Mental health and sexuality expert, Dr. Rhoda specializes in AB/DL (Age Play, Age Regression) and Alternative Sexuality. Although licensed in Colorado, she offers virtual coaching sessions to anyone outside of the state. Her unique experience has made her the expert on AB/DL in the mental health community.
My journey with Mental Health and Sexuality has given me a unique outlook. People often ask me how I became a sex therapist and how I ended up specializing in these two areas. After all, it is not the typical college major. Usually, I smile and tell them that it has been a journey.
When I studied sex therapy, I found that psychology still deemed “out-of-the-norm” sex to be a problem. The focus was on treating or fixing the problem. However, I didn’t see this as valid for the people I worked with every day. I chose to explore things I didn’t understand instead of judging them. My background gives me a new insight into alternative sexuality and AB/DL.
I have been working in Mental Health and Sexuality since 1987. My mental health work as a crisis counselor began in sexual health clinics. People came for birth control, testing and treatment for STIs, and abortion services. Most men and women who came were scared or anxious. I discovered that most of them weren’t taught how the sexual part of their life worked. On the one hand, I taught them how to prevent STIs and unwanted pregnancies. On the other hand, I was helping them understand their sex lives, desires, and behaviors. I realized that they needed more than a short one-visit to deal with physical needs.
I left crisis counseling and went back to school. I eventually earned a Doctorate in Clinical Sexology and became a Board Certified Clinical Sexologist. This has allowed me to work with people in a deeper and more meaningful way. The longer you practice a profession, though, the more you specialize in the areas where you do your best work. After years of counseling and therapy experience, I became an expert in alternative sexuality.
I published my first book, “No More Hiding: Permission to Love Your Sexual Self” in 2017.
I didn’t set out to become the mental health expert in AB/DL (which sometimes includes terms such as Age Play, Age Regression, Littles, Middles, Caregivers). I had not come across AB/DL until my first client came to me.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that this community was in the shadows of society. Mental health training was non-existent, and, therefore, clients were judged when they reached out. For this reason, my doctoral dissertation was on this subject.
Most therapists who do have an AB/DL client will see an average of 1-3 in their entire careers. I, however, have seen over 150 in the past ten years. I have also had the honor of speaking at conventions and meeting hundreds of people who have shared their experiences with me. They have taught me a great deal of information, and I continue to learn as time goes by.
Some people use terms other than AB/DL to describe themselves. They are all part of the same umbrella, though, and their struggles with mental health are similar. This group deals with shame, embarrassment, guilt, anxiety, and self-esteem more than the general population. These higher rates are due to society’s ignorance about who they are and harsh judgment from others.
Working with AB/DLs (Age Play, Age Regression, Littles, Middles, Caregivers) has become my passion and focus. While I still see clients who are not AB/DLs, they are the majority of my caseload.
