Who Specialize in Sex Therapy

When you start with Allswell, we'll match you with a licensed therapist who has real experience supporting clients around sex, sexual identity, and intimacy within an affirming framework. You can meet a few of them below.

Fisher Ilijasic

LGPC

•

He/ Him

•

😰 Anxiety

🏢 Career & Work Stress

📱 Dating

😔 Depression

🏠 Family Relationships

🌎 Life Transitions

🫂 Relationships

😌 Self-Esteem

🛏️ Sex & Intimacy

Elijah Black

LGSW

•

He/ Him

•

⚧️ Gender Identity

💔 Trauma & PTSD

🌎 Life Transitions

🕺 Body Image & Body Liberation

😰 Anxiety

😔 Depression

🌱 Grief

🏠 Family Relationships

🫂 Relationships

🌈 Sexuality

Taylour Jones

LGPC

•

She/ Her

•

Maryland

⚧️ Gender Identity

💔 Trauma & PTSD

🫂 Relationships

✊ BIPOC

😰 Anxiety

😔 Depression

♾️ Neurodiversity

🏠 Family Relationships

👥 Poly & Non-Monogamy

👐🏾 Racial Identity

Marq Gunn

LCSW, LGSW

•

he/him

•

Virginia, DC

😰 Anxiety

✊ BIPOC

🌈 Sexuality

🏢 Career & Work Stress

🕺 Body Image & Body Liberation

⚧️ Gender Identity

📱 Dating

😔 Depression

🫂 Relationships

💜 Chronic Illness & Disability

Book a Free Consult

If you're located in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC, you can get started with Allswell today. Book a free consultation with one of our Care Coordinators, and we'll help match you with a therapist who fits your needs, your preferences, and your schedule.

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