Creative Sexpression

Creative Sexpression Clinical sex therapist, Relationship counsellor & Art therapist. My vision is to see sex celebrated and taught in a healthy and positive way.
(1)

Trauma‑informed, queer‑affirming, kink-friendly. 30 yrs as an erotic photographer-no shame, no judgment.I help you reclaim desire, heal sexual self-esteem & connect with your deepest self. I believe a healthy sexuality leads to a greater well being. I wholeheartedly believe sexual energy and pleasure is the birthplace of creativity and that through awakening ourselves to this pleasure, we raise our consciousness, intellect and live more in tune with the world around us. That’s why “Creative Sexpression” was born! My name is Cat O Dowd and I'm a certified sex therapist, relationship psychotherapist and art therapist. I provide a non-judgemental, kink-friendly, supportive environment in which to explore your life, your relationships and your sexual expression- whatever your stage of life or your sexual preferences. "My 20 years of photographing fetish and erotic art gives me that extra insight and knowledge into a world not all therapists understand. I am also trained in art therapy and holistic counselling and can use creative psychotherapy exercises to access your inner feelings, creativity and healing." To book a sexuality counselling session with Cat, click here http://creativesexpression.com/book-a-session/ or email cat@creativesexpression.com

Healthy intimacy isn’t disconnection.It’s discerned entanglement—the ability to stay connected without losing your shape...
21/01/2026

Healthy intimacy isn’t disconnection.
It’s discerned entanglement—the ability to stay connected without losing your shape..

🖤🤍Does "entanglement" feel like a safety net to you, or does it feel like a trap?

🤍🖤🩶🤍These hearts are connected, but each is its own shape.

Where in your life do you wish you could stay connected without losing yourself?

—There’s no wrong answer……. only the truth of where you’re standing right now.—

Cat O Dowd

Art -Entangled (2010) by American sculptor, Kate MacDowell (born in 1972).

Handbuilt porcelain, cone 6 glaze

33 x 25 x 13 cm, 13 x 10 x 5 in approx

Well this is an emotional rollercoaster 🎢 courtesy of the Facebook police! I wish they’d make up their mind!
21/01/2026

Well this is an emotional rollercoaster 🎢 courtesy of the Facebook police!
I wish they’d make up their mind!

Can’t hold me back ! 😆
21/01/2026

Can’t hold me back ! 😆

20/01/2026
The Myth of the "Broken" Libido 😞 In private practice, I rarely meet someone whose libido is actually "broken." What I u...
20/01/2026

The Myth of the "Broken" Libido 😞

In private practice, I rarely meet someone whose libido is actually "broken." What I usually see is a nervous system that is doing its job way too well.

We’ve been conditioned to think of desire like an accelerator pedal, if you just find the right "spark," the right outfit, or the right toy, the engine will roar to life.

But for many of us, intimacy is actually governed by the brakes.

Your brain 🧠 is a survival organ first and a pleasure 😊 organ second.

It is constantly scanning for reasons not to be intimate. 👀 It’s looking at the mounting "mental load," the resentment over the unwashed dishes, the subtle lack of emotional safety, or that deep-seated fear of being truly seen (flaws and all). 😟

If your "brakes" are slammed to the floor because your system feels overwhelmed or unsafe, it doesn't matter how hard your partner hits the gas/accelerator. You aren't "low libido"; you’re just well-defended. 🏰

It’s not that the desire is gone. It’s that the internal environment hasn't given the brakes permission to release.

🚗 ✋ 💨 ⛽️

Stop looking for a better accelerator for a minute.

Stop trying to "fix" the engine.

My question for you………. If you look at your "brakes" instead, what is the one thing currently pressing down on them?

Is it a pile of laundry, an unspoken argument, or a protective wall you built years ago?

Cat

Stop asking how to want more.Start asking what makes your body say no.
18/01/2026

Stop asking how to want more.
Start asking what makes your body say no.

Saying ‘Yes’ just to keep the peace isn’t intimacy . Sadly, it’s survival. And it’s a desire killer. Consent isn’t the a...
18/01/2026

Saying ‘Yes’ just to keep the peace isn’t intimacy . Sadly, it’s survival. And it’s a desire killer.

Consent isn’t the absence of a “No.” It’s actually wanting it. Fully. Enthusiastically..

In long-term relationships, I see a lot of “Compulsory Consent”. That’s when the ‘Yes’ is:
—-to avoid a fight
——to manage your partner’s mood
——-or because you’re trapped in domestic duty horror. 😢

Your body isn’t fooled. It catches on. Over time, a ‘Yes’ that’s really a “Maybe” or a “Fine, let’s get it over with” quietly murders your desire.
Libido isn’t stupid , it’s smart.
😢

When we say 'Yes' just to avoid a conflict or to fulfill a domestic role, we aren't engaging in an act of Eros, we are engaging in an act of Repression.

By forcing the body to perform when the soul is absent, we drive our true desire into the Shadow.
Your unconscious mind is incredibly protective; if it learns that your 'Yes' is actually a self-betrayal or a 'Maybe' in disguise, it will eventually shut down the signal of libido entirely. It goes on strike to protect your sovereignty.

To have a vital, soulful erotic life, you must have a 'No' that is just as loud, respected, and accessible as your 'Yes.'

🖤Without the power to refuse, the power to choose is a myth.🖤

And my question for you is ———Is your 'Yes' a genuine movement of your life force, or is it a mask you wear to keep the 'peace'?


 image- Toa Heftiba

“Flat a board. Mosquito bites."  🦟 These are the "imprints" many of us carry. The labels whispered in school hallways th...
18/01/2026

“Flat a board. Mosquito bites." 🦟
These are the "imprints" many of us carry. The labels whispered in school hallways that eventually become the inner voice we use to judge our own skin. 😢

I love this piece, Itty bitties, from American textile artist Cassie Arnold.

