Intimacy Therapy in East Greenwich, RI
Strengthening Intimacy and Connection
For individuals and couples who care about each other but still feel distant and want to understand why closeness feels harder than it should.
Telehealth throughout Rhode Island & Connecticut
THE PATTERN
What emotional distance and intimacy struggles actually look like
When connection feels harder, it is often difficult to explain exactly what changed. Sometimes it shows up as emotional distance, difficulty being emotionally open, fear of needing too much, or uncertainty about how to reconnect after stress or hurt. It can also feel like emotional intimacy is harder to build or maintain than it should be.
Difficulty letting people in, even when connection matters to you
Wanting closeness but finding yourself pulling back when it starts to feel emotionally vulnerable
Wondering why closeness feels harder for you than it seems to for other people, even when you want it
A sense of growing apart without knowing how to shift it
Navigating trust after hurt, disappointment, or disconnection
Differences in closeness, affection, or sexual connection that create tension
THE WORK
How I approach intimacy therapy
Intimacy and connection are not fixed. They shift over time, across life stages, and in response to stress, change, and unspoken patterns. This work takes those shifts seriously without assuming they mean something is wrong with the relationship. The focus is on understanding what is getting in the way and building a way of connecting that feels more natural, honest, and sustainable.
Phase One
Understanding what keeps distance in place
We slow down and look at where the distance is coming from, attachment patterns, past experiences, communication habits, and the moments where connection breaks down. This is not analysis for its own sake. It is the foundation that makes change possible.
Phase Two
Building closeness while navigating what comes up
Once the pattern is clearer, we work on specific and realistic steps, communicating about needs that go unsaid, rebuilding trust after rupture, navigating desire differences, and managing the vulnerability that comes with getting closer.
WHAT THIS COVERS
What intimacy therapy covers
This work is often a fit when these areas feel difficult, unclear, or hard to talk about directly:
Emotional closeness and distance
Understanding what creates emotional safety and what disrupts it, including in LGBTQ+ relationships and chosen family.
Vulnerability and trust
Attachment fears, difficulty letting someone in, fear of being too much or not enough, and rebuilding trust after rupture. Fear of emotional dependence or being too much in a close relationship.
Sexual intimacy and desire
Desire differences, sexual connection concerns, and the conversation about physical intimacy that often goes unspoken. Informed by Sex Therapy training.
Connection after life stress
Reconnecting after parenting challenges, major life transitions, grief, or the kind of gradual drift that builds without anyone intending it.
This work is available in both relationship counseling and individual therapy. Sometimes intimacy and connection challenges come from within ourselves and sometimes they come from within the relationship.
WHAT CHANGES
What changes through intimacy therapy
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Improved emotional intimacy
A greater sense of being understood by the people closest to you.
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More honest sexual communication
More honest conversation about desire, needs, and physical closeness.
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Greater comfort with vulnerability
Less bracing, more presence, the ability to let someone in without it feeling dangerous.
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Confidence in yourself and your relationships
More comfort staying emotionally present, expressing what you need, and trusting that closeness will not disappear when you do.
Training and credentials in intimacy therapy
Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional · Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) · Gottman Method Couples Therapy · LGBTQ+ Trauma-Informed Care · Treating Complex Trauma
Full training and credentials are listed on the About page →
Common questions about intimacy therapy
The things people think about before reaching out.
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Yes and it is more common than most people expect once they feel comfortable enough to bring it up. As a Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional, I am trained to discuss sexual concerns directly and without judgment. Many people find relief in having a space where these topics can be named clearly rather than talked around.
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Not necessarily. If one partner is more motivated than the other, that is a common starting point. The work often begins with understanding what is getting in the way for each person before expecting both people to be equally ready. Individual therapy is also an option for someone working on their own patterns around closeness or vulnerability.
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Yes. Emotional distance that builds gradually over time, often without either person intending it, is one of the most common reasons people reach out. It usually has identifiable causes: unspoken needs, life stressors, changes in roles, or patterns that people can see but do not know how to interrupt.
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Both. Individual therapy is a meaningful space to work on your own patterns around vulnerability, closeness, and trust, including preparing for a relationship, processing a past one, or understanding why intimacy feels difficult for you specifically.
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That shift is real and worth paying attention to. Intimacy and connection naturally change across life stages, stressors, and transitions. Understanding what changed and why is where the work begins.
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Yes. Rebuilding trust and building closeness are related but not identical. Therapy can address both, often at the same time, by helping each person understand what broke down and what would make safety feel possible again.
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Yes. I have training in LGBTQ+ trauma-informed care and work with LGBTQ+ individuals and couples, including those in polyamorous and open relationships. The work follows the same process regardless of relationship structure.
Ready to take a closer look?
A free 15-minute consultation is always available: no pressure, no paperwork, just a conversation about whether this is the right fit.