This can be confusing, because the terms can differ from country to country and there can be overlap. Sexuality counseling differs from sex therapy mainly in terms of duration and depth. Counseling is goal-oriented and usually short-term in duration (around 5 sessions). It focuses quite concretely on how the client’s question or issue affects them today and what they can do to improve their situation. Sexuality therapy, in turn, is often more long-lasting in nature and dives deeper into the client’s past. For example, sexual traumas, challenging sexual dysfunctions, addictions, or other persistent behavioral patterns are better addressed by a sexuality therapist rather than a counselor. 

We will decide the number of session together based on the question or issue at hand, both of our availability, and what you are able or willing to pay for the counseling. Most commonly, sexuality counseling consists of around 5 sessions, but the eventual number can be lower or higher. Extra sessions can always be added later, if we agree that more time is needed for progress.

After the introductory session, I will send you an invoice based on the number and type of sessions we have agreed on together. During the introductory session, I will also inform you about the pricing, so that nothing comes as a surprise. Please be mindful, that the counseling process cannot be started, if the invoice has not been fully paid, unless agreed otherwise. With this policy, I ensure your commitment to the process and protect myself from any exploitation. If you wish to book more sessions, I will send you another invoice according to our new agreement.

I believe that money shouldn't get in the way of asking or receiving help. Please know that I want to make sexuality counseling as accessible as possible. If you are person with low income (e.g., a full-time student, unemployed) and are not able to pay the full session price, please reach out to me, and we can talk about adjusting the pricing to your personal financial situation or making a payment plan, so that you don't have to pay the full price of the process at once. 

It’s my responsibility as a professional to create a truly safe space and ensure client confidentiality. I will not disclose the client’s personal details or other information that they could be identified from with anyone. I will also inform the client of any notes I will keep during the counseling process and I will make sure to store the notes safely behind a password or physical lock. The notes are for my personal use only, and they do not contain any information that could identify the client (name, initials, age, gender). After the counseling process has come to an end, I will immediately delete or destroy any notes I have kept. During the remote sessions, I will always be located in a private setting and make use of headphones. I also ask my clients to join the sessions from a place with enough privacy, so that they feel safe to speak openly. Confidentiality will only be broken in situations required by the law.

You can see my availability for the introductory sessions in my appointment calendar. I typically work during office hours, but exceptions can be discussed. If you don't see a suitable time slot in my appointment calendar, you can reach out via the "Contact" tab. As I live in the Netherlands, my time zone is Central European Time (UTC+1). The appointment calendar adjusts for your own time zone. All following sessions we will schedule together, usually 1-2 weeks from each other.

At the moment, all counseling happens online via Zoom.