Sexual & Pelvic Pain
Psychological treatment for sexual pain in Victoria, BC.
Sexual and pelvic pain is one of the most common and most undertreated conditions in women's health. Up to 80% of women will experience pain related to sex at some point in their lives. Most will spend years being told it's normal, "in their heads", or not worth investigating before they find care that actually helps.
I have spent 15 years specializing in the psychological treatment of sexual pain. I work with women navigating vulvodynia, vaginismus, vestibulodynia, dyspareunia, lichen sclerosus, and other pelvic pain conditions, helping them understand what's happening in their bodies, access the right care, and build a life that isn't defined by the pain. Where trauma is part of the picture, EMDR and trauma therapy are integrated into the work.
Learn MoreConditions I Work With
Real conditions. More common than most people realize.
These are not psychosomatic. They are not a result of not being relaxed enough or not wanting it enough. They are physiological conditions with neurological, hormonal, structural, and psychological components, all of which are treatable with the right support.
Vulvodynia
Chronic vulvar pain without an identifiable cause. Often described as burning, stinging, or rawness. Frequently misdiagnosed or dismissed for years before receiving appropriate treatment.
Vaginismus
Involuntary muscle contractions that make penetration painful or impossible. Often develops as a protective response to pain, anxiety, or trauma, and highly responsive to psychological intervention.
Vestibulodynia
Pain localized to the vestibule (the entrance to the vagina), typically triggered by pressure or touch. One of the most common forms of vulvar pain, and one of the most undertreated.
Dyspareunia
Persistent pain during or after intercourse. Contributing causes are often multiple, including hormonal, structural, neurological, and psychological factors, and the condition benefits from a multidisciplinary approach to treatment.
Lichen Sclerosus
A chronic skin condition affecting the vulvar tissue that causes pain, itching, and structural changes over time. Requires ongoing medical management alongside psychological support to maintain quality of life.
Pelvic Pain (General)
Chronic pelvic pain that may not fit neatly into a single diagnosis. Often involves multiple contributing factors and benefits from a coordinated approach across medical, physiological, and psychological care.
Why Psychology
The medical system often stops short. This is what fills the gap.
Medicine is good at identifying structural causes of pain and prescribing targeted interventions. What it typically doesn't address is the impact of chronic pain on identity, relationships, sexual functioning, and mental health. It also doesn't address the neurological feedback loop between psychological distress and the physical experience of pain itself.
Psychological treatment for sexual pain isn't about convincing you the pain is in your head. It's about understanding the full picture: the nervous system's role in pain amplification, the impact of anxiety and avoidance, the relational dynamics that develop around pain, and the identity questions that arise when something this intimate becomes a source of distress. For couples navigating this together, couples therapy can be a valuable part of the process.
Pain Neuroscience
Understanding how the nervous system processes and amplifies pain, and how psychological intervention can directly reduce that amplification.
Navigating the Healthcare System
Helping you understand your diagnosis, communicate clearly with your care team, and access the right specialists, including pelvic floor physiotherapy and gynaecological care.
Identity & Self-Concept
Addressing the impact of sexual pain on how you see yourself, your sense of desirability, and the beliefs you've developed about what your body's limitations mean about you as a person.
Relationships & Intimacy
Working through the relational dynamics that develop around sexual pain, including communication, partner responses, and how to maintain intimacy and connection when penetration is painful or not possible. Often addressed alongside couples therapy.
Sexual Pleasure
Helping you build a sexual life that is pleasurable, connected, and not defined by pain, including reframing what sex can look like and expanding beyond penetration-centred frameworks. This work connects directly to sex therapy where appropriate.
Acceptance & Quality of Life
For conditions that require ongoing management, building a relationship with your pain that doesn't consume your emotional resources or take over your life.
What to Expect
Informed, direct, and a real collaboration.
I bring 15 years of specialist experience to this work. That means I can speak fluently about the medical and physiological dimensions of your condition, help you connect the dots between the different parts of your care, and address the psychological dimensions that most clinicians don't have the training or the time to explore.
Sessions are available in person in Victoria, BC and Edmonton, AB, and virtually for clients anywhere in British Columbia or Alberta. I also coordinate with pelvic floor physiotherapists and specialist gynaecologists where helpful. Where pelvic pain is affecting fertility or perinatal wellbeing, I address both within the same clinical relationship.
Online Workshop
Not ready for therapy? Start here.
I built this workshop because the information women need about sexual pain shouldn't only be available to people who can access and afford therapy. It covers the five conversations I have most often with clients: self-paced, practical, and based on 15 years of clinical work.
It's not a replacement for individual therapy. But if you eventually work with a therapist, you'll arrive with a lot more insight and a lot less ground to cover.
Explore the Workshop →Getting Started
You've been dealing with this long enough. Let's talk.
If you're looking for psychological support for sexual or pelvic pain in Victoria or virtually across BC or Alberta, get in touch. You don't need to arrive with a clear diagnosis or a full picture of what's happening — we can work through that together.
