Your intimacy is worth investing in.

  • Your intimacy has changed and doesn’t feel the same way it used to.

  • You never imagined you’d be here and often wonder if you are broken.

  • You feel shame, or guilt, with something that is supposed to feel good (or at least afterward it makes you feels crummy).

Coming to therapy is a huge step toward an investment into yourself, your relationship(s), and your pleasure. The investment into one of the most beautiful things about being human: our sexuality. Improving your overall sexual satisfaction could also improve your overall life satisfaction.

Your journey with your sexuality is a unique experience, shaped by a myriad of factors you’ve gone through in life and continue to experience to this day: personal history, culture, relationship interactions, and society, but to name a few. This can sometimes make understanding your sexuality a confusing, perhaps hurtful, puzzle — but you are no longer alone to figure it all out!

What’s it like to work with me

Jessica VerBout
M.A., LMFT, CST, CST-S
Certified Sex Therapist in
Minnesota & Vermont

“I know what it is like to share the most intimate things about my life with a relative stranger within the therapy relationship and, using this knowledge, I will treat you and your struggles with the utmost respect, care, and compassion as I want to be treated. I approach my work with a “relational”-type of therapy style to make sure our sessions are as natural-feeling as possible, so you will hear bad jokes (you’ve been forewarned!), analogies, and metaphors to further process your concerns. Your therapy space is the atmosphere for you to begin to unpack those blocks interfering with your sexual intimacy, identity, functioning, and relationships, so with sex-positive and client-centered lenses, we will approach your struggles without judgment and we will co-create the goals for your treatment as you feel is effective for you.

Our work together can happen in the comfort of a welcoming office, or within the comfort of your home in a private space or office space via online therapy. I am comfortable working with curious and motivated individuals or various relationship structures (traditional and non-traditional) and genuinely appreciate the opportunity to be invited into your life to help you find relief, acceptance, and pleasure in your life once again (or for the first time!).

My Guiding Principles & Methods

Compassion

I foster a non-judgmental and empathic environment that allows my clients to explore their sexual concerns and desires without shame or guilt. Using high levels of empathy I am able to help those clients who have felt so isolated, alone, and invalidated for far too long finally feel seen and heard. I am proud of my skill of offering compassionate care to those who may need it the most.

Maintaining a therapeutic environment that encourages exploration, understanding, acceptance, and positive growth, I use active listening, validation, and sensitivity to your needs to help you feel at ease in discussing your intimacy.

Comfort

Safeguarding my client’s private information is at the highest importance for me and my work. Maintaining strict confidentiality and ethical practices, I keep my client’s sensitive information under the highest standards. My physical and virtual offices maintain these privacy practices, so my clients can rest assured every moment of their session is kept between only us.

Privacy

I do not approach my clients with a pre-determined set of goals and judgements, even though I may have helped others with similar struggles. My clients are the ones dictating their treatment from the first session until the last.

Client-Centered

Using a “sex positive” approach to my treatment means I embrace a non-judgmental and affirming approach to sexual attractions, behaviors, identities, and processes. With this approach, I encourage my clients to express and explore their sexual concerns without shame or guilt, and instead help them to foster a view of their sexuality where diversity, consent, understanding, and open communication are celebrated to help them cultivate healthy and fulfilling sexual well-being.

Sex Positivity

Education, Licenses, Certifications, Brainspotting Trainings, & Services

  • Bachelor’s of Arts in Child Psychology & Development, Minors in English & Japanese (University of Minnesota, 2005)

  • Master’s of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy (St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, 2008)

  • PhD Candidate in Sexology from the Modern Sex Therapy Institutes (2022-current)

Education

  • Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (since 2011) in Minnesota

  • Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (since 2022) in Vermont

  • Certified Sex Therapist from the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, & Therapists (AASECT; since 2015)

Professional Licenses & Certifications

  • Brainspotting Phase 1

  • Brainspotting Phase 2

  • Brainspotting with Addictions & Unwanted Behaviors (Crocodile Set Up)

Brainspotting Trainings

  • Board Approved Marriage & Family Therapist Supervisor in Minnesota (since 2018)

  • Certified Sex Therapist Supervisor from the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, & Therapists (AASECT; since 2023)

  • PREPARE/ENRICH Certified Provider (since 2013)

Professional Services

My Services & Fees

  • $225 per session (0-60 min.)

    Insurance Accepted: UCare

  • $225 per session (0-60 min.)

    Insurance Accepted: UCare
    Note: Insurance may not cover “couples therapy,” in which case the cost reverts to the out of pocket fee.

  • $340 for 90 min. for either individual or relationship sessions.

    $450 for 2 hour session.

    (No insurance coverage at this time for extended sessions.)

  • Therapy intensives are not covered by insurance. Intensives are ideal for individuals wanting to tackle their healing and relationship work more aggressively.

    Minimum of 4 hours to start, up to 6 hours, total in one day at $225/hour ($900-$1,350)

  • Jessica VerBout, LMFT, CST, CST-S is a Minnesota Board Approved Supervisor for those pre-licensed mental health practitioners working towards independent licensure in Marriage and Family Therapy in MN.

    $80 per individual supervision session
    $60 per group supervision session
    $100 per AASECT + MFT supervision session

  • Professional supervision for those nearly-licensed and licensed mental health professionals seeking to complete the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapist's (AASECT) requirements to becoming a Certified Sex Therapist.

    Individual Fee (Licensed Professionals): $150/session

    Individual Fee (Pre-Licensed Practitioners): $120/session

    Group Fee: $80/group/supervisee