Specialty Sexual Health

In a world where sexual health is too often reduced to risk prevention or reproductive function, the deeper, more personal aspects of sexuality—desire, intimacy, connection, confidence—are frequently ignored. And for people living in marginalized bodies or with complex medical realities, those conversations become nearly invisible.

At Afterglow Behavioral and Sexual Health, we specialize in helping people who have been excluded from mainstream sexual health resources—those navigating military service-related disabilities, chronic pain and illness, amputation, or living in larger bodies. These individuals often face not only the physical and emotional challenges of their conditions, but the added burden of shame, stigma, or silence surrounding their sexual selves.

The Silent Struggles Behind the Statistics

For millions of people, sexual health is more than a checkbox on a medical form—it’s deeply interwoven with self-worth, identity, trauma, and healing. Yet, the dominant narratives around sex tend to leave out those whose bodies don’t conform to cultural ideals of desirability, mobility, or “normalcy.” People in these groups are often told—directly or indirectly—that intimacy must wait until they’re “fixed.”

Sexual health disparities are a significant yet often overlooked concern among marginalized populations. Research shows that veterans with service-connected disabilities report high rates of sexual dysfunction, with studies indicating that up to 85% of male veterans with spinal cord injuries experience erectile difficulties, and female veterans report sexual trauma and dysfunction at disproportionately high rates—often compounded by PTSD and physical limitations. Among individuals living with chronic pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis, over 70% report that pain interferes with sexual activity, yet few are given guidance on adaptive intimacy or managing sexual distress. Additionally, people with amputations experience significant disruptions in sexual identity and functioning; one study found that up to 64% of amputees report a decrease in sexual activity and confidence, yet very few receive sexual rehabilitation as part of their recovery plan.

Body image concerns are a leading barrier to sexual confidence and fulfillment across a range of marginalized populations—not only for those in larger bodies. Individuals living with visible scarring, limb loss, skin conditions, surgical changes, aging-related changes, or illness-related body transformations often report intense discomfort with being seen, touched, or intimately engaged. Studies show that poor body image is directly associated with reduced sexual satisfaction, increased avoidance of intimacy, and lower levels of arousal and orgasm, regardless of a person’s actual physical ability or health status (Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 2019). For people in larger bodies, the challenges are often compounded by social stigma and healthcare discrimination. While over 42% of U.S. adults are classified as obese (CDC, 2020), many report that medical providers dismiss sexual health concerns as weight-related without offering support or solutions. One study found that body dissatisfaction was a stronger predictor of sexual dysfunction than BMI itself, and that women with higher body shame were 2.4 times more likely to avoid sexual intimacy due to fear of judgment (Body Image, 2017). Whether the source of discomfort is weight, scars, prosthetics, or illness-related changes, the result is the same: people are left feeling disconnected from their bodies and excluded from affirming, pleasure-centered sexual care.

The result? They’re left to figure out sex, desire, and connection on their own.

• Veterans with service-connected injuries may lose sexual function or confidence and are rarely offered meaningful pathways to reclaim their erotic selves.

• People living with chronic pain or illness must navigate fatigue, flares, and body unpredictability in sexual encounters without guidance or flexibility from the medical system.

• Amputees are almost never given the tools to rediscover pleasure, worthiness, and body confidence in a changed body.

• Those in larger bodies face widespread sexual exclusion, desexualization, and shame—pushed to believe that pleasure is only for the thin.

• Body Image concerns change sexual confidence and lead to shame and guilt over the natural transformation of a person's body over time.

Afterglow’s Approach: Sexual Health That Includes Everyone

At Afterglow, we don’t ask your body to shrink, heal, or adapt to a narrow mold before offering you care. We meet you exactly as you are, with compassion, clinical expertise, and a deep belief in your right to fulfilling, affirming sexual experiences.

Our specialty sexual health services are rooted in:

• Trauma-informed care that honors both physical and emotional histories

• Body-inclusive practices that affirm all sizes, shapes, abilities, and identities

• Adaptive, flexible strategies for pleasure and intimacy that reflect each person’s lived reality

• Education and counseling for individuals and couples to rebuild connection and confidence

• Lived experience—including leadership from disabled and veteran professionals who understand the journey firsthand

We offer a space where pleasure is possible, connection is honored, and shame is gently replaced with self-trust and curiosity.

You Deserve a Sexual Health Provider Who Sees You

Sexuality does not disappear because your body has changed. It does not diminish because of trauma, illness, or injury. At Afterglow, we believe your sexual self deserves to thrive—not despite your story, but because of the strength and complexity it holds.

Despite decades of research showing that sexual well-being is a vital component of overall health and quality of life, many healthcare providers still avoid discussing sexual topics altogether, especially when it comes to sexual pleasure. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that only 14% of primary care providers routinely ask patients about their sexual satisfaction, and even fewer address topics related to pleasure, desire, or body confidence. This avoidance is even more pronounced among patients with disabilities, chronic illness, or body differences, with research showing that providers often assume these patients are asexual or uninterested in intimacy, leading to unmet needs and feelings of invisibility. According to the World Health Organization, sexual health is not simply the absence of disease, but “a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality”—yet most clinical encounters reduce it to STI prevention or reproductive function. This narrow approach neglects a crucial aspect of human experience: sexual pleasure is strongly linked to improved mental health, stronger relationship satisfaction, and better emotional resilience, especially in people coping with long-term medical or emotional challenges. The silence around sexuality in clinical spaces is not neutral—it contributes directly to isolation, shame, and a diminished sense of self.

We see you. We hear you. And we are here to help you rediscover what’s possible.

Let’s rebuild intimacy—not as it used to be, but as it can be. One body, one breath, one connection at a time.