Meet Marina Stanton, Couples Counselor & Certified Sex Therapist

I work with couples dealing with communication and conflict, emotional disconnection, desire differences, sexual concerns, painful sex, sexual shame, differences around pornography use, faith or mixed-faith differences, and other challenges affecting emotional or sexual intimacy. I also work with couples who aren't in crisis but want a stronger relationship or more satisfying sexual connection.

Because I'm both a couples therapist and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, we can work with the relationship and the sexual relationship together rather than assuming one is simply a symptom of the other.

Look for someone with specific training in both couples therapy and sex therapy. Many therapists are generalists who work with individuals, families, and couples, and some are comfortable discussing sex without having specialized training in sex therapy.

My practice is focused almost exclusively on couples, and my advanced training is centered on relationships and sexuality. I'm an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, Gottman Method Level 3 Trained, and trained in the Developmental Model of Couples Therapy and advanced sex therapy through Martha Kauppi's ATSIP program.

Beyond credentials, fit matters. Both partners should feel like the therapist can understand their perspective without automatically choosing sides.

Some clients specifically look for a female sex therapist because they feel more comfortable talking with a woman about sex, their body, pain, desire, or other intimate concerns. Others don't particularly care about their therapist's gender. Either is completely fine.

What matters more to me is that you don't have to censor yourself in my office. We can talk specifically about what is happening sexually, using plain language rather than dancing around it. And when it helps, I'll use diagrams, visuals, or anatomical models. I own multiple models of the vulva and clitoris, which probably tells you something about both my profession and my personality.

My job isn't to decide what your sex life should look like. It's to help the two of you understand what's happening and work toward a sexual relationship that works better for both partners.

That's okay. A lot of couples come to sex therapy realizing they've never actually learned how to talk openly about sex, sometimes even with each other.

You don't need to know the right terminology or somehow become comfortable talking about sex before you come in. We'll figure out how to talk about it together. I'll ask questions, use plain language, and sometimes pull out diagrams or anatomical models when a visual is more useful than another ten minutes of trying to describe where something is. 😆

Sex therapy can get pretty specific, but it shouldn't feel like an interrogation. We'll talk about what's relevant to understanding what's happening and helping the two of you move forward.

Yes. I frequently work with LDS couples, post-Mormon couples, couples from other religious or conservative backgrounds, and couples navigating faith transitions or mixed-faith marriages. I also work with couples who no longer identify with the religion they grew up in but want to understand how those experiences still affect their relationship and sexuality.

Faith transitions can bring up complicated questions about sex, marriage, gender roles, family expectations, and what you actually believe and value now. Sometimes one partner's beliefs have changed and the other's haven't. Sometimes both partners have stepped away from a faith tradition but are realizing they don't want to throw out everything they once valued along with it.

My job isn't to move you toward religion or away from it. We'll look at what you each believe now, what you want to keep, what no longer fits, and how to build a relationship and sexual life that reflects the values you've actually chosen.

My practice is focused exclusively on couples. I don't provide individual therapy. If you're looking for individual therapy for concerns such as trauma, anxiety, depression, or other mental health needs, I'm not the right fit. I specialize in couples therapy and sex therapy.

Yes. I provide online couples counseling and sex therapy in Colorado, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Idaho, where I'm licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist. You need to be physically located in one of those states at the time of your session.

Online sessions allow couples who don't live near my Centennial office to work with me from home or another private location. I use a secure video platform, and we can do the same couples and sex therapy work online that we would do together in my office.