Sirianna Relationship & Sex Therapy

08/04/2026

“Desire is not a malfunction to correct. It is information to interpret.” - Genevieve Marcel, PhD

07/28/2026

“Setting boundaries isn’t about trying to control the situation but rather about speaking up for your needs. All the different responses give you more information and the ability to make decisions from there. It allows you to enter into the real negotiation of human relationships.”- Dr. Ingrid Clayton

07/25/2026

We had a wonderful day at Harrisburg Pride celebrating life and love.

07/13/2026

Blog by Briana Davis:

Hi everyone! I’m Briana Davis, and I am so excited to connect with you through the Sirianna Relationship & S*x Therapy community. As a therapist, I’m passionate about creating spaces where people feel seen, especially when navigating the intersections of identity and mental wellbeing. This passion is what drove my master's thesis at Penn State, where I dove into how we can adapt traditional therapy to genuinely support s*xual minorities.

Did you know that depression is estimated to be more than twice as common among LGBTQ older adults compared to their non-LGBTQ peers? While standard talk therapy is an incredible tool, it can miss the lifelong layers of minority stress that drive these statistics.

A massive piece of this puzzle is the heavy emotional toll of identity concealment. For so many older adults, hiding who they were was a survival strategy to keep their jobs, their safety, and their families intact. While identity concealment protects you from immediate danger, it takes a massive psychological toll over time and, ironically, becomes a huge barrier to seeking care. The constant, exhausting vigilance of scanning rooms, filtering your words, and worrying about being "found out" directly feeds into chronic anxiety and depression. Then, when support is needed most, that deeply ingrained fear of facing judgment or non-affirming healthcare providers keeps people from ever reaching out for help.

This lifetime of navigating a hostile world naturally shapes a person's deepest beliefs about themselves. Over decades, external stigma turns inward. It solidifies into painful automatic thoughts, like believing you are inherently unworthy of love, destined to be alone, or that showing your true self is fundamentally unsafe. In therapy, we have to look beyond everyday worries. We have to help clients untangle these deep, decades-old knots, guiding them to realize that these negative self-appraisals are the historical residue of an unfair world, not inherent truths about their value.

Moving past survival mode requires an approach that weaves these specific identity struggles into the healing process. Instead of just giving standard advice to fight depression, we focus on meaningful, identity-focused reconnection, gently helping older adults step out of isolation and find safety in affirming, queer-friendly spaces. We also lean heavily into communication and boundaries. For someone who spent a lifetime staying silent to stay safe, learning to confidently state their needs is life changing, especially when navigating healthcare or eldercare environments where they fear facing bias.

Therapy is never one-size-fits-all. By bringing cultural humility and a real understanding of generational trauma into the room, we can help older LGBTQ adults safely set down the weight of concealment and finally step into the authentic, peaceful lives they’ve always deserved.

If you’re feeling the weight of your own journey and want to explore what affirming support could look like for you, please reach out to us here at Sirianna Relationship & S*x Therapy. I’d love to meet you.

07/01/2026

Starting in August we will have a new intern starting at Sirianna Relationship & S*x Therapy. Sessions with Iitu are free while she gets supervision and additional experience working with clients. If you are interested in making an appointment with her please give us a call. Here is her bio:

Iitu Varis

Everyone deserves to be loved and appreciated by themselves and the people around them. I strive to create a warm, collaborative space where clients feel comfortable showing up as their authentic selves. I approach therapy integratively, while prioritizing the client-therapist relationship. I am passionate about addressing issues systematically within relationships, examining how problems manifest within systems, and working to understand the client’s perspective. I would love to work on your wants and needs in areas such as family planning and infertility, desire discrepancy and s*xual dysfunction, and day-to-day relationship concerns.

I am a second-year doctoral student (PsyD) in clinical psychology at Chestnut Hill College, working under the supervision of Dr. Andreya Jones Sirianna. I have experience working with clients of all ages in hospital and school settings. My previous experiences have given me a wide range of skills in the therapeutic space, with training in psychodynamic, systems, and behavioral therapy approaches.

Originally from Finland, I moved to the United States during elementary school and was raised in Maryland. Outside of clinical work, I enjoy teaching barre at a local studio, where I find connection, balance, and stress relief. I also love spending time with my partner and two orange cats, reading, and trying new foods.

06/09/2026

There are always layers to issues around s*x. We would love to help you peel back these layers. We promise to go at your pace and to honor your values along the way.

06/06/2026

06/01/2026

Happy Pride!

05/27/2026

Erectile dysfunction is something that many p***s owners experience at some point in their lives. On average it takes a p***s owner five years to reach out for help after experiencing erectile dysfunction. At Sirianna Relationship & S*x Therapy we understand how difficult it can be to ask for help. Our s*x and relationship coach, Angie specializes in all p***s owner difficulties. Angie has extensive experience in working with and treating ED, PE, and out of control s*xual behavior. If you are someone who is struggling with s*xual functioning she would love to work with you!!

05/12/2026

I came across this today and smiled. As therapists, we are often expected to have all of our ducks in a row, and to have all of life’s answers. The reality of being a therapist is that we are human just like everyone else. We make mistakes, we get traffic tickets, we get divorced, and we sometimes yell at our kids. I’ve had a few people look shocked when they found out their marriage therapist was divorced. The assumptions that people put on therapists are often unfair. The truth of the matter is that we are all growing and learning on this journey called life. No one has it all together and no one is perfect. I’ve found that the best therapists are often people who have made terrible decisions and who have been through the ups and downs of life. People who have done the work to own their s**t, change their behavior, and use their experiences to help reach others who are struggling. So the next time you go to therapy please remember that everyone in the room is equal. There is no hierarchy. There is no one who has all of the answers. We are all just doing the best we can each step of the way.