Your sexual health deserves a therapist who is actually specialized in treating it.
You've probably already done some reading. Maybe Googled your way through articles, tried to bring it up with a partner, or talked yourself out of making an appointment more than once. Here's what I want you to know before you decide: there is a real difference between a therapist who will listen supportively while you talk about your sex life — and a therapist who is specifically trained to help you change it.
I'm the second kind of therapist. And I’m here to work with you.
A bit about me
I'm Jessica VerBout, a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, and Certified Brainspotting Practitioner based in New Hope, Minnesota, and licensed in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. I also hold the AASECT Certified Sex Therapist Supervisor credential, and am a Minnesota Board-approved MFT Supervisor: meaning I not only specialize in this work, but I train and supervise other therapists pursuing their own expertise in it.
I got into sex therapy because I kept seeing how much unnecessary pain people carried around something so fundamental to human experience. Most of my clients come in convinced they're broken, abnormal, or the only person who feels the way they feel. Almost without exception, they're not. But they've spent years without a knowledgeable, judgment-free space to sort it out -- and that is a need I’m trying to meet.
My style is warm, relational, sprinkled in with a good dose of chill, and gently direct. I'm not going to sit quietly and nod while you talk; I'm engaged, present, and I'll actually respond like a real person (you’re forewarned: Bad jokes, metaphors, and analogies are favorite teaching tools of mine!). I explain things in plain language, I'll gently challenge you when it's useful, and I take this work seriously without taking myself too seriously. I've been told I have a way of making complicated, uncomfortable topics feel surprisingly manageable to talk about. Sessions feel like working through something real with someone who genuinely gets it — not like being evaluated or judged.
What it's like to work with me
First sessions aren't about having everything figured out. They're about getting comfortable, giving me some context, helping me understand your background and where you came from, and figuring out together where to start. Most people leave feeling lighter than they expected.
I work with individuals and people in all relationship structures (monogamous, non-monogamous, polyamorous, and everything in between) and welcome everyone’s authentic selves. You don't need to come in with a clear agenda or the perfect words for what you're experiencing. That's what we're here to work out together.
What AASECT Certification
Means for You
The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) is the gold standard credentialing body for sex therapy professionals in the United States and other countries. Earning the Certified Sex Therapist (CST) designation requires specialized coursework, training in how to use sex therapy skills, at least 300 supervised clinical hours specifically in sex therapy, and ongoing continuing education. To put that in perspective, most general therapists receive little to no formal training in sex therapy during their graduate programs, so this designation means your therapist is highly trained in sex therapy and treating sexuality issues.
I also hold the CST-S (Supervisor) credential, which means I am authorized to supervise and train other therapists pursuing their own AASECT certification in sex therapy. Training the next level of sex therapists is an honor I take seriously, so more people (like yourself) find themselves getting quality care.
In practical terms: you're not working with a general therapist who has read a few books on the topic. You're working with someone whose entire professional identity is built around this specialty. A therapist who keeps up with the research, the nuance, and the clinical complexity of human sexuality because it genuinely matters to them.
That's the level of care you deserve.
Why I Use Brainspotting
A lot of what brings people to sex therapy (low desire, difficulty with arousal, avoidance, shame, disconnection from your body) has roots in experiences that talk therapy alone doesn't fully reach. This is especially true when trauma is involved.
Brainspotting is a body-based, brain-focused approach that helps you access and process emotional material stored in your nervous system (the kind that doesn't always have words, and doesn't always respond to just talking). As a Certified Brainspotting Practitioner serving clients in New Hope, Minnesota, and via telehealth across MN and WI, I integrate this approach when it's the right fit — not as a default.
I've seen Brainspotting create real movement for clients who felt stuck for a long time. If you're curious about whether it's right for you, we'll figure that out together in session.
Professional Education, Licences, Certifications, & Trainings
Education
B.A. in Child Psychology & Development, Minors in English & Japanese (University of Minnesota, 2005)
M.A. in Marriage & Family Therapy (St. Mary's University of Minnesota, 2008)
Licenses
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) — Minnesota, since 2011
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) — Wisconsin, since 2025
Certifications
AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST, since 2015)
AASECT Certified Sex Therapist Supervisor (CST-S, since 2023)
Certified Brainspotting Practitioner (since 2025)
(BSP Trainings: Phases 1, 2, 4 + Crocodile & The Pearl: Treating Addictions & Unwanted Behaviors)
PREPARE/ENRICH Certified Provider (since 2013)
Professional Roles
Minnesota Board Approved MFT Supervisor (since 2018)
AASECT Approved CST Supervisor (since 2023)
You've done the hard part
— you're here.
Reaching out is simpler than you might think. Send me a secure message and tell me a little about what's bringing you in.
I'll take it from there.