Marian’s Contact Details
07966 497 993
marianoc@hotmail.co.uk
You may be seeking therapy because you are aware of long standing problems in your relationship or your sex life that are difficult to shift, no matter how hard you try. Or you may need help to deal with a difficult or traumatic event in your life.
Talking about such problems with a non-judgemental and empathetic therapist can bring relief and facilitate change in a situation that may feel stuck or hopeless.
Couple & Psychosexual Therapy with
Marian O’Connor
I have over thirty years experience of working with couples and individuals who have relationship and/or sexual difficulties.
I have training and knowledge of working with clients from diverse backgrounds and I see both heterosexual and LGBTQ+ couples and individuals.
Couple Therapy
I see couples and individuals who are unhappy with ongoing arguments, or where at least one partner is not sure that the relationship is sustainable or where there has been a traumatic event such as a bereavement, infertility or the discovery of an affair. Many couples seek help because the tension in their relationship is beginning to have an affect on their children.
Sex Therapy
Increasingly, people are no longer prepared to put up with painful, anxiety- inducing or unsatisfactory sex. Couples and individuals seek the help of a qualified and accredited sex therapist where they can talk openly about their problems and work on ways to improve their sex life. Some people may have a specific psychosexual problem such as erectile difficulty or vaginismus or the problem may be that a couple have different sexual needs and have not found a way to resolve this. Individuals may seek help for all the above reasons or because they feel uncertain about their sexuality and want a safe place to talk and explore.
How I work
My general counselling approach is psychodynamic. I explore how past experiences and expectations impact on present relationships, including the sexual relationship. I bring in other modalities, including behavioural work, mindfulness and psychoeducation, where appropriate.
A little more about me
Before becoming a therapist, I trained as a computer programmer and as a teacher. When I started having my own psychoanalytic therapy, I felt such a sense of freedom and understanding about patterns in my life, that I decided to embark on another training, this time as a psychotherapist. Fortunately this career has lasted and I continue to find the work engaging, challenging and creative.
I work as supervisor, teacher and consultant at Tavistock Relationships, where I held a faculty post for many years as Head of Psychosexual Training.
I continue to write and research and my recent publications are:
“Polyamory – a Romantic Solution to Wanderlust?” in Love, Sex and Psychotherapy in a Post-Romantic Era (Routledge, 2020)
“Psychosexual considerations in working with LGBTQ+ couples and individuals” in Same-Sex Couples and Other Identities (Routledge, 2022)
Areas I work with:
Couple and Relationship Therapy
- Communication difficulties
- Recurring arguments
- Family and parental conflict
- Emotional affairs and sexual infidelity
- Separation, divorce
- Disappointment and loss
Individual Therapy
- Relationship conflict
- Compulsive or addictive behaviours
- Bereavement and loss
- Trauma
Psychosexual Therapy for individuals and couples
- Sexual dysfunctions such as erectile difficulties, painful sex, vaginismus
- Lack of desire/ low libido
- Sexual identity issues
- Sexual difficulties related to life changes e.g. after childbirth, miscarriage or infertility, menopause, illness, aging.
- Compulsive sexual behaviours
- Sexual trauma and abuse
Psychotherapy Qualifications and Training:
- MA in Couple Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
- Diploma in Psychosexual Therapy
- Certificate in Supervision
I have also completed trainings in EMDR, CBT and EFT
Accrediting Bodies
I am accredited with the following professional bodies and I adhere to their code of ethics:
- BPC (British Psychoanalytic Council)
- UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy)
- COSRT (College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists)
Contact:
I am happy to be contacted by email or phone to answer your questions and arrange an initial session to assess whether we would like to work together
Marian’s Contact Details
07966 497 993
marianoc@hotmail.co.uk
Rates:
For details of fees and cancellation policy, please see my website:
Sessions:
Sessions for couples and individuals usually last 50 minutes and take place face to face in N1 or online via Zoom.
Sessions at Barnsbury Therapy Rooms:
Wednesday