Sex Therapy with Neuro-spicy Couples

Clinicians working in sex and relationship-focused (SF) therapy must be thoroughly trained in understanding how sensory features impact sensuality, sexuality, and eroticism for autistic individuals and couples. Sensory sensitivities are highly prevalent in autistic populations and can significantly influence experiences of intimacy, connection and sexual functioning (Minshew & Hobson, 2008). These sensitivities may manifest as heightened or diminished responses to touch, sound, light, or other sensory inputs, which can affect both solo and partnered sexual experiences. Therefore, it is essential for therapists to implement an approach to sexual functioning and dysfunctions that can both assess and accommodate these differences. Studies suggest that approximately 1% to 3% of the general population has a diagnosis of autism, highlighting the importance of inclusive and informed therapeutic practices (Skuse, 2020). In my own experience there appears to be an increase in couples with mixed neurotypes that present with emotional and intimacy issues. By integrating knowledge of sensory processing differences and neurodiversity into their practice, sex therapists can provide more effective, empathetic, and individualized care for autistic clients and their partners. This presentation will examine several key areas of impact, beginning with the senses of sight, touch, and olfactory experience. It will then address the double empathy problem, proprioception, and synaesthesia. I will illustrate how these factors influence connection, intimacy, and eroticism. I strongly believe that it is vital that psychosexual therapy trainees are educated about these issues and equipped to avoid common pitfalls in therapeutic settings, as described in the recent book, even by counsellors who have received some form of training in autism (Attwood, T. & Aston, M., 2025).