Meet Our New Consultant: Shir-Anne Parker

If you had told 16-year-old me that I was talking to people about sex, she’d look at you like you were absolutely crazy. In reality, you wouldn’t be super far off, however.

From the ages of 13 to 16, I had my eyes set on being a wedding planner. I loved weddings, mostly because I was in several of them, as most of my family is at least 15 years older than me and were all getting married one right after another. My interest in being a wedding planner lasted until I took Law and Intro to Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology. It was then that I realized that I wanted to be able to advocate for those who may not be able to do so for themselves. I considered becoming a criminal lawyer, but ultimately chose to pursue a degree in forensic psychology. 

I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do with my degree until my third year of university, when I started to specialize in forensic psychology. I enjoyed taking sexuality studies and psychology classes that focused on sexual offences, because it combined my love for the forensics field and sexuality studies. I found that I could overlap many topics that would further conversations in class. Now I have realized what I want to do, which is to treat those who have sexually offended as a way of tertiary intervention, since the crime would have already been committed. 

That’s a long way to go, though, and I would have to get underway after I become a psychotherapist. However, there’s always a way to incorporate that work, and that’s through working with the Toronto Relationship Clinic as a psychosexual educator.

As a second-generation Afro-Guyanese Canadian, I hope to create a space for people who are underrepresented in the broader population. A space where we can openly and comfortably discuss sexuality and learn from each other during the process. 

This isn’t your high school sex-ed class; it’s better. We’ll be learning about ourselves deeply and thinking more independently about our sex lives, why we have sex, and how we can make it better.

I’m hoping to support your journey of sexual self-expression and discovery! Follow me on Instagram @parkerssexedcorner for content on all things human sexuality. 

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about sexuality, you can email me at shiranne@torontorelationshipclinic.com

Yours truly,
Shir-Anne Parker