🧶 By hand-knitting "Mom Bras," Cassie is taking all of the "unspoken and taboo" topics of womanhood such as miscarriage💔, breastfeeding 🤱 etc. Then she turns them into something tangible and unashamed .💝

It is like a therapeutic technique called Re-Authoring. It is a creative process where we work out that our "imperfections" are actually our own unique signatures.

🩷If your body stopped protecting everyone else’s comfort and had an unapologetic, loud-as-hell dialogue with you right now, what is the one story it is absolutely exhausted from hiding?

🖤What toxic label was branded onto your skin before you even knew who you were? "Flat," "too much," "not enough." If you took the shears to that internalised stitch today and let the whole thing unravel... what is the one word that actually describes you?


Art- Itty bitties, self-portrait (2021) by American textile artist, Cassie Arnold (born in 1987).

Hand knit merino wool

Her series, Mom Bras celebrates the unique qualities found in all women regardless of size, shape, or colour.

"Flat as a board. Mosquito bites. My whole life I've been flat chested ... you name the phrase, and I've heard it. 9th and 10th grade were the worst ... "

🖤Power is the most misunderstood ingredient in the erotic kitchen.🖤After 25 years as a photographer in the adult industr...
18/01/2026

🖤Power is the most misunderstood ingredient in the erotic kitchen.

🖤After 25 years as a photographer in the adult industry and well over a decade in private practice, I’ve seen how much we fear the concept of "Power."

🖤We’ve been taught that power is a zero-sum game… that for one person to have it, the other must be diminished.

But look at Jennifer Gennari’s artwork- Succession. This isn't just a "role reversal." It’s an exploration of Presence.❤️

So, consensual power play isn't about winning or losing but more a deep form of trust. It’s the safe, intentional exchange of control. For many, the most vulnerable thing they can do is surrender (like the figure at the feet), while for others, the most vulnerable thing is to lead and be be seen in their authority (the figure on the throne).

Both roles require a level of intimacy.

When we stop playing the "default" gender roles we were assigned, we find a different kind of erotic tension. It is the kind that comes from permission.

Are you stuck in a power dynamic that feels like a chore?

What would happen if you experimented with the weight of authority and the relief of surrender?

Therapist Note—- ✋
There is a world of difference between Consensual Power Exchange and Coercive Control. One is built on a foundation of absolute trust and the freedom to say "no"; the other is built on fear and the removal of choice. We reclaim our power by learning the the difference and setting the boundaries ourselves.

My question for you……….. 💓

For many of us, the idea of being 'powerful' or 'surrendered' feels like a threat because of our history.

We’ve spent years in survival mode, where 'presence' wasn't an option.

🙋 What does 'Safety' look like for you today?
Is it the power to say 'No,' the freedom to be still, or the courage to take up space?

❤️❤️❤️

Cat

Art-
Jennifer Gennari (American, b. 1983), Succession, 2018
Medium: Oil on linen / Size: 66 x 42 inchest

Stop saying "I’m broken." 😞 Start saying "The Spectator/critic is loud tonight."  Give the problem a name so you can tac...
18/01/2026

Stop saying "I’m broken." 😞
Start saying "The Spectator/critic is loud tonight."
Give the problem a name so you can tackle it ❤️

Address

Sydney, NSW
2010

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Creative Sexpression posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Creative Sexpression:

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Our Story

Cat is a clinical s*xologist, relationship psychotherapist, certified s*x therapist, art therapist, transpersonal counsellor, s*x and relationship educator and columnist and award winning, internationally published erotic photographer. “My vision is to see s*x celebrated and taught in a healthy and positive way. I believe a healthy s*xuality leads to a greater well being. I wholeheartedly believe s*xual energy and pleasure is the birthplace of creativity and that through awakening ourselves to this pleasure, we raise our consciousness, intellect and live more in tune with the world around us. That’s why “Creative Sexpression” was born! Cat provides a non-judgemental, kink-friendly, supportive environment for all s*xualities and gender identities to explore your life, your relationships and your s*xual expression- whatever your stage of life or your s*xual preferences. "My 20 years of photographing fe**sh and adult material gives me that extra insight and knowledge into a world not all therapists understand. I am also trained in art therapy and holistic counselling and can use creative psychotherapy exercises to access your inner feelings, creativity and healing." To book a s*xuality counselling session with Cat, click here http://creatives*xpression.com/book-a-session/ or email cat@creatives*xpression.com Cat O Dowd has made her career out of s*xually empowering others through creativity and helping others find and create their dream relationships and s*x life. �� With 20 years of professional erotic, bo***ir and fe**sh photography under her belt, Cat has photographed thousands of subjects around the world for fe**sh websites, coffee table books, p**n magazines, kinky events, alternative weddings and intimate couple shoots. Cat founded Australia’s first website dedicated to underground erotica and photographed hundreds of men and women in photo shoots in nature that strived to create a non mainstream body positive aesthetic. Photo stories were set in nature depicting modern interpretations of Greek mythology, fairy tales, archetypes and feminine strength. �� When she’s not screaming in her band she’s busy writing her columns as the resident s*x therapist and feature writer for Ciao magazine. She’s written for The Establishment, appeared on Triple J’s The Hack and The Hook Up, an ABC documentary about labiaplasty, NINEMSN, Cosmopolitan, Le****ns on the Loose, Picture and People magazine. �Cat runs a private practice in Sydney and runs art and s*x therapy workshops and retreats.