A healthy relationship has many different components, including love, intimacy, understanding, and respect. A lack of one of these aspects can cause unhappiness in the relationship.
Unfortunately, intimacy issues are often neglected until they’re very serious, because they can seem difficult to approach. An intimacy coach can help to stop the further escalation of intimacy-related conflicts and problems in a relationship.
Want to skip right to the suggestions for intimacy coaches? Here are our 2 recommended therapy solutions:
How to find an intimacy coach near me
There are a few different websites and web portals that offer online and in-person intimacy coaching services.
Below are two very good platforms where you can connect with an intimacy coach.
1. ReGain
ReGain
- Online relationship therapy platform
- Both for individuals or couples seeking therapy for relationship or marital issues
- Pricing: starting at $60/week
PROS
- Counselors specialized in relationship counseling
- Unlimited messaging and 24/7 access to your counselor
- Easy to use, secure and private platform
- Owned and operated by BetterHelp - ensuring the high quality services
CONS
- Clunky website and a lot of start-up questions
- Cannot provide mental health diagnoses or prescribe medication
- Does not work with any insurance providers
ReGain is an online platform created specifically to save and improve relationships by working on issues such as intimacy, passion, communication, companionship, affection, trust, and friendship.
All of the counselors on this portal have at least three years of relationship counseling experience.
Before joining the sessions, ReGain will ask you to answer a few questions to ensure you are matched with the right intimacy coach. If you like, you can get started individually and later ask your partner to join the sessions, or you can do counseling individually if you’d prefer.
ReGain provides different communication modes, so you can opt for the one you feel most comfortable with during your sessions. Texting, live chats, and audio/video calls are available. If you invite your partner, they can join in a video or audio call on their own device, or you can share a device if you’d prefer.
Moreover, ReGain is a subscription-based service and charges you weekly instead of per session. With a subscription, you get one counseling session per week, as well as the ability to message your counselor as much as you’d like, which is a nice touch.
2. The Family and Marriage Counseling (FMC) Directory
Family Marriage Counseling
- Directory to find a therapist in your area (US)
- Specialized in family & marriage counseling
- Offers a public forum for marriage advice and support
The FMC directory was created to help people find relationship and marriage counselors in their area. All the therapists registered on the FMC directory have their credentials verified, and have at least a master’s degree in a counseling-related field, as well as a license of practice from their respective state.
In the FMC directory, after selecting your state and city, you will be provided with a list of relationship counselors practicing in your area, including intimacy coaches. In addition, the counselors’ contact details like their number, address, and website details are provided to allow you to reach the therapist.
Moreover, special interests are also provided on each professional’s profile, to help you decide on the best therapist according to their interests and specialties.
You can also contact the counselors and ask questions before selecting a therapist you feel comfortable with during your intimacy coaching. For example, you can ask about the fee for sessions, discounts, insurance coverage, and cancellation policies, or you can ask about their certifications and intimacy coaching experience before starting your sessions.
The one downside to this directory is it might be hard to find someone who specializes exclusively in intimacy coaching. Although there are professionals who have this experience on the FMC directory, there are also lots of more generalistic relationship counselors you’ll have to sort through.
Why might you need intimacy counseling?
Suppose you are struggling with your relationship due to intimacy issues – it might be best to resolve these problems by consulting a therapist. When these sorts of issues arise, counseling is the key to sustaining a healthy relationship.
It is not easy to discuss intimacy problems, which is why many people suffer from depression or even break up as a result. The best way to solve the issue is to contact an experienced counselor or intimacy coach who can help you in your specific situation.
It’s important to remember you shouldn’t try to escape the circumstances you’re going through – you must stand and face the problem wholeheartedly when you reach out to an intimacy coach. Without finding out the problem, it will be difficult to work towards a solution.
What is an intimacy coach, and what do they do?
Intimacy coaching is performed by an experienced professional, who often has relationship counseling or sex therapy qualifications. The intimacy coach will help you to solve your issues regarding intimacy with your loved ones in any of your relationships.
Intimacy coaches help you feel safe in displaying intimacy, whether it be on a physical or emotional level. They may address issues relating to your childhood that make you hesitant to display or reciprocate intimacy in the present day.
