Sex Therapy and Existential Freedom
Genevieve Marcel Genevieve Marcel

Sex Therapy and Existential Freedom

This blog post explores how sex therapy can serve as a path to existential freedom—the ability to define one’s own identity, desires, and values beyond societal scripts. It argues that sexual concerns often reflect deeper struggles with shame, authenticity, and personal meaning. Drawing from existential philosophy, the post frames sex therapy as more than clinical treatment; it’s a space where individuals confront limiting beliefs, unlearn cultural conditioning, and reclaim authorship of their erotic lives. The ultimate goal is erotic integrity—living a sexual life that is chosen, conscious, and aligned with one’s true self. Sex, in this view, becomes an act of becoming rather than just doing.

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Why Sex Therapy & Couples Therapy Aren’t Covered by Insurance—and Why That Might Be a Good Thing
Genevieve Marcel Genevieve Marcel

Why Sex Therapy & Couples Therapy Aren’t Covered by Insurance—and Why That Might Be a Good Thing

Most insurance plans don’t cover sex therapy or couples therapy because they only reimburse for treatment of a mental health diagnosis in an individual—not relationship or intimacy issues.

By paying privately, you protect your privacy and autonomy. You also gain:

  • Therapy free of diagnostic labels

  • Full confidentiality

  • Honest, ethical, and relationship-centered care

  • Freedom from insurance restrictions and session limits

Ultimately, private-pay therapy allows couples to engage in meaningful, non-pathologizing work that honors their relationship—not because it’s broken, but because it matters.

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The Vulva Speaks: Vaginismus, Authenticity and the Body’s Refusal to Pretend
Genevieve Marcel Genevieve Marcel

The Vulva Speaks: Vaginismus, Authenticity and the Body’s Refusal to Pretend

This blog post, written from the perspective of an existential sex therapist, explores vaginismus as more than just a physical issue—framing it instead as a profound, embodied expression of authenticity.

Rather than treating the body as broken, the therapist suggests that vaginismus may reflect the body’s attempt to protect itself from emotional disconnection, pressure, or past trauma. The post challenges conventional, fix-it approaches to treatment, emphasizing that healing begins not with forcing openness, but by listening to the body’s “no.”

Through sex therapy, clients are invited to explore the deeper existential questions behind their pain: autonomy, desire, safety, and truth. This existential sex therapist emphasizes that vaginismus is not failure, but a form of embodied truth—and that real healing comes through compassion, presence, and authenticity.

The post is an invitation to approach sex therapy as a space to reclaim agency, stop performing, and reconnect with the body in a way that honors what is real.

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Understanding Narcissistic Patterns in Sex Therapy
Genevieve Marcel Genevieve Marcel

Understanding Narcissistic Patterns in Sex Therapy

This post explores narcissistic patterns in intimate relationships through the lens of existential sex therapy, highlighting how individuals exhibiting narcissistic behaviors often appear charming and successful, which can make these patterns hard to recognize. It outlines key phases—love bombing, devaluation, and discard—and traits like lack of empathy and manipulation that disrupt emotional and sexual intimacy. The post also offers an existential perspective, viewing narcissism as a defense against deep fears like vulnerability and isolation. Understanding this helps survivors heal by reclaiming their sense of self, trust, and healthy sexual connection. Ultimately, it encourages seeking relationships based on mutual respect, emotional reciprocity, and authentic intimacy.

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Sex, Mortality & Meaning: A Sex Therapist’s Reflection on Being Alive
Genevieve Marcel Genevieve Marcel

Sex, Mortality & Meaning: A Sex Therapist’s Reflection on Being Alive

This blog post, written from the perspective of a sex therapist, explores the deep connection between sexuality and mortality. It argues that our awareness of death—whether through aging, loss, or existential reflection—can profoundly shape our desires, fears, and capacity for intimacy. Rather than seeing mortality as something to avoid, the post frames it as a mirror that invites us to live more fully, love more honestly, and embrace our erotic selves with urgency and intention. Sex therapy, in this context, becomes a space to explore meaning, reclaim joy, and confront the question: How do I want to live, knowing that life is finite?

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When Sex Feels Empty: Confronting the Fear of Meaninglessness in Sex Therapy
Genevieve Marcel Genevieve Marcel

When Sex Feels Empty: Confronting the Fear of Meaninglessness in Sex Therapy

This sex therapy blog post explores the existential fear of meaninglessness and how it often surfaces in people's sexual lives. Many clients report feeling emotionally numb or disconnected during sex, leading to deeper questions like: Does this mean anything? Do I mean anything?

The therapist explains that sex is not just a physical act — it can mirror our fears about purpose, connection, and self-worth. When intimacy feels empty or mechanical, it’s often a sign of underlying emotional or existential distress.

Sex therapy helps individuals and couples reconnect with what meaningful intimacy looks like for them. This can involve rediscovering personal values, healing past wounds, and cultivating authentic, present-moment connection. While the fear of meaninglessness is universal, facing it openly — especially through sex and intimacy — can lead to deeper self-awareness and more fulfilling relationships.

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