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UBC Sexual Health Research

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UBC Sexual Health Research

UBC Sexual Health Research focuses on clinical and behavioural research in women's s*xual health.

Like our page for the latest in s*x research from our lab and others! Our many research studies focus on diverse topics such as low s*xual desire, the relationship between hormones and female s*xual arousal, the experience of fear as a cancer patient, treatments for female s*xual dysfunction, as*xuality, as well as many other areas under the umbrella of human s*xuality. To learn more about our studies, or about Dr. Lori Brotto, our lab director, please browse through this site. If you would like to contact us, please remember that all conversations are confidential and we welcome inquiries.

03/09/2026

Healthcare providers! We have an opportunity for you to participate in our research by sharing your insights on barriers to assessing and managing female s*xual dysfunction and genito-pelvic pain.

We want to hear from you: primary care practitioners, obstetricians, gynaecologists, psychiatrists, urologists, nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives, physiotherapists, psychologists.

Please scan the QR code or go to the link in our bio to participate in our survey and be entered into a lottery, with a 1 in 10 chance of winning $500 CAD. Completion of the survey is not required to be eligible for the lottery.

Find the survey link in our bio.

03/05/2026

Are you a survivor of breast cancer?

We are inviting breast cancer survivors with s*xual difficulties to help us gather feedback on an online psychological treatment.

Eligibility Criteria
✅ aged 19 years or older
✅ experiencing s*xual concerns that are distressing to you
✅ assigned female at birth
✅someone who has/had breast cancer
✅ fluent in English
✅ visually able to interact with online materials
✅ compute literate with internet access

Interested? Email lvaziri@student.ubc.ca

03/03/2026

Do you and your partner differ in how often you want s*x?

Join us for a 15-minute Instagram Live with Dr. Lori Brotto and Dr. Roberta Galizia to learn about our newly launched couple-based treatment study and find out how interested couples can participate.

🗓March 4th, 2025 at 3:00-3:15PM

03/02/2026

Seeking study participants 🚨

We are inviting couples who experience some distress related to different levels of s*xual desire (s*xual desire discrepancy) to participate in an 8-week online s*x therapy and education program.

What is involved?
Couples will take part in a brief Zoom interview, 8 weekly online sessions with a therapist and homework (or self-guided modules), and will complete questionnaires.

Who can participate?
- Couples
- You and your partner have been together for 1 year or more
- You both are 19 years or older
- You and your partner have different levels of s*xual desire, and this difference causes you some distress
- You both are fluent in English
- You both have stable internet and a device capable of running Zoom
- You both are willing to participate in 8 weekly online treatment sessions
- Neither you nor your partner is starting or receiving s*x therapy for s*xual desire discrepancy

Interested?

Email the study coordinator, Dr. Roberta Galizia, at roberta.galizia@ubc.ca

02/27/2026

Do you and your partner have differing levels of s*xual desire?

Join us for a 15-minute Instagram Live with Dr. Lori Brotto and Dr. Roberta Galizia to learn about our newly launched couple-based treatment study and find out how interested couples can participate.

🗓March 4th, 2025 at 3:00-3:15PM

02/25/2026

We are inviting individuals to participate in the LEMON Study: Linking Eye-Tracking and Mindfulness on Sexual Response🚨

Researchers at UBC are investigating how women with and without s*xual desire difficulties view erotic pictures and videos. Women will take part in a brief telephone interview, one laboratory session and will complete questionnaires.

Inclusion Criteria
✅identify as a woman
✅are 19 years or older
✅are mostly or exclusively heteros*xual
✅able to read, write, and speak English
✅have normal or corrected-to-normal eye vision
✅are not currently experiencing any s*xual concerns OR are experiencing difficulties with s*xual arousal and/or s*xual desire for the past 6 months

Interested? Contact the research coordinator at smilani@psych.ubc.ca

02/23/2026

One of you wants s*x more than the other?

We are inviting couples who experience some distress related to different levels of s*xual desire (s*xual desire discrepancy) to participate in an 8-week online s*x therapy and education program.

What is involved?
Couples will take part in a brief Zoom interview, 8 weekly online sessions with a therapist and homework (or self-guided modules), and will complete questionnaires.

Who can participate?
- Couples
- You and your partner have been together for 1 year or more
- You both are 19 years or older
- You and your partner have different levels of s*xual desire, and this difference causes you some distress
- You both are fluent in English
- You both have stable internet and a device capable of running Zoom
- You both are willing to participate in 8 weekly online treatment sessions
- Neither you nor your partner is starting or receiving s*x therapy for s*xual desire discrepancy

Interested?

