"Sexuality is a part of many people’s lives ... and access to greater quality of sexual health is a human right."
Celebrating Tess Devèze from ConnectAble Therapies, Australian of the year nominee for 2023!
Hello there, I'm Tess Devèze (pronouns they/them)
I am the founder of 'ConnectAble Therapies,' a Melbourne-based occupational therapy consulting service focusing on sexuality, intimacy, arousal, communication and partner dynamics.
What is an occupational therapist (OT)? OT's assess and use interventions to enable increased independence and participation in meaningful activities (we call them occupations). This may include self-care tasks, work related (vocational) tasks and also may include…….sexuality, relationships, intimacy and sex! My clinical experience is primarily in sexuality for neurological conditions, acquired brain injury (ABI), during and after cancer treatments, chronic illness and disability. I feel sexuality is becoming more recognised as a part of our lives, however still remains under-addressed in clinical and community settings, something I aim to change!
Not only am I a qualified OT, I have also received certification and have trained through the Institute of Somatic Sexology. In addition to my clinical expertise, I am a sexuality, communication, consent and sexual exploration educator in the community and facilitate workshops on these topics. I have facilitated in the community in-person and online for nearing a decade, educating thousands of adults in the Melbourne and global community. I am a public speaker Australia wide and internationally, clinical educator in hospital settings and am the self-published author of Amazon best-seller 'A Better Normal; Your Guide To Rediscovering Intimacy After Cancer'. For more information on prior public speaking events and clinical presentations, click here.
I am a registered member & practitioner of, and adhere to the codes & ethics and practices of;
My roles and the experiences they bring, provide me with a very unique perspective and approach to sexual and intimacy therapy. With my positive, respectful and functional perspective, I provide consultations for people who wish to explore, understand and increase their sexual satisfaction and participation towards greater quality of life. I believe sexuality is a part of many people’s lives and access to greater quality of sexual health, is a human right.
Who is this for? Partners of and persons with a cancer diagnosis and persons living with chronic illness and/or disability. My consultations are inclusive to persons recovering from surgery or injury, with differently-abled bodies, oncology clients, chronic illness, neurological and musculoskeletal conditions.
I am inclusive to, and proudly a member of, LGBTQIA+ communities. My clinical approaches are sex positive, body positive, welcome to all gender identities and inclusive to members of kink and ethically/consensually non-monogamous communities.
What does it look like? Consultations include information gathering, assessments, goal setting, communication tools, suggested interventions, equipment discussions, no nudity or sexual touch, but does involve a lot of homework!
I see each person as being entirely individual from the next, with individual physiology, physicality, neurology and sexuality. My professional and calm approach to consultation is to gain an understanding of you, which includes your living environments, psychosocial aspects and your values. This gathered information is used as a guide to my individualistic and holistic approach to your sexuality and its transformation.
