Who We Are

The Intimate Pause was built on a simple belief: that the most important work happens in the moments we allow ourselves to slow down. We specialize in relational, somatic, and sex therapy for individuals and couples who are ready to move toward deeper connection, with a partner, with their own body, or with the parts of themselves that have long gone unmet. Our approach is warm, rigorous, and held with deep respect for the courage it takes to show up honestly for yourself and for the people you love.

We believe that intimacy, in all its forms and not just the physical, is one of the most fundamental human needs and one of the most frequently sacrificed. This practice exists for those who are ready to stop moving through life on the surface and start living from the inside out. Whether you are navigating desire, disconnection, grief, or simply the quiet ache of wanting more for yourself or as a couple, our work meets you there. You are not a case to be solved here. You are a person to be met, exactly as you are, exactly where you are.

Meet Candace

Meet the Founder:

Candace Thompson Gaeta, LICSW

Hi, I’m Candace Thompson Gaeta and founder of The Intimate Pause. Thank you for being here!

I created this practice from a deep belief that intimacy is not just about physical connection. It is emotional safety, vulnerability, trust, self-awareness, and the experience of feeling fully seen without shame. For twenty years I have been sitting with people in some of their most tender and complex moments, and that work has never felt ordinary to me. It still doesn’t.

I specialize in working with individuals and couples navigating anxiety, emotional overwhelm, intimacy concerns, relationship challenges, attachment patterns, and the quiet but persistent feeling that something needs to change. I am especially passionate about helping people move out of survival mode and into a life that feels more connected, more intentional, and more fully their own.

I built The Intimate Pause because I wanted something that did not exist yet. A practice that is clinically rigorous and visually intentional, where the experience of seeking help feels as considered and dignified as the work itself. The aesthetics, the language, the atmosphere, all of it was designed with purpose, because I believe the environment you heal in is not separate from the healing. It is part of it.

Therapy here is not about performing growth or arriving at some fixed idea of healed. It is about understanding yourself more honestly, connecting more meaningfully, and building a life that feels aligned with who you actually are.

Whether you are coming on your own or alongside a partner, my hope is simple: that you feel safe enough to slow down, and supported enough to begin.

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The Practice

You have been moving without stopping for a long time. The thoughts, the roles, the weight of being who everyone needs you to be, it accumulates. This is the pause inside all of that. A space where the noise quiets, the performance stops, and the real work of knowing yourself can finally begin
Sex therapy and intimacy coaching are not the same thing. Here, you may need one, the other, or both. Sex therapy is clinical, depth-oriented work for individuals and couples navigating desire discrepancy, sexual trauma, identity, and the complicated intersection of body and history. Intimacy coaching lives in the present - building capacity for presence, vulnerability, and genuine connection right now. Many people who come here have never said out loud what they are carrying, and this is the pause where that changes - a judgment-free, body-informed space where nothing you bring is too much and nothing is off limits.
This work is for couples - and for anyone who has ever loved someone and lost themselves in it. Whether you are navigating a partnership, processing the end of one, untangling a family dynamic, or simply trying to understand why connection keeps feeling just out of reach, you belong here. Relational therapy at The Intimate Pause creates a pause inside the pattern, so you can finally see it clearly.
The Pause Collective is an 8-week women’s group for those ready to stop moving long enough to hear what has been living beneath the surface. We gather in a small, intentional circle: pausing inside the noise of our lives to do the honest work of returning to ourselves. Each week creates space for identity, desire, embodiment, and the kind of emotional honesty that is rarely possible alone. This is not a support group, this is a reclamation.

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“Candace provides thoughtful guidance while also making you feel safe and completely comfortable opening up - zero judgement, ever! Her approach is both supportive and empowering, and I always leave feeling lighter and more grounded.”

— Current Client

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Client Reviews

“Candace has been a consistent source of support in my life for almost two years. She is an insightful, patient, and non-judgmental co-pilot helping me navigate relationship challenges and life stressors while instilling optimism for the path forward. Through our work together, I’ve developed a stronger sense of who I am and what matters most to me.”

“Candace saved our relationship at a time when things were really hard. Her gentle and empathetic approach made our sessions enjoyable despite working through some tumultuous issues. One of our favorite things about Candace is that she would give us tangible exercises to try each week to improve our communication. Those methods saved us. Her approach to helping me with my anxiety gave me the necessary tools to help combat it during times of panic. Simply put- she is the best therapist either of us have ever had. She is a very special person who we will continue to always be grateful for!”

— Current Client

— Former Client

“Candace brings full accountability to every session - she is direct, calls out unhealthy patterns in real time, and never lets you off the hook in the ways that keep you stuck. She has a rare ability to use humor to lower defenses and lighten the weight of hard conversations without losing the depth of the work. Rather than simply holding space for venting, she uses evidence-based tools like Emotionally Focused Therapy to give concrete strategies for rebuilding intimacy, trust, and connection in your relationships. Her approach is high-intensity and direct - which means you will be asked to face uncomfortable truths, and you will be better for it