Email the study coordinator, Dr. Roberta Galizia, at roberta.galizia@ubc.ca

02/21/2026

Ever feel like you’re watching yourself during intimacy instead of actually being in it?

That experience is called spectatoring.

It happens when attention shifts from sensation to self-monitoring:
Am I doing this right?
Why am I not aroused yet?
What if I lose it?
Are they satisfied?

Instead of feeling, you start evaluating. When the brain moves into “observer mode,” arousal and pleasure often stall. Sexual response depends on embodiment, being present, connected to your body, and feeling safe enough to let go. Performance anxiety and mental load make that much harder.

It’s common. It’s human. And understanding it changes everything.

🎙️ Dr. Brotto and Dr. Sogg dive into this and more on The Art & Science of Thriving, exploring how stress and mindset shape intimacy and s*xual wellbeing.

Listen here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/dr-sogge-on-the-art-science-of-thriving/id1785510674?i=1000748912100

02/18/2026

Myth: Sexual activity increased during COVID because couples were home together more.

Fact: Despite early media predictions of a “COVID baby boom,” population-based research tells a different story. Studies consistently found that s*xual activity actually decreased during the pandemic, while reports of s*xual problems increased. Many individuals experienced lower desire, fewer s*xual encounters, and greater distress related to intimacy.

Why?
Because proximity does not equal connection.

Elevated stress, uncertainty, financial strain, disrupted routines, childcare demands, mental load, and emotional fatigue all played a significant role. Chronic stress shifts the nervous system into survival mode, and when we’re in survival mode, intimacy and desire often take a back seat. Relationship strain and psychological burden were major contributors to changes in s*xual wellbeing.

🎙 In an episode of The Art & Science of Thriving, Dr. Brotto and Dr. Sogg explores how stress impacts relationships, resilience, and s*xual wellbeing, and what thriving actually looks like in challenging times.

Listen here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/dr-sogge-on-the-art-science-of-thriving/id1785510674?i=1000748912100

02/16/2026

We are inviting couples who experience some distress related to different levels of s*xual desire (s*xual desire discrepancy) to participate in an 8-week online s*x therapy and education program.

What is involved?
Couples will take part in a brief Zoom interview, 8 weekly online sessions with a therapist and homework (or self-guided modules), and will complete questionnaires.

Who can participate?
- Couples
- You and your partner have been together for 1 year or more
- You both are 19 years or older
- You and your partner have different levels of s*xual desire, and this difference causes you some distress
- You both are fluent in English
- You both have stable internet and a device capable of running Zoom
- You both are willing to participate in 8 weekly online treatment sessions
- Neither you nor your partner is starting or receiving s*x therapy for s*xual desire discrepancy

Interested?

Email the study coordinator, Dr. Roberta Galizia, at roberta.galizia@ubc.ca

02/14/2026

To close out Sexual Health Week, we’re spotlighting MOSAIC, a study asking an essential accessibility question: how can eSense-Mindfulness be better adapted for neurodivergent individuals?

MOSAIC focuses on understanding these experiences and identifying ways to adapt eSense-Mindfulness so it is more accessible, supportive, and effective for neurodivergent users. This work reflects a broader commitment to equity in s*xual health care, recognizing that effective treatment must be responsive to different ways of processing, sensing, and engaging with the world.

We’re proud to end Sexual Health Week by highlighting research that centers inclusion, accessibility, and lived experience. Thank you for following along as we spotlighted the people and projects driving s*xual health research forward this week ✨

02/13/2026

💬 Sexual Health Week Research Spotlight

Feeling out of sync in your s*x life? Experiencing different levels of s*xual desire can be tough, and it’s something many couples navigate at some point. When desire differences create distress or tension, having the right support can make a real difference.

This study, led by Roberta Galizia, is a randomized trial evaluating an 8-week online s*x education and therapy program designed for couples experiencing distress related to s*xual desire discrepancy. The study compares the same evidence-based program delivered in two ways: one with professional guidance and one in a self-guided format, helping us better understand what types of support are most effective and accessible for couples.

📩 We’re recruiting!

If you’re interested in learning more or participating, please email roberta.galizia@ubc.ca

Stay tuned as we continue spotlighting the important research happening in our lab throughout Sexual Health Week ✨

Address

6236 - 2775 Laurel Street
Vancouver, BC
V5Z 1M9

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+16048754111

Website

http://brottolab.com/

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