Allison Ernest

MS, LMFT, CST
Clinical Director of Sex Therapy Services

Allison is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and a Certified Sex Therapist by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT). She earned her Master’s degree from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA, with a specialization in Sex Therapy. She completed her internship at the Council for Relationships (formally the original Marriage Council of Philadelphia) working with diverse populations including couples, individuals, families, and children, all from a variety of backgrounds.

Allison treats various areas including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, self-esteem, past trauma, sexual abuse, marital/ couples therapy, identity, family dynamics, communication, grief/ loss, stress, and emotional regulation and expression. One of her specialties is sex therapy, which can include but is not limited to, concerns with sexual functioning (desire, arousal, orgasm, sexual pain), gender identity, sexual identity/ orientation, past sexual abuse and trauma, and compulsive sexual behaviors (CSB- sometimes referred to as “sex addiction”). She believes in creating a safe, caring, and nonjudgmental environment for people to explore these difficult matters.

In addition, Allison has a dance/ movement background (BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts) and loves to incorporate this into her work. Her therapy can often include mindfulness, stress-reduction, breathing, self-awareness, and overall mind-body health.

Allison is experienced in utilizing different systemic models of therapy, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Narrative Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy. Allison’s therapy takes a systemic and relational approach which honors our interconnectedness and can enrich the therapeutic process regardless of relationship status. With that, she strives to thoughtfully shape the therapeutic experience to each client’s specific needs. She is passionate about using a strength-based and relational perspective to assist clients in reaching their goals. In short, Allison believes in collaborating with clients to help them lead happy and fulfilling lives.