Kate McNulty, LCSW, LICSW
About Kate
AASECT-certified sex therapist | Gottman-certified couples therapist | Practicing therapy since 1988
About Kate McNulty, LCSW, LICSW
AASECT-Certified Sex Therapist & Certified Gottman Method Couples Therapist
I offer sex therapy and couples therapy for people who have hidden, minimized, or avoided talking about an important part of their relationship.
Many of my clients share the same fear: that saying a feeling, a desire, or a need out loud will prove their relationship can’t handle that much honesty.
Maybe you had an affair, and each time your partner learns another detail, the two of you have the same painful fight all over again.
Maybe you promised your partner more than once that you’d stop watching pornography or paying for sex.
Or maybe you’ve stopped bringing up the topic of sex with your partner, because the conversation usually ends in a frustrating argument, or stony silence.
I Work at the Intersection of Sex, Love, and Relationships
In over 20 years of working with couples, I’ve rarely seen a purely sexual problem with no relationship problem attached, or a relationship in trouble where sex wasn’t part of the story.
Because sex and the rest of a relationship affect each other so often, I treat the sexual problem and the relationship problem in the same course of therapy.
After an affair, a couple needs to rebuild trust, and many couples also need to start having sex again. In my experience, couples who rebuild trust after an affair often still need help with their sexual relationship, because the sexual distance between partners can last long after the trust starts to return.
With sexual desire discrepancy, the difference in how often each partner wants sex usually comes with years of hurt. By the time most couples start working with me, the partner who wants sex more often has felt rejected for a long time, and the partner who wants sex less often has felt pressured. Each partner’s resentment makes the other partner less willing to talk about sex.
With problematic sexual behavior, I work with you individually, but the behavior often still affects your partner and your relationship. I help you understand when and why the behavior happens, how to reduce or stop it, and how to prepare for honest conversations with your partner about what you’ve hidden.
Research-Supported Therapy APproaches to Sex, Love, and Relationships
AASECT & Gottman Method Couples Therapy Certifications
I’m an AASECT-Certified Sex Therapist. The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) awards the certification after reviewing a therapist’s training and supervised clinical hours in sex therapy. I’ve been certified since 2010. I’ve also been an AASECT Approved Supervisor since 2015, which means I supervise therapists who are working toward their own sex therapy certification.
I’m a Certified Gottman Therapist, which is the final level of clinical training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy, and as a Gottman Trainer, I teach the method to other therapists.
My certification included courses on treating affairs and on couples in addiction recovery. In sessions, I use the Gottman method to assess how a couple argues, how the couple repairs after an argument, and what each partner needs to rebuild trust.
My sex therapy training helps me assess and treat what happens in a couple’s sexual relationship after years of resentment. Sex may start to feel like an obligation, or the couple may stop having sex at all.
I work with couples in affair recovery and in sex therapy for desire discrepancy. I work with individuals in therapy for problematic sexual behavior.
Whether you come in with your partner or on your own, what I observe and what I recommend are always specific to you.
My Background and Training —
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BA, Human Services — University of Massachusetts/Boston, 1980
MSW, Social Work — Portland State University, 1986
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I am independently licensed to practice in the following states:
Oregon LCSW #L1201
Washington LICSW #SWI.LW.60698797
New York LCSW #086198
Massachusetts LICSW #LICSW1144781
I am registered to provide telehealth services in Florida:
Florida Out-of-State Telehealth Provider Registration #TPSW16
NPI: 1457335341
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Certified Gottman Method Couples Therapist since 2007 and a Trainer through the Gottman Institute.
AASECT Certified Sex Therapist since 2010, and an AASECT Approved Supervisor since 2015.
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I’ve written two books on relationships. Love and Aspergers: Practical Strategies to Help Couples Understand Each Other and Strengthen Their Connection (2020) is a guide for couples navigating a difference in neurotype.
Parenting Adult Children: A Practical Guide to Navigating Your Evolving Relationship (2021) helps parents build a stronger relationship with their grown children.
A third book is currently in progress.
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I teach continuing education for licensed clinicians through The Chicago School, including an extensive course series on autism across the lifespan and autistic-centered therapy, and a course on autistic-affirming couples therapy.
Therapy Services
01. Couples Therapy for Affairs and Infidelity
Therapy for couples rebuilding trust after an affair or betrayal.
02. Sex Therapy for Couples with Mismatched Sexual Desire
Sex therapy for couples when one partner wants sex more than the other.
03. Individual Therapy for Sex And Porn Addiction
Individual therapy for sexual behavior that has become difficult to control.
Logistics
Pricing, scheduling, and online sessions
All sessions are conducted by secure, HIPAA-compliant video. I work with couples and individuals across Oregon, Washington, New York, Massachusetts, and Florida.
Sessions are private pay, billed at $500 per hour and $750 for 90-minute sessions. Extended sessions (3+ hours) are available for couples who want to make faster progress. I am not in-network with insurance and cannot bill them directly. For more information about pricing, please see the pricing page.
How to schedule your first session
To schedule your first appointment, please choose a day and time on my secure, HIPAA-compliant calendar using the button directly below.
After I approve your request, typically within one business day, you and your partner will receive new client forms via email, which you’ll both review and digitally sign before we meet.