The naked truth about when to see a sex therapist
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The naked truth about when to see a sex therapist
One of the essential parts of your emotional and physical well-being is sexual health. How does yours stack up? Is everything in the bedroom humming along nicely or could it use a “pep talk?”
If there are problems brewing in the bedroom, have you considered seeking professional advice from a sex therapist? Just like you would search out help for other emotional or mental issues, sex therapists are specially trained in getting to the bottom of sexual issues and providing their expertise in resolving them.
Most likely few (if any) couples announce they have been to or are going to see a sex therapist. Aspects of sexuality are for the most part, still taboo to talk about and most couples are generally unwilling to discuss candidly problems in sexual functioning, satisfaction, or knowledge with their family or friends.
Another aspect of sexuality couples may find difficult to come to terms with is admitting they need help with their sexual relationship. Sexuality is a vital part of our lives and overall well-being. It affects our mood, physical health and sense of self-esteem. Yet, when it comes to what happens in the privacy of our bedrooms, one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences for many couples is to seek help and advice from a sex therapist.
What to expect from sex therapy
Let’s start with what won’t happen during sex therapy – no undressing or anything kinky or deviant behavior behind closed doors. Sex therapy is no different from any other type of psychotherapy designed to help figure out the behaviors and issues of a couple’s sex life, to interpret those behaviors and then to come up with solutions.
Very likely you can expect to work through and discuss emotional and/or physical issues adversely affecting your sex life. This could include learning better communication skills on expressing sexual wants and needs to exploring issues contributing to stress in the relationship.
Sex therapy simply involves helping couples talk about sex with one another. Nothing is off-limits or taboo to talk about. A trained sex therapist is well aware of how anxious you both may be about talking on this intimate subject but they will set you at ease guiding you into talking about sex and the issues you are concerned about.
Who should see a sex therapist?
Truth be known, almost all couples could benefit from seeing a professional trained in counseling individuals or couples in psychological or physical sexual problems. Everyone has sexual problems at some point in their relationship. It can begin early in a couple’s married life of making adjustments to sexual issues to couples with young children who are exhausted with little desire for sex, to older couples struggling with bodily changes such as menopause, erectile dysfunction or medical conditions affecting their sex life.
Hesitation of seeing a sex therapist is not unusual. Again, very few if any couple openly admits if they have been to one. Setting up an appointment with a sex therapist can feel rather new-age or exotic but it very well could be the answer to getting your sex lives back on track.
What are common reasons to see a sex therapist?
Many sex therapists will say the top two problems couples need help fixing are one, low sexual desire and two, disagreements on the frequency of sex.
Depending on the problems or issues needing work will determine how many visits a couple will need to make with a sex therapist. Sexually-oriented problems such as a young woman experiencing difficulty in reaching orgasm, could only take a couple of sessions. Sexual problems entangled in the relationship between couples involving a power struggle with each other may take longer of up to 6 months to resolve. If a couple is seeking help for past sexual trauma, or childhood incidents of neglect or sexual abuse, this could possibly take years to treat effectively.
Here are other signs or issues couples may have that would benefit by seeing a sex therapist:
· Women who want to have their first orgasm or want to orgasm with their partner
· Men with premature ejaculation
· Breast cancer and prostate cancer survivors
· Technique problems
· Learning to enjoy oral sex
· Getting over the “ick” factor feelings about different sex positions or acts
· Porn addiction or sex addiction
· Boring sex lives
· Not attracted to their partner
· Trouble becoming aroused
· Inhibitions toward sex
· Fetishes
Where to find sex therapists
Anyone or any couple who is having challenges in their sex lives should consider seeing a sex therapist. To find someone who is qualified for counseling regarding issues of human sexuality, visit the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists website.
Dr. David Samadi is the Director of Men’s Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He’s a renowned and highly successful board certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with a vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. Visit Dr. Samadi’s websites at robotic oncology and prostate cancer 911.