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I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Sam for my latest Teach Me Sex episode and it was a great one! Dr. Sam DuFlo PT, DPT, PRPC is a physical therapist as well as the owner and founder of Indigo Physiotherapy, based in Maryland.  She and her team of fellow healthcare workers including PTs, lactation consultants, Craniosacral therapists and bodywork therapists focus on pelvic health, pelvic physical therapy, prenatal and postpartum training, oncology and women’s/men’s/pediatric/transgender health concerns. You can learn more about Dr. Sam and Indigo Physiotherapy here!

Dr. Sam is passionate about the care she and her team provide. It was when she realized that she wanted a space where she can provide treatments that are more trauma aware, pleasing to the senses and not so much like the traditional healthcare settings (fluorescent lighting, sterile environment, etc.) that she set out to start Indigo...

It's no surprise that as sexual beings we all have our own sexual preferences. Our likes, wants, and needs are unique to each of us and shape our sexual and intimate experiences. But what about our dislikes? Or aversions to certain stimuli? What if the enjoyment and pleasure of sex can quickly turn to pain and kill the mood.  For some of us, this might be when our partner lightly touches our skin or grasps too firmly.  What is this experience like and how can OT play a role in this??? Many of the clients I have work have sensory preferences and high/low thresholds, and this can be even more so for people with autism or sensory regulation difficulties.

A great research article discussing sensory features and sexuality was recently shared with me by one of the authors, Anne Kirby, so naturally I was excited about it and wanted to share it here with you!

 Autistic Narratives of Sensory Features, Sexuality, and Relationships (full article linked here)

Using...

I am thrilled to share my latest "Teach Me Sex" interview with Anita Martin, an experienced COTA, Certified Clinical Sexologist, and founder of Sex Assist. Goodness was it educational!... and steamy! 

With 15 years of experience as a COTA, Anita has found her passion and niche in the occupation of sex and intimacy. She now owns and operates her business, Sex Assist, through which she helps both individuals and couples find a better outlook through sex and improve their communication. How amazing is that!? She is also a bartender and foodie at heart, which I think makes her even more relatable!

Anita was so easy to talk with and I loved her honesty and self-disclosure. She understands how hard it can be to communicate our wants and needs, which is a reason why she wants to help others work through those hurdles in their own relationship(s). As occupational therapists who understand the importance of holistic care, which includes...

I often get asked by OTs how I create a private space to bring up the topic of sex. But, let’s be honest. It’s just not realistic. We’d be waiting for a long time before the opportunity of a private moment presented itself, especially in an acute care setting. Between the client's family and friends, nurses, doctors, and hospital staff you can almost guarantee there’s always someone in the room.  Or think about a busy pediatric outpatient clinic with all of the families and children in the gym.  Think there's always going to be privacy to ask about sexual development and concerns and questions parents may have?  

It’s just not realistic to think we have to first create a private space to ask about sex. 

But, how can you ensure privacy for the discussion if that's what the client wants? I like to first ask about sex and intimacy during the initial evaluation. Around whoever is in the room. Spouse. Kids. Grandma. Grandpa. ...

The process of going from your typical 9-5 occupational therapy job to building a sex and intimacy clinic where you work or having your own private practice does not happen over night. But, tiny steps accumulate into big changes! As you embark on the journey you might hit resistance but don’t get discouraged. Just because no one is doing it does not mean you shouldn’t. Identifying a gap in care is exactly why you should fight to fill it. If we can provide the solution, that’s fabulous!

Read on for my top 6 tips for starting a sex and intimacy clinic or private practice!

1. Build your competency

How would you build your competency for any other topic?  You'd seek out training and CEUs.  When I first started there wasn't much out there (like none) so I dedicated my efforts to developing CEUs specifically for OTs based on research, my own experience, and the training I took to become an AASECT certified sex counselor.   You can take what...