Sex After Trauma Therapy in Vancouver, WA
Reclaim Your Sexuality & Heal at Your Own Pace
Does your past make intimacy feel scary, triggering, or impossible? Sexual trauma can steal your sense of safety and pleasure—but healing is possible. You deserve to reclaim your sexuality on your terms.
At Thrive Relational Therapy, Marissa Talarico provides trauma-informed, survivor-centered sex therapy. With gentle, patient support that respects your pace and boundaries, many survivors reconnect with their bodies and reclaim pleasurable, safe intimacy.
What Is Sex After Trauma Therapy?
Sex After Trauma Therapy offers trauma-informed, compassionate support for individuals and couples navigating sexuality after sexual assault, abuse, or other trauma. This specialized therapy helps you heal at your pace, rebuild safety, and reconnect with pleasure when you're ready.
Sexual trauma can profoundly affect your relationship with your body and intimacy. You may experience fear, numbness, flashbacks, pain, or complete avoidance of sexual situations. These responses are normal reactions to abnormal experiences—they're your nervous system's attempt to protect you.
Healing is possible. With specialized, trauma-informed support, you can rebuild a sense of safety in your body, process trauma at a pace that works for you, and ultimately reconnect with pleasure and intimacy on your own terms.
This Service Helps With:
- Sexual trauma (assault, abuse, coercion)
- Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) affecting adult sexuality
- PTSD symptoms triggered by intimacy
- Flashbacks or dissociation during sex
- Fear, anxiety, or avoidance of intimacy
- Difficulty trusting partners
- Pain or tension during sex related to trauma
- Shame, guilt, or feeling "damaged"
- Rebuilding sexual identity after trauma
- Supporting partners of trauma survivors
- Hypervigilance during intimacy
- Feeling disconnected from your body
- Intrusive memories during sex
- Self-blame and internalized shame
- Navigating consent and boundaries after trauma
Looking for trauma-informed sex therapy near Vancouver, WA? Thrive Relational Therapy serves trauma survivors throughout Clark County, Portland metro, and offers confidential telehealth throughout Washington and Oregon.
How Sex After Trauma Therapy Works at Thrive Relational Therapy
Therapeutic Methods Used:
- Trauma-Informed Sex TherapySpecialized approach integrating trauma treatment with sexual healing. We address both the trauma impact and the path back to pleasurable, safe intimacy.
- Somatic (Body-Centered) TechniquesGently reconnect with your body through grounding exercises, body awareness practices, and gradual reintroduction of safe physical sensations.
- Safety & StabilizationBefore any exposure to intimacy-related content, we establish safety, coping skills, and nervous system regulation. This foundation is essential.
- Adapted Sensate FocusWhen ready, modified touching exercises designed for trauma survivors—always within your control, with clear consent and stop signals.
- Trauma ProcessingWhen appropriate, process traumatic memories using evidence-based approaches like EMDR or trauma-focused CBT, integrated with sexual healing work.
- Partner Education & Couples WorkWhen desired, include partners to improve understanding, communication, and support. Partners learn how to be helpful without causing harm.
What to Expect in Sessions:
Weekly sessions, with pace adjusted to your needs and capacity
Gentle intake focused on your goals and what you're comfortable sharing. You don't have to tell your trauma story. We discuss your current symptoms, what you want to work toward, and how to keep you feeling safe.
Healing is not linear. Many clients work with us for 6-12+ months. We start with safety and stabilization, then move at YOUR pace toward reconnecting with your body and sexuality. There's no rush.
Increased sense of safety, reduced triggers and flashbacks, reconnection with your body, ability to set and maintain boundaries, eventual return to pleasurable intimacy if desired
Is Sex After Trauma Therapy Right for You?
This service is ideal if you're experiencing:
Sexual Assault Survivor
You experienced sexual assault and now intimacy feels impossible. You may freeze, panic, or completely avoid sexual situations. You want to heal but fear re-traumatization.
Childhood Sexual Abuse
Childhood abuse affects your adult sexuality. You may struggle with trust, boundaries, shame, or connecting intimacy with safety and pleasure.
