Mission

Heather’s intention as a sex therapist is to help reduce shame and stigma around sexuality so people can fully embrace and enjoy their sexual selves!

Schedule your consultation now to get started.

Why I Do This Work

For years, I thought sex was just another box to check. I knew it was a bad sign for the relationship if we stopped having sex, so I kept the weekly routine going even if I wasn’t that into it. I wasn’t super interested though and I didn’t really know why I’d lost interest in sex.

Maybe my hormones were out of whack–Was it my birth control pill?
Is this just what happens after the honeymoon period in a long-term relationship?
Was this a sign we weren’t meant to be together and were just fundamentally incompatible?
Was something wrong with ME?!

I did try to be a good communicator, but I felt unheard and abandoned when I brought sex up and nothing changed. I didn’t know how to say things in the right way and it seemed like maybe I was even making things worse.

My partner at the time got to a point where he didn’t want to put more effort into resolving things, so I ended it.

But my own work was just beginning! I dove headfirst into understanding what really floated my boat when it came to sex.

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What is Heather’s background?

I got trained in Gottman couples counseling and learned about healthy communication patterns.
I went to Squirting workshops at sex toy stores and lectures at BDSM dungeons.
I read books on attachment and sexual fantasies
I signed up for online tantra classes
I learned from my clients how our discomfort with our sexuality can lead to dangerous issues with substance abuse.

Eventually, I signed up for University of Michigan’s Sexual Health Certificate program where I focused on both sex therapy and sex education.

Around the same time, I had a wonderful relationship with a man where I felt truly comfortable being my sexual self. I got to experience emotional and physical intimacy with the same person and I felt truly wanted and like the sexiest woman alive!

That experience really helped me know what was possible and I wanted to help my clients experience that too.

Here are 7 things that changed everything for me:

Boundaries for the win!

If it’s one-sided communication, it’s not good communication. When my former partner wasn’t willing to continue working on things, it was time for me to move on. That freed me up to be more ME!

Desire is holistic

It wasn’t just my birth control of the honeymoon phase ending. I also wasn’t getting my emotional needs met. Desire is hugely multi-faceted. Check out my libido course (Finding Your Fire) to educate yourself about what is truly impacting your desire.

Communication is key

Reading the book 10 Lessons To Transform Your Marriage by John and Julie Gottman was a memorable turning point for me. I recommend this book to almost all my clients. It took “healthy communication” from being a nice thing in theory to something very practical to implement.

Attachment theory explains so much!

Understanding my insecure attachment patterns was key to helping me choose partners and push myself to communicate more directly. I’ve come a long way and I still work on it–it’s a life-long journey!

Feeling sexy starts way before the bedroom

Building anticipation is a huge part of eroticism. This could be shopping for sex outfits, sending sexy pics, planning a fun date night, whispering something in your partner’s ear, sharing fantasies . . . foreplay is ongoing.

Stay curious

You’ll never know everything there is to know about sex and neither will I–that’s what makes it interesting. But being on the learning journey and surrounding yourself with other people who are teaching and learning changes everything.

Sex is a big deal

Sex isn’t superficial. It’s vulnerable and intimate. It’s how life is created. It impacts how we feel about ourselves, how we carry ourselves in the world, our nervous systems, our overall health and safety. . . and of course our intimate relationships.

Pathway to Passion

These are the concepts that turned the tables for me and made intimacy my life’s work!

Now, I’ve helped thousands of people rediscover passion and connection through my podcast, social channels, digital courses and 1-on-1 coaching programs.

Through my own experiences and over 10,000 hours of coaching and counseling clients, I developed my Pathway to Passion framework, which is a real game changer.

This method focuses on building a solid foundation first before jumping into the nitty gritty of sexual pleasure. That way, things like resentment, stress, miscommunication and imbalanced division of labor stop derailing your sex life.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Pathway to Passion, check out my podcast episodes on this very topic!

How I’m Different

Let’s be honest—most therapists and coaches shy away from talking about sex. They might dance around the topic, but they rarely help you actually fix what’s happening (or not happening) in the sheets.

In addition to being a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, I’m an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and Supervisor-In-Training. But beyond the credentials, I’ll tell it to you like it is—minus the awkward academic jargon.

I’m also holistic in my approach. My coaching and courses combine:

Mindfulness & IFS (Internal Family Systems) for emotional healing
Health Coaching to address biological factors affecting libido
Practical Tools that get you real results without the fluff

Whether we’re talking body image, boundaries, or learning how to say “yes” (and “no”) confidently, my approach is holistic and grounded.

And yeah—sometimes we laugh about it too. Because if you can’t have a little fun while improving your sex life, what’s the point?

Fun Facts You Didn’t Ask For…

I almost didn’t start my podcast because a mentor said not to. Ask A Sex Therapist with Heather Shannon is now ranked in the top 1% of all podcasts on ListenNotes.com and has hit #1 in Sexuality on the Apple Podcast charts in St. Lucia, Armenia and the United Arab Emirates as well as #11 in the USA.
I once jumped off a cliff in Rio because my friends said to! Not only did I survive (it was hang gliding), but it was an absolute blast!
I started college as a math major, wound up getting a degree in Finance (from a conservative Catholic university) and now I talk about sex for a living! Talk about a 180 degree turn, huh?!
I have ADHD and taught “How to Misplace Everything You Own” during my job interview at Princeton Review (a test prep company)—and they hired me anyway!

Where We Go From Here

If you’re ready to reignite that spark, let’s talk.
→ Book a Free Intimacy Breakthrough Call

Or, if you’re not quite ready to chat, Contact Us with your questions.

Lastly, my free introductory course The Intimacy Audit is your first step toward a more connected, passionate relationship. Grab your seat now!