The Institute for Relational & Sexual Therapies

The Institute for Relational & Sexual Therapies Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from The Institute for Relational & Sexual Therapies, Education Website, Manchester.

ThIRST offers comprehensive training programmes
dedicated to your development into
reflective, knowledgeable, and
compassionate psychos*xual
therapists who are equipped to make a
meaningful difference in the lives of
those you serve.

25/09/2026

Mental health conditions impact human s*xuality in a multitude of complex ways, and the conversation extends far beyond just depression or anxiety. For instance, in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), underlying trauma can trigger flashbacks or dissociation during moments of intimacy, which makes experiencing arousal and building trust incredibly difficult.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can introduce intrusive s*xual obsessions alongside shame-driven s*xual avoidance. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) frequently establishes a challenging push-pull dynamic surrounding closeness. Furthermore, in psychotic disorders, both the illness factors themselves and the associated medications can significantly reduce a person’s desire and opportunity for intimacy.

Medications play a major role as well; SSRIs, antipsychotics, and mood stabilisers can all negatively impact libido, physical arousal, and or**sm. Fortunately, there are actionable options, such as working with a prescriber to switch to lower-risk agents or safely adjusting dosages. Effective, modern care seamlessly combines trauma-informed therapy, mindfulness practices, and pelvic floor support where required.

Above all, the safeguarding of consent must always remain firmly at the centre of this therapeutic work. Your mental health and your s*xual health are deeply connected, and both undoubtedly deserve focused attention.

Are you driven to provide transformative, trauma-informed care for your clients? Elevate your practice and join our ThIRST Psychos*xual and Relationship Therapy diploma programmes. Simply drop us a DM to connect, or visit the link in our bio for full programme information.

24/09/2026

Eating disorders do not merely affect a person’s relationship with food; they profoundly impact their relationship with intimacy, too. Poor body image can induce intense feelings of shame, making physical closeness feel utterly terrifying. Biologically, malnutrition severely disrupts hormones, which can lower libido, cause erectile difficulties, and delay or**sm.

Additionally, the emotional withdrawal that frequently accompanies these conditions can create painful distance between partners. Interestingly, even in avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), where body image concerns may not even be present, undernutrition alone can still suppress both s*x hormones and s*xual function.

But there is hope: recovery is entirely possible, and s*xual wellbeing can return. Comprehensive treatment involves nutritional rehabilitation to successfully restore hormonal balance, alongside psychotherapy to process outdated beliefs regarding appearance and self-worth.

Therapists also utilise graduated sensate focus exercises to rebuild a positive bodily experience that is entirely free from performance pressure. Ultimately, healing your relationship with your body is synonymous with healing your relationship with intimacy.

Empower yourself with the tools to support clients through these delicate challenges. Come and join the ThIRST Psychos*xual and Relationship Therapy diploma programmes today. Please drop a DM for an informal chat, or visit the link in our bio to secure your place.

*xualEducation

How do you hold onto each other when your world falls apart?Grief changes the architecture of a relationship. Whether a ...
23/09/2026

How do you hold onto each other when your world falls apart?

Grief changes the architecture of a relationship. Whether a couple is navigating a bereavement, a miscarriage, or a devastating life shift, the nervous system often goes into profound survival mode.

In this state, libido and eroticism are usually the first things to shut down. The challenge? We all grieve differently. When one partner seeks comfort in physical intimacy and the other completely withdraws, the resulting rejection can fracture an already fragile bond.

Furthermore, the guilt associated with feeling bodily pleasure while mourning can be overwhelming. In relationship therapy, we help couples build a bridge through the darkness.

By introducing non-demand touch and translating their asymmetrical grieving styles, we turn the relationship into a sanctuary of healing rather than a battleground of misunderstanding.

Equip yourself to hold space for life’s most delicate relational challenges. Discover the ThIRST Diploma in Psychos*xual & Relationship Therapies by clicking the link in our Bio.