Flashbacks During Intimacy
Sexual situations trigger flashbacks, intrusive memories, or dissociation. You're suddenly "not there" or transported back to the trauma.
Avoidance & Relationship Strain
You avoid intimacy entirely, which is straining your relationship. You want to reconnect but feel trapped between partner needs and your own safety.
Partner of Survivor
Your partner experienced trauma and you want to support their healing. You need guidance on how to be helpful without causing harm.
Ready to Reclaim Sexuality
You've done trauma work but haven't addressed how trauma affects your sexuality. You're ready to reconnect with pleasure and intimacy on your terms.
Affirming, Judgment-Free Support
I provide inclusive care for all identities and relationship structures:
- Survivors of all genders
- All types of sexual trauma (assault, abuse, coercion, harassment)
- Recent and past trauma (CSA, adult assault)
- LGBTQ+ survivors
- Survivors in all relationship structures
- Partners of survivors seeking to help
Who This Is For
What to Expect
You Control the Pace
There's no pressure or timeline. You decide what we work on and when. Healing happens at YOUR pace, not ours.
Safety First
We establish safety and stabilization before addressing intimacy. You'll have grounding tools and coping skills before any challenging work.
No Forced Disclosure
You don't have to tell your trauma story in detail. We can work on sexual healing without re-traumatizing you through detailed disclosure.
Absolute Respect for Boundaries
Your boundaries are respected completely. If something feels wrong, we stop. You're always in control of the therapeutic process.
Focus on Healing, Not Performance
We focus on YOUR healing, safety, and wellbeing—not on sexual performance or meeting anyone else's expectations.
Marissa's Approach
Marissa uses a trauma-informed, survivor-centered approach where you are always in control. The foundation is safety—both physical and emotional safety in the therapeutic relationship, and building internal resources for managing trauma responses.
Treatment typically moves through phases: First, stabilization—developing coping skills, grounding techniques, and nervous system regulation. Then, when you're ready, gradual reconnection with your body through gentle, non-threatening exercises. Eventually, if you choose, addressing intimacy with partners.
You don't have to share details of your trauma. While some trauma processing may be helpful, sexual healing can happen without reliving traumatic events. We focus on the present—your current symptoms, your body now, your goals for the future.
For couples, partner involvement can be powerful when the survivor is ready. Partners learn about trauma responses, how to provide support, and how to rebuild intimacy together gradually. Communication skills help both partners navigate this sensitive territory.
Common Issues Addressed
Outcomes & Benefits
After therapy, clients typically experience:
Convenient Sex After Trauma Therapy in Vancouver, WA
In-Person Sessions
601 Main Street Suite 300
Vancouver, WA 98660
(360) 450-2327
Serving clients throughout:
- Vancouver, Washington
- Portland, Oregon metro area
- Clark County, WA
- Camas
- Washougal
- Battle Ground
- Ridgefield
- Salmon Creek
- Hazel Dell
Online Therapy Available
Secure, HIPAA-compliant video sessions for clients throughout Washington and Oregon.
- No commute required
- Same quality of care as in-person
- Flexible scheduling including evenings
- Perfect for busy professionals and parents
Frequently Asked Questions About Sex After Trauma Therapy
Ready to Start Sex After Trauma Therapy?
Take the first step toward safety, healing, and reclaimed sexuality. Schedule your free 15-minute consultation to discuss how sex after trauma therapy can help you begin healing on your terms.
Free 15-minute phone consultation • Evening appointments available • HIPAA compliant telehealth
Schedule Your Free Consultation
Take the first step. Let's talk about how therapy can help.
Marissa Talarico, MA, LMFT
Your Expert in Relationship & Sex Therapy
Marissa is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in relationship issues, sex therapy, and infidelity recovery. With specialized training and years of clinical experience, she provides direct, non-shaming therapy that creates lasting change.
Visit Our Vancouver Office
Thrive Relational Therapy - Marriage Counseling of Vancouver
601 Main Street, Suite 300
Vancouver, WA 98660
Office Hours:
Mon-Tue: 9am-8pm
Wed: 9am-12pm
Fri: 10am-2pm
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