Letting Yourself Be Loved: An Existential Sex Therapist’s Reflection on Vulnerability
Genevieve Marcel Genevieve Marcel

Letting Yourself Be Loved: An Existential Sex Therapist’s Reflection on Vulnerability

This post explores how, in existential sex therapy, the fear of vulnerability often shapes a person’s ability to let themselves be loved. An existential sex therapist views this fear not as dysfunction but as a natural response to the risks of intimacy—rejection, loss, and the possibility of not being enough. By understanding the protective purpose of these defenses and learning to stay present with the discomfort of openness, individuals can gradually soften into deeper connection. Allowing someone to love you becomes an act of courage, rooted in authenticity, presence, and a willingness to be seen.

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You Don’t Need to Know the Why to Choose Differently
Genevieve Marcel Genevieve Marcel

You Don’t Need to Know the Why to Choose Differently

In existential sex therapy, understanding why you repeat certain patterns can be helpful, but lasting change comes from recognizing the behavior and choosing differently. Drawing on insights from Rollo May and Irvin Yalom, this approach emphasizes that freedom lies in your ability to choose, not in fully resolving the past. Change begins not with perfect insight, but with present-moment responsibility.

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 The Therapeutic Side of BDSM
Genevieve Marcel Genevieve Marcel

The Therapeutic Side of BDSM

This article explores how BDSM can be a therapeutic tool for some survivors of sexual trauma. While research shows that BDSM practitioners do not have higher rates of trauma or psychological dysfunction, survivors who are drawn to kink may find it healing due to its emphasis on constant consent, intentional power exchange and structured intimacy.

The article emphasizes that BDSM is not a cure and should not replace trauma therapy, but when approached ethically with consent, care and emotional literacy, it can be a powerful framework for healing, self-discovery and reclamation.

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Real Change Starts Inside: Why Mindset Matters More Than Behavior
Genevieve Marcel Genevieve Marcel

Real Change Starts Inside: Why Mindset Matters More Than Behavior

In existential sex therapy, real change begins with a conscious shift in mindset—not just behavior. This shift is a personal choice that no therapist or partner can make for you. True transformation happens when you take responsibility for your patterns, question your internal beliefs and decide to live in alignment with your values, not your fears.

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You Can’t Control Others—But You Can Choose Your Response
Genevieve Marcel Genevieve Marcel

You Can’t Control Others—But You Can Choose Your Response

You can’t control other people—but you can always choose how you respond.
In existential sex therapy, this truth is central. Drawing from Stoicism, Rollo May and Emmy van Deurzen, the post explores how trying to change others often masks deeper fears. Instead of seeking control, both philosophies encourage self-responsibility, clarity, and authentic choice.

Your power doesn’t lie in managing others—it lies in how you live, love, and respond.

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Choosing a Partner: Beyond “Checking Boxes” and Toward Character
Genevieve Marcel Genevieve Marcel

Choosing a Partner: Beyond “Checking Boxes” and Toward Character

An existential sex therapist urges us to move beyond checklist dating and choose partners based on values and character, not surface traits. True intimacy comes from shared authenticity, emotional depth and the courage to face life’s uncertainties together—not from perfect compatibility. Existential sex therapy supports this deeper, more meaningful approach to relationships.

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