Couples Sex Therapy in Greensboro, NC
Structured, honest conversations about desire, intimacy, and what keeps getting in the way. In-person in Greensboro and online across North Carolina.
Couples Sex Therapy for Intimacy, Communication, and Connection
Couples sex therapy is a structured form of talk therapy focused on sexual disconnection, desire differences, and intimacy problems in a relationship. It differs from general couples counseling because it addresses sexual and physical concerns directly, not as a side topic.
Most couples wait longer than they should. By the time they come in, avoidance, resentment, or shutdown has built up over months or years. Therapy slows that cycle down and creates space to actually hear each other. The goal isn’t to assign blame or produce a checklist of improvements. It’s to understand what each partner is carrying and what keeps getting in the way of real connection.
A Path to Wellness works with couples across the full range of relationship structures, including LGBTQ+ partnerships, non-monogamous relationships, and couples with kink-related concerns.
What Happens in Couples Sex Therapy?
Couples sex therapy moves partners from blame and avoidance toward curiosity and repair. Your therapist doesn’t take sides. The focus is on understanding the pattern that keeps both partners stuck, not deciding who is right. Sessions are especially useful when both partners want things to change but don’t know how to talk about sex without it turning into conflict, shutdown, or hurt.
What Sessions Focus OnHow We Approach the Work
Couples sex therapy draws from several clinical frameworks. Your therapist selects and combines approaches based on what the two of you are actually navigating, not a standard protocol.
Emotionally Focused Therapy
Gottman Method
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Attachment-Focused Work
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Trauma-Informed Therapy
Sex-Positive Framework
Relational Therapy
Both partners set the pace. No topic is forced before either person is ready to address it.
Why Couples Choose Us for Sex Therapy
Sex therapy requires more than general couples counseling skills. It requires specific training, clinical sensitivity, and a practice culture that treats sexual wellness as a core part of overall health.
One of the few practices in the Triad with AASECT certification on staff. Sex therapy is a core service area, not an add-on.
We work with sexual concerns specifically. You don’t have to hope a general therapist is comfortable with the topic.
LGBTQ+ affirming, kink-aware, and open to non-monogamous relationships. All orientations and partnership styles are welcome.
See us in Greensboro or from home. Telehealth is a practical option for couples who prefer privacy or have scheduling constraints.
The goal isn’t just to fix what’s broken. It’s to help you build a sexual relationship that works for both partners long-term.
Our work is grounded in research-backed approaches that address both emotional and relational aspects of sexual wellness, intimacy, and connection..
AASECT-Certified Sex Therapy
AASECT (American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists) certification represents the highest clinical standard in sex therapy. Hannah Smith holds this credential, making her one of a small number of AASECT-certified therapists in the Greensboro area. For couples dealing with sexual concerns that require specialized training, that distinction matters.
Virtual Couples Sex Therapy Across North Carolina
All three clinicians offer secure telehealth. Many couples find online sessions easier to schedule and more private. State availability varies by clinician:
Dr. Tom Murray
AASECT CST · PhD, LMFT, CSTS, CFT
Practice Owner
Randy Garcia Zavala
LCMHC · Bilingual (English & Spanish)
Hannah Smith
LCMHC, AASECT CST · Virtual Only
Licensure status may change. Confirm availability with our office before scheduling across state lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can couples sex therapy help with?
Mismatched desire, intimacy avoidance, painful conversations about sex, affair recovery, sexual disconnection after a major life change (illness, childbirth, infidelity), performance pressure, and the feeling that you’ve become more like roommates than partners. It also helps couples who want to talk about kink, non-monogamy, or changing sexual agreements but haven’t found a way to do that without conflict.
How is couples sex therapy different from regular couples counseling?
General couples counseling addresses relationship dynamics broadly: communication, conflict, emotional disconnection. Couples sex therapy does the same, but it specifically focuses on sexual concerns and intimacy. It uses clinical frameworks designed for sexual wellness, not just adapted from general relationship therapy. If sex is the primary concern, or if general couples counseling hasn’t addressed it, sex therapy is the more direct route.
Do both partners have to come to every session?
Usually yes, since couples sex therapy is built around the dynamic between both partners. In some cases, individual sessions may be scheduled alongside joint sessions, depending on what’s most useful. Your therapist will discuss the structure with you at the start.
Is sex therapy awkward?
The first session or two can feel uncomfortable, and that’s normal. Talking about sex directly with a stranger takes some adjustment, even with a trained therapist. Most couples find that discomfort fades quickly once they see that the therapist isn’t going to react with shock, judgment, or discomfort of their own. You set the pace, and nothing is pushed before either partner is ready.
What if we have very different comfort levels talking about sex?
That’s actually one of the most common presenting dynamics in couples sex therapy. One partner wants to talk about it; the other shuts down or avoids it. Part of what therapy addresses is that gap itself: why one partner finds the conversation easier, what makes it feel threatening to the other, and how to create enough safety for both people to eventually participate honestly. You don’t need to arrive at the same comfort level to start.
Ready to Start the Conversation?
Most couples wait too long. If sexual disconnection is affecting your relationship, reaching out now is the right move, not the last resort.
Confidential · Judgment-Free · HIPAA-Secure