Best Online Sex Therapy

Modern Intimacy sets the gold standard in what online sex therapy can be, and tackles an entire range of sexual issues, from dysfunction to addiction. While it is a small company only licensed for teletherapy in five states (NY, CA, FL, IL, CO, and soon CT.), the wealth of information on this highly browsable site is a great starting point for anyone looking for a resource on how sex therapy might be helpful for them. 

Many of its courses, like the women’s sexuality course, focus on important issues many of us aren't talking about, including sexual trauma, female sexual dysfunction, and fear or shame. Even the descriptions and course FAQs are valuable resources for starting discussions around sexuality, pain and orgasm during sex, sexual trauma, and taking ownership of one’s sexuality. In a world where the medical education system does not often overtly include training on sexual health, Modern Intimacy’s focus on women’s sexual relationships—with porn, with their partners, and with their own body (these topics each have their own dedicated course) is necessary and refreshing. 

The site is not female-centric, just female-inclusive; it caters to every gender and sexual orientation, as well as to people who are either single or in a relationship. Therapy specializations include trauma, infidelity, sex/porn addiction, relationships and alternative lifestyles (kink, poly, etc.). The company hosts webinars on specific topics such as porn addiction and jealousy over a partner’s past, all of which are recorded and available for purchase either live or postproduction. There’s also a blog and podcast that are a trove of valuable, open-minded knowledge and conversations on almost any aspect of sexuality you might be curious about. Signing up for the free newsletter is a good way to access free handouts, e-books, and other sex therapy resources. 

One major downside is that the company only offers teletherapy in New York, California, Florida, Illinois, Colorado, and soon, Connecticut. But, regardless of location, everyone is welcome to sign up for a free 30-minute consultation, and Modern Intimacy offers online coaching services to residents of all states. It's important to note, coaching is not the same as therapy - coaches might be certified, but they are not held to the same licensure standards as licensed therapists. Therefore, coaching services are available everywhere, whereas licensed therapists are only allowed to practice in the state(s) in which they have licensure.

The cost of teletherapy sessions at Modern Intimacy range from $150 to $350 per session, depending on the provider’s education and credentials, but a lower sliding scale rate is available upon request. 

Other services, such as webinars and somatic sex coaching, have different pricing systems (webinars run from $49, while coaching is usually priced similar to therapy, but allows therapists to work in a wider range of areas). Clients also have the option to request a good faith estimate prior to booking services. 

Even though the company is not in-network with any insurance plans. It can provide you with a superbill to submit to your provider for reimbursement, However, it offers no guarantee you will be reimbursed; it is your responsibility to coordinate coverage with your provider. There is a free 30-minute consultation provided, regardless of your location. 

Talkspace is a good option for people looking for an easy, convenient, low-cost, accessible-from-anywhere solution to discussing intimacy with a therapist. The site is a well-known general therapy provider, and while its couples therapy focuses more on relationship dynamics, sex therapy is also something you can address in couple and individual therapy, even if your provider is not specifically a sex therapist. Individual therapy plans are designed to offer counseling on personal sexual issues as well, such as sex addiction or sexual anxiety. 

The platform offers live video sessions with unlimited messaging outside of sessions guaranteed to be addressed by your therapist five days a week, as well as messaging-only sessions if you’re uncomfortable talking live on camera. Usually, the distance created by messaging and live chatting is a downside to teletherapy, as it limits the personal nature of a one-on-one interaction. However, for some, communicating via messaging or live text sessions might be a more comfortable way to open up about their sex life.

The platform also offers medical care, so if you or your partner needs medication for sexual dysfunction, you can pick a plan that will address and treat those concerns. All messaging, scheduling, and live sessions take place in a private portal, which eliminates a lot of the hassle of planning—and all sessions, whether video, phone, or live chat, can be held with you and your partner in separate locations, if need be. 

When we surveyed 105 users at Talkspace, it scored slightly below average overall with 69% of users giving the site a very good or excellent overall rating. That said, 83% of respondents reported that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their therapist. Additionally, 83% also said they were likely or very likely to recommend the company to a friend.

Pricing for couples therapy through talkspace cost $396 a month, which includes one 30-minute live therapy session a week and unlimited messaging. 

Individual plans start at $69/week for messaging-only, and increase with the addition of live therapy sessions. 

