you deserve your right fit.
I’m here to help you get clear on what that means for you, and what that looks like in your relationships.
“There are truly no words to express how grateful I am to have worked with Irene. Of all the practitioners I have worked with, Irene has had the most impact on my overall healing.”
— SG
Hi, I’m Irene—
somatic coach, sex-positive educator, and pleasure advocate.
My initiation into this world started when I first began navigating the complexities of non-monogamy myself, which triggered my complex-PTSD in a big way - like paralyzing shame and major life disruption kind of way. As I searched for someone to guide me through this major life transition, it felt like finding aligned, body-based support was like trying to find a unicorn in the wild; when I talked to body-based practitioners their ignorance often made me feel misunderstood and alone, and non-monogamy resources never seemed to explain the extreme experience I was having in my body. I realized something crucial—there was a massive need for the kind of coaching and education that helps us understand the role our bodies play in relationships, especially for those embracing non-monogamy.
The great news is that what started as a struggle turned into a profound healing journey. As it turns out, learning how to thrive in supportive relationships isn’t just about communicating better (although that’s a lot of it), it has the power to transform our trauma. The skills I developed to survive in polyamory—like accessing pleasure and play, advocating for myself, embodying boundaries, and yes, mastering clear communication—were exactly the skills I needed to heal. I mean that emotionally and psychologically, but also physiologically - these things can change the very structure of your brain! And I’m here to help you discover how these same tools can transform your life, too.
The great news is that what started as a struggle turned into a profound healing journey. As it turns out, learning how to thrive in supportive relationships isn’t just about communicating better (although that’s a lot of it), it has the power to transform our trauma.
The skills I developed to survive in polyamory—like accessing pleasure and play, advocating for myself, embodying boundaries, and yes, mastering clear communication—were exactly the skills I needed to heal. I mean that emotionally and psychologically, but also physiologically - these things can change the very structure of your brain! And I’m here to help you discover how these same tools can transform your life, too.
With a master's degree in yoga therapy, I bring an in-depth understanding of the body that goes far beyond that “article” your friend “read” (that was actually a TikTok video). My training is deeply rooted in hands-on, clinical experience, allowing me to apply somatics to various populations with precision and empathy. Couple that with my background in clinical sexual health counseling, and you’ve got someone who knows how to talk about sex and sensitive subjects with both scientific accuracy and a whole lot of heart. I’ve got over a decade under my belt helping people better understand the role their bodies play in their emotions, and more effectively work with that understanding to improve their relationships and overall well being.
My own journey navigating non-monogamy, queerness, kink, and neurodivergence has further shaped my approach into one that’s highly individualized, because I know there’s no “right way”—only your way. This is something I share openly in my book, The Polyamory Paradox: Finding Your Confidence in Consensual Non-Monogamy, where I dive deep into how non-monogamy helped me discover my queerness and become more attuned to my nervous system’s adaptations..
And when I’m not deep in conversation about pleasure and relationships, you can find me with ice cream in hand or binging dog-training videos with my sweet dog, Penny.
If you’re ready to embody your way of doing things, I’d love to be on your team.
Background:
Training and Education:
Maryland University of Integrative Health; Master of Science in Yoga Therapy
The Gottman Institute: Clinical Foundations in Gottman Method Couples Therapy
Institute for Sexuality Education & Enlightenment (ISEE); Advancing Clinical Education in Sexuality Certificate
Jane Clapp’s Movement for Trauma
Rachael Maddox’s ReBloom Foundations: Somatic Skills for Post-Traumatic Growth
Health Imperatives; Clinical Sexual and Reproductive Health Counseling for All Ages
Planned Parenthood; Sexual Health Educator Immersion
DONA; birth and labor doula
More than 2,000 hours of formal yoga training in Rishikesh, India, New York City, Martha’s Vineyard, and Baltimore, MD earning certifications in:
Yoga Therapy
Kids’ Yoga
Prenatal Yoga
Wesleyan University; Bachelor of Arts, Sociology
Accolades:
My first book, The Polyamory Paradox achieved bestseller status in categories of Counseling Psychology, Human Sexuality, Anthropology, Lifespan Development, and Social Science
2017 recipient of Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellowship; Yoga Therapy Applications for Substance Use Recovery and Tick-Borne Illnesses
Personal Lineage and Influences:
Some of my own coaches and support in this work include Che Che Luna, Larissa Conte, Amelia Travis, Varvara Erochina, Bear Hebert, and Lynne Anne Salman.
My work/philosophy is also deeply shaped by the works of adrienne maree brown, Sonya Renee Taylor, Prentis Hemphill, Emily Nagoski, Peter Levine, Jessica Fern, Gabor Mate, and Kristen J Sollée.