22/09/2026

Bipolar disorder significantly affects an individual’s s*xuality, but its presentation looks vastly different depending on the current mood phase. During depressive episodes, a combination of low energy, anhedonia, and poor self-worth often diminishes s*xual desire and drives the avoidance of intimacy.

Conversely, in manic or hypomanic states, the exact opposite can occur. These elevated states can lead to hypers*xuality, reduced inhibition, and risky behaviours, which may ultimately result in regret and severe relationship strain.

To complicate matters further, many medications utilised to stabilise mood, including lithium, antipsychotics, and SSRIs, can reduce libido and cause or**smic difficulties.

Effective and compassionate care requires tracking the connections between mood and s*x, alongside optimising medication with a prescriber to carefully balance mood stability with s*xual wellbeing. Utilising therapies like psychotherapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) can profoundly help in managing impulses and rebuilding safe intimacy.

Mood stability must always be the foundation of care. With the right professional support, robust s*xual health can absolutely be a fulfilling part of recovery.

Ready to expand your clinical expertise in navigating complex mental health presentations? Enrol and join the ThIRST Psychos*xual and Relationship Therapy diploma programmes. Drop a DM with any questions, or simply visit the link in our bio for course details.

21/09/2026

When your body is constantly sending distress signals, physical intimacy can easily become the last thing on your mind. In somatic symptom disorders, individuals often become hypervigilant to their own internal sensations, meaning normal signs of s*xual arousal, like a racing heart or a sudden feeling of warmth, can be misinterpreted as impending danger.

When you add chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia or pelvic pain to the equation, s*xual avoidance frequently follows. While this avoidance is completely understandable, it unfortunately maintains a challenging cycle of anxiety and s*xual dysfunction.

However, there is excellent news: effective treatment strategies are available. Psychotherapy plays a crucial role in helping to challenge catastrophic thinking regarding bodily sensations. Furthermore, mindfulness can train you to notice these physical sensations without placing judgment on them.

Through graded exposure, such as slowly reconnecting with pleasurable touch, individuals can safely rebuild intimacy. Involving a partner in this healing process is absolutely key, as the therapeutic focus shifts away from illness and back towards connection. Your body is not the enemy; with the appropriate support, you can successfully reclaim both pleasure and intimacy.

Are you passionate about helping individuals navigate these complex intersections of physical and emotional health? Take the next step in your professional journey and join our ThIRST Psychos*xual and Relationship Therapy diploma programmes. Drop us a DM to learn more, or visit the link in our bio to apply today!

*xualTherapy

18/09/2026

Anxiety triggers performance fear and relentless overthinking. This cognitive distraction, known as spectatoring, forcefully pulls your focus away from pleasure and effectively kills arousal.

Physiologically, anxiety activates the body’s fight-or-flight response, which inherently blocks the deep relaxation required for s*xual desire and or**sm. Despite these barriers, highly effective interventions are available.

Psychotherapeutic interventions, mindfulness practices, non-demand touch, and open communication are vital tools for recovery. Treatments focusing on mindfulness and non-demand pleasuring shift the focus onto pure sensation rather than performance, which can successfully rewire an anxious response.

Because anxiety is treatable, its disruptive impact on intimate life can also be resolved. Starting with small steps and seeking professional support are crucial moves toward restoring intimacy.

Master the therapeutic interventions needed to help clients overcome performance anxiety and reclaim pleasure. Take the next step in your career with the ThIRST Psychos*xual and Relationship Therapy diploma programmes, drop a DM or check the link in our bio for registration info.

17/09/2026

Society often expects one person to provide emotional completion, s*xual fulfilment, personal growth, co-parenting, financial partnership, and lifelong companionship.

When this multifaceted expectation falls apart, individuals often feel they have personally failed. However, this impossible brief is not human nature; it is the result of mononormativity.

This cultural script dictates that all relationship needs should be met by one person, suggesting that if you cannot achieve this, something is wrong with you.
While monogamy is a choice, mononormativity carries the weight of centuries of religion, capitalism, and culture telling you that your worth depends on performing a remarkably narrow version of love.