These types of coaches help you to overcome fear and hesitation to make connections with others, because you fear them losing interest in you after discovering your imperfections.
In addition, a coach will help you and your partner to sort out any relationship conflicts, especially as they pertain to showing intimacy towards one another.
Benefits of consultation with an intimacy coach
Usually, people feel shy about discussing their personal and love life – an intimacy coach can create a safe environment for you to do so. During the coaching sessions, you will have an excellent opportunity to share your feelings and emotions in a way that feels comfortable to you.
If you have a problem maintaining intimacy in your relationship and continuously struggle with this, you might reach a point where you would have no choice except to end your relationship.
Intimacy coaching is a way to get to the bottom of your and/or your partner’s problem, and work to resolve the real issue. An intimacy coach can also help you improve your non-physical intimacy.
Finally, therapy with an intimacy coach can help to strengthen your bond with your siblings, parents, loved ones, or friends. It’s not just about intimacy with your significant other.
Intimacy is more than a sexual relationship
Usually, intimacy is misinterpreted as merely the sexual side of your relationship, but this is incorrect. Intimacy is also about mutual understanding, sharing, and emotional connection between two people. If you have problems in your relationship, this could be a reason why you may have a lack of intimacy.
If you fear intimacy or have problems maintaining an intimate relationship, an intimacy coach can help overcome and resolve such fears. However, before discussing how an intimacy coach can help you, let’s look at the different types of intimacy.
Types of intimacy
Intimacy is involved in every relationship, including parent-child, friendships, brother-sister, and most importantly, husband-wife relationships. The following are the main types of intimacy displayed between people.
Physical intimacy
This is what most people think about when they hear the word intimacy. Physical intimacy refers to hugging/cuddling, and other affectionate types of physical contact.
Aesthetic intimacy
Sometimes you meet someone new, and you find that you both have similar interests. But, of course, for this level of intimacy, you will have to know about each other’s interests and tastes.
If you have some similar interests as your partner, this could indicate that you can be aesthetically compatible. However, it does not mean that you both must have the same opinion and thoughts on every little thing.
Recreational intimacy
Recreational intimacy relates to how much time you spend with your partner, doing different activities.
The recreational activities could be shopping, physical exercise, a long drive, or going to the cinema together to watch a movie.
Spiritual intimacy
Spirituality is the fundamental essence of every relationship, especially for a married couple. Often, marriages fail because of a lack of spiritual intimacy between the partners.
For a long-term relationship, it is beneficial to have the same religious beliefs. While multicultural marriages are often successful, it can be difficult to overcome a mismatch between our deeply-held spiritual beliefs, especially in romantic relationships.
Sexual intimacy
Sexual intimacy is an essential ingredient in romantic relationships and marriages. A mismatch in libido can cause serious issues in a relationship.
Emotional intimacy
This level of intimacy is hard to develop because it is very tough to acknowledge your friend or companion’s emotional status. You have to be very close emotionally with your partner for the well-being of your relationship.
Emotional intimacy can only develop when you trust your partner and don’t fear showing your weaknesses to them. But once you breach this barrier, and you can cry on their shoulder without fear of judgment, you’ve reached the stage where the two of you are emotionally intimate.
Unconditional intimacy
Unconditional intimacy is where you can love your partner without reservation or demand the same in return. You love and care because you want to do so. Your partner is not bound to treat you the same way in return; it is your choice to love, and it is not imposed on you by society or any other external pressures.
Whether young or older, healthy or ill, you want your partner to care about you, irrespective of the circumstances. This is called true love and unconditional intimacy.
Conclusion
An intimacy coach can help you resolve intimacy-related issues that you may face in establishing healthy relationships. ReGain, an online platform, provides access to qualified, experienced intimacy coaches who can help maintain intimate relationships. Similarly, you can use the FMC directory to find contact details of an intimacy coach near you.
Always consider your therapist’s experience, education, and confidentiality while choosing an intimacy coach near you. A good intimacy coach can help you overcome your fears regarding intimacy and make you confident about intimacy-related matters.