Medical services with a physician begin at a flat rate of $249 for an initial session, with follow-up sessions costing $125. 

Talkspace does take most forms of insurance, as well as FSA/HSA cards. During the sign-up process, there is a step to enter your insurance provider or employer to check for coverage. 

Therapy Den is one of the most inclusive, open-minded therapist directories out there. It is both sex-positive and LGBTQ+-positive, which is visible both in the search filters and search results. The directory has specialty search filters for LGBTQ+ issues, as well as several more specific filters, including trans-competent and queer-competent. You can search for a therapist who identifies as LGBTQ+, and there are specific search options for trans/non-binary as well as gender-fluid. The wide array of search selection parameters also includes sex-worker positive, non-monogamy, sexual problems, addiction, and identity.

For many categories, you can choose whether your therapist simply lists this specification as a specialty, or actually has personal experience with it. You can also filter for a therapist that is a member of a specific religious or ethnic group, offers free consultations, or uses specific treatment methods, such as somatic therapy or premarital counseling. 

The homepage currently features a shout-out to the trans community, featured below the headline, “Let's promote self-affirmation, dignity, equal rights, and celebrate sexual and gender diversity. Meet these inspirational therapists who specialize in and are trained in supporting the trans community.” 

Therapy Den is not just an online therapy platform, either. It’s a great way to find in-person care as well—the search function includes a map, and filters for specific in-person facilities, such as gender-neutral bathrooms or ADA accessibility. Therapy Den has earned a reputation as one of the most socially progressive therapist directories on the web, and is considered by both therapists and clients to be a top choice for identity-based search criteria. 

Seventy-five percent of users surveyed said they were able to use their health insurance to cover services provided by the therapist they found on TherapyDen. Seventy percent of users would recommend TherapyDen to a friend, and 75% said they would use TherapyDen if they were seeking therapy services in the future.

Rates vary from therapist to therapist, but most take insurance—it is possible to search by insurance provider, including Medicare and Medicaid, to limit your results to therapists who accept your insurance. Many therapists offer a free consultation, and you can filter for that too.

For kink-specific sex-therapy, Kink Aware Professionals (KAP) has a fantastic directory featuring therapists who often list themselves as members of the kink and/or poly community and are at the very least “kink-friendly,” considering themselves “knowledgable,” for the most part.  

The trade-off for a directory where every therapist is a kink or poly specialist is that there are very few other filters you can put on the search; there’s state (or area for in-person services), the level of proficiency in kink/polyamory/swinger, and very few other parameters you can use to search by. 

To figure out who takes your insurance, who is taking new clients, and any other specializations you need in a therapist, you will have to read bios and reach out to individual providers. Still, it’s refreshing to see search terms and bio descriptions geared toward kink/non-monogamy, as it’s still a very niche search parameter in most major directories and therapy companies. 

The cost per session varies by therapist, and some therapists on KAP take insurance, although there is no way to filter your search by an insurance provider. Most therapists do not advertise a free consultation. 

Couples Therapy Inc. focuses primarily on married couples experiencing discord in their relationship. The company offers an at-home assessment for couples called The Big Big Book, which contains about 100 questions couples answer together to give their therapist an idea of what issues to address first. 

The company's Affair Recovery service offers very specific counseling, divided into three steps that begin with “Hurt Partner Stabilization.” This addresses the nuances between different types of affairs, and if the couple is considering separation, can overlap with adjacent services, such as discernment counseling, which is for married couples considering divorce. 

The company shies away from the standard, one-hour-a-week therapy model (although it does offer this); it maintains these can sometimes be counterproductive. Instead, it promotes weekend retreats as a more effective mode of couples therapy. Timing is a factor here, though—your therapist may decide to postpone a retreat or therapy if they deem the Hurt Partner is not ready to do the work involved. There is also a blog that offers posts specific to sex therapy topics.

Outside of infidelity, Couples Therapy Inc. offers several other types of couples therapy, mostly geared toward married couples, including "hopeful spouse," which is individual counseling for married people with a partner who cannot or will not attend therapy with them. There is also a sexuality retreat, designed to positively impact a couple’s sex life by addressing any personal difficulties they may have. You can select your location and browse the therapists available to you, and request a consultation with whoever looks like a good fit. 