This rigid script has historically commodified women, pathologised pleasure, and privatised s*x until society lost the language for the sacredness of s*xuality.
It is time to stop asking if your relationship is “normal” and start asking if it is conscious. The distinction between monogamy and mononormativity is the difference between living your own life and living someone else’s script. If you cannot see the script, you cannot change it.

Challenge cultural scripts and redefine modern intimacy in your practice. Discover more about the ThIRST Psychos*xual and Relationship Therapy diploma programmes by messaging us directly or exploring the link in our bio to start your transformative journey.

Is your relationship too safe for its own good?It is the most common paradox we see in the therapy room: a couple who lo...
16/09/2026

Is your relationship too safe for its own good?

It is the most common paradox we see in the therapy room: a couple who loves each other deeply, communicates perfectly, and manages their lives efficiently... yet hasn’t felt a spark of desire in years.

Love seeks safety, but desire seeks mystery. When we completely domesticate our partnerships, we accidentally extinguish the friction required for eroticism.

Erotic intelligence requires us to introduce play, unpredictability, and healthy distance back into the dynamic. In psychos*xual therapy, we don’t just help couples stop fighting; we help them remember how to play. We teach them to bridge the gap between profound security and vibrant desire.

Ready to help couples reignite their relational spark? Elevate your career with the ThIRST Diploma in Psychos*xual & Relationship Therapies. Click the link in our Bio for all the details!

15/09/2026

Depression can affect your s*x life in three key ways. Physiologically, it drains pleasure and energy while negative self-beliefs actively undermine confidence and intimacy.

Furthermore, depression disrupts the vital brain chemicals responsible for driving desire and arousal. This is often compounded by medication; many antidepressants, especially SSRIs, can further reduce libido and delay or**sm.

Interpersonally, depression frequently leads to withdrawal and communication breakdowns, causing significant distance between partners. Fortunately, there are effective solutions.

Psychotherapy helps challenge unhelpful beliefs to rebuild intimacy, while sensate focus exercises can successfully restore non-demand pleasure. If medication side effects are an ongoing issue, consulting your prescriber about options like bupropion or dose adjustments can make a real difference.

Depression is a highly treatable condition, and its impact on your intimate life can be effectively managed. You do not have to struggle in silence.

Expand your therapeutic toolkit and learn how to help couples overcome intimacy barriers. Enrol in the ThIRST Psychos*xual and Relationship Therapy diploma programmes today, send us a direct message or click the link in our bio for full course details.

14/09/2026

Paraphilic disorders involve persistent, atypical s*xual interests that cause distress or risk of harm. Management now requires a dual approach that integrates psychosocial intervention and psychotherapy with pharmacological support.

Unlike hormonal agents that globally suppress libido, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) modulate serotonin to reduce compulsivity, impulsivity, and intrusive s*xual fantasies without eliminating s*xual desire.

These medications significantly improve behavioural control, making them strongly indicated where obsessive s*xual cognitions and impulsivity are prominent. Treatment involves careful dose titration to balance efficacy and tolerability, as s*xual side effects like reduced libido, delayed ej*******on, and anor**smia are common.

In this context, these effects may align with risk reduction goals, but they require careful monitoring and shared decision-making. Crucially, SSRIs are rarely sufficient alone and must be embedded within therapy, relapse prevention, and structured risk management.

Paraphilic interests alone are not disorders; they only meet diagnostic criteria when they cause distress, impairment, or involve non-consent or harm. Optimal outcomes rely on multidisciplinary care, psychos*xual therapy, medical oversight, and risk management working collaboratively for harm reduction.

Are you ready to elevate your clinical practice and support clients navigating complex s*xual behaviours? Apply now to join the ThIRST Psychos*xual and Relationship Therapy diploma programmes; drop us a DM or visit the link in our bio to secure your place.

*xualTherapy

Address

Manchester

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+447969084170

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