AUTHOR

Sarah E. Wright PsyD, CST/S

She/Her/Hers

Private Practice

Licensing & Certifications:

Licensed Clinical Psychologist (SC)
Certified Sex Therapist (AASECT)
Certified Sex Therapy Supervisor (AASECT)

Professional Background

Sarah E. Wright is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and AASECT-Certified Sex Therapist and Supervisor. She has worked clinically with issues of sexuality since 2005 and has engaged in extensive supervision training both domestically and internationally. Currently she works full time in a counseling center at a university in South Carolina, where she has over 15 years of service providing individual and group therapy, supervision, training, and leadership. She teaches an undergraduate class on human sexuality, maintains a small private practice, and provides various trainings and workshops across the country.

As a first-generation college student, Dr. Sarah prioritizes making information easily understood. She values inclusivity and cultural curiosity, with the belief that understanding is an antidote to judgment. Clinically, her aim is to allow people space and support to explore the origins of their concerns, and to decide with guidance and intention how to best address them.

Dr. Sarah has a growing passion for exploring the complexities of the human brain. From the impacts of intense stress to the benefits of psychedelics, she maintains a value of learning how and why interventions work before utilizing them clinically. Engaging from a brain-based perspective allows people to understand the evolutionary function some issues may serve, and to allow for an intentional means of pursuing change.

Professional Affiliations:

American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT)
Society for Sex Therapy and Research (SSTAR)
World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)
South Carolina Psychological Association

Education:

Doctorate in Psychology, Psy.D., Wright State University School of Professional Psychology, Dayton, OH
Bachelor of Arts – Experimental Psychology, BA, University of South Carolina

Areas of Focus

Dr. Sarah E. Wright guides individuals through the realms of pleasure and intimacy with a blend of professional skill and empathy. She offers a fresh perspective on trauma and intimacy, informed by an understanding of the brain under stress.

Sarah Wright utilizes a number of therapeutic approaches, including:

Providing sex and relationship therapy focused on issues of pleasure & orgasm, desire & arousal, ethical non-monogamy, and kink
Working with LGBTQQIAA2+ individuals, couples/units, families and communities providing therapy, consultation, and affirming care evaluations and recommendations
Trauma-informed individual and relational therapy, consultations, supervision, and training
Clinical supervision centered on the person-of-the-therapist using a relational approach to facilitate rapid conceptualization and intervention

Books & Journals

Redefining Trauma: Understanding and Coping with a Cortisoaked Brain: Understanding and Coping with a Cortisoaked Brain 1st Edition

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The Art of Sex Therapy Supervision 1st Edition

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BDSM: Meaning, Benefits, & Tips from a Sex Therapist

BDSM describes a range of consensual relational/sexual dynamics and behaviors which may include power, control, sensation play, restraints, punishment, and more. There is much variation in the way people ‘play’. For some, BDSM is a lifestyle, while others may only engage casually on the weekends. The foundation of BDSM is open communication with your partner and consent!

March 3, 2023

How to Be a Better Lover: Tips From a Sex Therapist

While tips and tricks can help, being a better lover is really about being tuned in to both yourself and your partner(s). Open communication, flexibility in expectations, and diversity of behaviors are all cornerstone to better sex. Focus your attention on what’s happening in bed and not what’s in your head!

March 3, 2023

Is Porn Bad for You: 11 Things to Know from an Expert

Pornography is not inherently bad for you! For some, negative thoughts and feelings about porn use may create issues in their lives and relationships, regardless of how often it’s used. When porn use doesn’t align with one’s values, subsequent feelings of guilt and shame can make life difficult. Yet for others, porn use can actually increase satisfaction with a partner.

March 3, 2023

Porn-Induced Erectile Dysfunction: Why It Happens & How to Stop It

Pornography use alone does not cause erectile dysfunction. Research shows that neither the frequency (how often) nor the duration (for how long) of porn use causes erectile dysfunction. However, feeling conflicted about using porn or believing that one’s use is problematic has been shown to lead to erectile difficulties.

March 3, 2023