Couples & sex therapy + coaching · Online nationwide · Westwood by request
Couples and sex therapy for the strong one who carries everything
I’m Dr. Shawntres Parks, a licensed marriage and family therapist and AASECT-certified sex therapist. I help high-achieving women and couples stop misreading each other and rebuild desire and trust.
PhD, Sofia University
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
AASECT Certified Sex Therapist
Certified Imago Relationship Therapist
In practice since 2013
As featured in
Maybe this is you
You’re the strong one. You anticipate what everyone needs and rarely say what you need.
You might cry alone, but never in front of anyone. If you keep ending up in relationships where you do all the carrying, it isn’t because you’re too much. Nobody handed you the instructions.
If you’re in one of those relationships now, here’s what I usually find. It isn’t broken. You’re two people who love each other and keep misreading each other. One of you does more and more. The other pulls back, afraid of getting it wrong.
Somewhere in there you started treating each other like a resource instead of a blessing.
Kind words
What clients say about working with Dr. Shawntres
Shared by coaching and program clients.
“Dr. Parks is unmatched. From the onboarding call until the last call we felt like she was really in the fight for our marriage with us… We actually WANT to be married, FOR US!”
Devon & Sariyah
Relationship Reset program
“When we did our consultation with Dr. S we were discussing separation… I can honestly say that this saved our marriage.”
Kayla F.
Relationship Reset program
“Dr. Shawntres has helped me grow into someone I am genuinely becoming proud of… One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed is my ability to create boundaries, something I was previously too afraid to do.”
Alejandra
Coaching client
What changes
What life feels like when you stop carrying it alone
You say what you need
Out loud, without bracing for the fallout or apologizing first.
Fights turn into repair
You catch the misread sooner and come back to each other faster.
Desire comes back into the room
Intimacy that feels chosen again, not scheduled or avoided.
The load gets shared
You stop being the household’s project manager and start being a partner.
How I can help
Five ways couples and women come to me
Premarital counseling
Six to eight sessions with a structured assessment, before patterns set in.
Couples & intensives
Imago couples therapy and focused half-day or full-day intensives.
Sex therapy
Desire gaps, a sexless stretch, pain or pressure. With an AASECT-certified sex therapist.
Betrayal & porn recovery
An affair, secret porn use or a discovery that changed everything. Repair, or an honest choice.
Divorce & co-parenting
Deciding whether to stay, separating with care, and co-parenting after.
How we start
Getting started takes three steps
1. A free 20-minute call
We talk about what’s going on and whether I’m the right fit. No pressure either way.
2. Your first session
Individual sessions run 50 minutes, couples sessions 80. Premarital work includes a structured assessment.
3. Practice, not just talk
Structured dialogue and often something physical, so the shift happens in your body, not just your understanding.
Meet Dr. Shawntres
You don’t need more insight. You need a different way to practice.
I’m a licensed therapist and relationship strategist. I used Gottman and Emotionally Focused Therapy for years before I chose Imago, and I can tell you why: it’s experiential instead of a scorecard of right and wrong.
Most of what feels broken between you is a misread, not a flaw. So we practice the repair in the room until it’s yours. My clients value clarity, not endless processing, and that’s how I work.
Questions
Common questions
What does a sex therapist do?
A sex therapist is a licensed therapist with specialized training in intimacy, desire and sexual concerns. Sessions are talk therapy. We work on what’s getting in the way, for one partner or both.
Do sex therapists touch you?
No. Sex therapy is talk therapy. There is no physical contact, nudity or sexual activity in session, ever. Any exercises happen privately at home, at your own pace.
How much is couples therapy?
Couples sessions are $500 for 80 minutes, and individual sessions are $300 for 50 minutes. I’m out of network, and California therapy clients can often get part of the fee back through superbills or claims filed for you through Mentaya. See Fees & Insurance for details.
Is this therapy or coaching?
Both, depending on where you live. Clients in California work with me in licensed therapy. Outside California, I offer relationship coaching, which isn’t therapy and isn’t covered by insurance.
Do you offer online sessions?
Yes, and most of my work happens online. I offer relationship coaching by secure video anywhere in the US, and licensed therapy by video for clients located in California. In-person sessions in Westwood, Los Angeles, are available by request.
You’ve carried enough alone. Let’s talk.
A free 20-minute call is enough to tell whether we’re a good fit.