Couples Therapy Inc. had an excellent satisfaction rating when we surveyed 105 users who had used the company, with 90% of users ranking the site from good to excellent overall. Eighty-three percent of users said they would recommend the site to a friend, compared to 71% of users in all surveyed companies. The site also has a page of user reviews from both couples who saved their marriages and those who gained the strength and support to separate in a stable, healthy way. 

There are a variety of programs available at different price points. Individual sessions range from $159 to $250 per 50-minute session, dependent on therapist qualifications. 

The all-inclusive retreat, which can occur over 2.5 days or 3 months, typically costs between $2,500 and $8500. Couples Therapy Inc. is not in-network with any providers, but clients can seek reimbursement independently. Free consultations are available with the therapist of your choice.

If you’re looking for an all-around solid therapy directory, Good Therapy is a great choice. The site has a reputation for attracting high-quality therapists, and is a good place to start a thoughtful, serious search for a therapist you want to work with long-term. The search parameters are not as focused toward identity-related topics as Therapy Den’s, but we found the results were excellent, with many highly qualified therapists specializing in sex therapy turning up in the results. Although there is no search function for specific ethnicities, you can search based on languages spoken. 

Since Good Therapy is not a sex-specific site, many therapists specialize in related issues, such as family dynamics, premarital counseling, domestic abuse, or breakups. You can filter the search by session time preference, insurance type, subject matter, or type of therapy, including several types of couples therapy, such as emotionally focused couples therapy, collaborative couples therapy,  developmental model of couples therapy, or discernment counseling. 

Good Therapy had outstanding user feedback, with 98% of surveyed users saying they found a therapist who met most or all of their needs, and 78% saying they were still using the therapist they found at Good Therapy at the time of the survey, and would likely or very likely still be seeing that therapist in 6 months.

Most session fees range from $6 to $250, although there is a search option to search for providers offering a sliding fee scale. Most providers accept insurance and there is a search feature that allows you to search by insurance type. It is also possible to search for therapists who offer a free initial consult, and many do. 

Hims is a sleek, appealing site that offers quick, easy access to telehealth treatment for a wide range of common men’s health issues. There are several links to sexual health medications directly from the home page, including separate links for erectile disfunction medications and premature ejaculation medication. 

You can choose a single visit with a prescriber, and medications will be discreetly mailed straight to your door with free shipping. Or, if you are looking for sex-related mental health therapy along with medication, you can sign up for therapy sessions that include medication management, which streamlines both billing and scheduling sessions with your providers. 

It’s also important to note the company does not protect user data and was recently named in an investigation into how telehealth startups use your information. The company “shared personal data with at least one big tech platform that the user had added an item like a prescription medication to their cart, or checked out with a subscription for a treatment plan,” according to a STAT News investigation. 

As for our user survey, Hims ranked slightly above average with 86% of users saying they had a positive overall experience with the site, compared to 84 % across all surveyed platforms. The site’s usability also ranked slightly above average: 68% of Hims users found it easy or very easy to navigate, compared to 64% of all surveyed sites. 

Each session with a provider (whether a therapist or a prescriber) costs $99 and there is currently a free online visit promo available, especially for ED consultations, advertised with a dedicated link at the top of the homepage. 

Helena Nista is a certified sex therapist and Tantra teacher, and her site offers several different self-led video courses. Many are geared towards helping men get better at pleasuring women, including “How to Pleasure Her” and “Legendary Lover for Men.” She has a masturbation course for any gender, and her courses for women include titles such as “Orgasmic Empowerment for Women.” There are several options for couples to take together, including a free beginners course, a more advanced tantric sex for couples course, and something called “Manifesting with Sex Magic,” where students can “learn how to use the force of your expanded orgasm to propel your desired outcome into the universal consciousness.” (No idea what that means, but I’m here for it.)

Nista's private sessions, which are billed as “sexual empowerment sessions” as opposed to therapy, are appropriate for individuals of any gender or couples. Nista helps with issues like high or low libido, performance anxiety, porn addiction, sexual trauma, painful intercourse, kink, polyamory, gender identity, and many other topics. She is based in Australia, so working out the time zone differences might be tricky, but she has gained a devoted global following and conducts online sessions anywhere in the world. She also has a popular YouTube channel where you can get an idea if her style fits well with you. 

Each 75-minute session costs $300. Online courses vary from free to $300 each. There are no free 1 on 1 consultations, nor is insurance accepted.