In a nutshell, sex therapy is a form of psychiatric treatment geared towards resolving sexual issues. You can think of sexual therapists as medical professionals in psychotherapy in the same way that a paediatrician is considered a specialist in general medicine.
Like most other psychotherapy treatments, sex therapy can vary in their approach, although we can pick out a few similarities. For one thing, sex therapy is usually undertaken by couples over a short term (up to 15 weeks).
So what is like going to sex therapy?
The critical thing to note is that sex therapy is just like any form of psychotherapy. Couples talk to their therapist, and despite how it sounds, there is no sexual contact during the session. At most, the sex therapist can recommend tasks that the couple can do to alleviate their apprehensions and understand one another.
How are these “activities” relevant to sex, you ask? Well, it is well worth considering that a big part of improving one’s sex life almost always stems from experiences outside the bedroom. If sex therapy is to be successful, it must be done in the full context of the couple’s relationship. If one partner feels wrong or dejected, then sex alone isn’t going to fix that.
There’s a common saying in sex therapy — it doesn’t matter who is at fault in a marital relationship; the solution always lies with the couple. This means that both partners have the responsibility to work on their sexual relationships and tackle their problems. That’s not going to happen if couples refuse to keep mum about the matter or don’t admit that there’s even a problem in the first place.
Keep in mind that sex therapy for women doesn’t necessarily differ from that of men. Both parties must work together to accomplish specific objectives to which progress in their sexual relationship can be evaluated. It is well worth noting that relationship problems can be an underlying issue that perpetuates sexual issues among married couples. Hence much of a sex therapist’s work revolve around getting couples to work together and tackle issues outside of the bedroom.
Is sex therapy for you?
One of the most common misconceptions about sex is that intimacy should be a natural process or drive for couples. If there’s none of that drive in a relationship, then most people are quick to dismiss that the couple is just not meant to be meant together. In most cases, one or both partners have apprehensions keeping them from connecting with their partner on a sexual level. It is unlikely that switching to another partner is going to fix that.
Sex therapy ultimately comes down to helping couples identify problems that keep them from being happy with their sexual relationship. Such issues include (but are not limited to) low self-confidence, anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunction, and other problems that might hinder a person from becoming intimate with their significant other. If that sounds like the situation you’re in, then there’s no reason you can’t benefit from a sex therapist’s help.
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