Sex Therapy
Sexual issues can have a real impact on your relationship and your sense of wellbeing. Improving your sex life can lead to a stronger relationship and better intimacy for you and your partner. The good news is that sex therapy and couple therapy can help most people enjoy a far better sex life.
Sex Therapy is a form of counselling where you are invited to openly talk about any sexual problems you may be experiencing. A Sex Therapist is specifically trained to help you address these issues. Many generalist relationship counsellors are also highly experienced and trained to work with sexual issues.
The following sexual issues are the most common which we help with:
• low libido (for both women and men)
• erectile dysfunction (not being able to get or keep an erection during sex)
• difficulty initiating sex
• fear or dislike of sexual intimacy
• premature ejaculation (coming sooner than you would like to)
• anorgasmia (difficulty achieving orgasm)
• sexual difficulty caused by illness or disability
• dyspareunia (pain experienced during intercourse)
• sexual assault trauma
• choosing masturbation instead of making love to your partner
• compulsive sexual conduct or sex addiction
Couples also often complain of:
• incompatible libido, where one partner wants more sex than the other, and
• different expectations about the role of sex in the relationship.
A study conducted in 2003 found that approximately 55 – 61% of Australian adults will experience some kind of sexual difficulty in any given year1. So if you or your partner are experiencing a sexual issue then you are not alone.
But it is important to recognise the potential impact that an ongoing sexual concern can have on both your relationship, and on you own sense of identity and confidence. After all, sex is a pretty important part of adult life – and one that should be as robust, fulfilling and enjoyable as possible.
A qualified Sex Therapist will work with you, individually or together with your partner, to help you overcome your sexual issues. The idea of talking about your sex life will probably seem embarrassing at first, but you can feel assured that your Sex Therapist is a professional counsellor and will be highly skilled at calming your nerves, focusing your attention and assuring you of their confidence and respect.
Your counsellor will listen to your complaints, and assess their nature. She may direct you to a medical practitioner to determine whether any of your complaints are physical in nature. Some sexual issues have underlying emotional causes which need to be identified and addressed before the sexual issue can be resolved. For example, it is common that one or both of you may be anxious in some way about having sex or about your sexual performance.
Your Sex Therapist will help you:
• understand the underlying causes of your sexual issues,
• develop a clearer picture of your own sexual needs, and that of your partner
• create a plan to beat the problem and resume a healthy sex life
• deal with the emotional issues of your sexual difficulty.
If you or your partner are suffering from sexual issues that are affecting your relationship or your own life satisfaction, contact us today. We can put you in touch with a professional relationship counsellor or sex therapist.
References
1. Najman, Jackob M., Dunne, Michael P., Boyle, Frances M., Cook, Michelle D., & Purdie, David M. (2003) “Sexual dysfunction in the Australian population” Australian Family Physician, 32(11), pp. 951-954.
