What is sex therapy and who needs it?

About 40% of women worldwide suffer from problems in the sexual sphere: inability get excited and have an orgasm, decreased libido and pain during intercourse. And in about 12% of cases this is due to personal stress or interpersonal difficulties.

Difficulties in the sexual sphere often arise in men. For example, an American survey of 1.4 thousand men showedthat 31% of participants suffer from sexual dysfunction, and in a German study 33% of respondents stated about the presence of at least one problem in the sexual sphere over the past 12 months.

Men most often collide with decreased libido, erection difficulties and premature ejaculation.

Of course, some of these problems arise due to the condition of the body, for example due to certain diseases or taking medications. But still, a considerable share of difficulties is associated with psychological reasons and interpersonal relationships.

What is sex therapy

Sex therapy is a psychotherapeutic method that is used to treat sexual disorders. The work is carried out in two directions. First, the client discusses his problems with a sex therapist in the office, and then independently follows the instructions received with his partner.

There is no specific strict method that would be used to treat, for example, erectile dysfunction in men or lack of orgasm in women. A therapist can take tools from any area of ​​psychotherapy to help a person cope with sexual problems.

Dmitry Orlov

Sexologistteacher of the “Consultant in the field of sexual relations” direction at the online school of psychological professions “Psychodemiya”.

Sex therapy is never carried out separately from other psychotherapeutic methods. Most often it is combined with cognitive-behavioral or family psychotherapy.

What problems does sex therapy help solve?

Sex therapy used under the following conditions:

• lack of sexual desire;
• difficulty achieving orgasm;
• pain during sex;
• erectile disfunction;
• premature ejaculation.

It should be noted that not all of the problems listed are purely psychological in nature. To rule out diseases that can affect libido and arousal or cause pain during sex, women should see a gynecologist, and men should see a urologist.

If your health is fine, you can look for a sex therapist. Moreover, you can make an appointment without any signs of sexual dysfunction.

Dmitry Orlov

Sex therapy can be useful not only for the presence of a disorder, but also for improving your sex life in general. For example, a specialist can help improve communication with a partner, learn to better understand your sexual desires and needs, and learn to get more pleasure from sex.

Does sex therapy have evidence of effectiveness?

There is some evidence that sex therapy Maybe lead to satisfactory results. But there is not enough research yet to call this or that technique truly effective.

There is evidence that CBT helps women cope with with fear of coitus, reduce anxiety, establish harmonious relationships with a partner and increase the frequency of sexual contacts.

CBT can also work for erectile dysfunction caused by psychological reasons. Psychotherapist teaching clients cope with anxiety, helps to change erroneous beliefs, stop avoiding sex and establish communication with your partner. Although the benefits of such interventions are based on empirical evidence and are not supported by qualitative research.

For erectile dysfunction, it is enough effective group approach. During the class, several men share their concerns. According to a Cochrane review, this therapy is even better than sildenafil, a drug used to treat erection problems.

Also in sex therapy, increasingly applies mindfulness-based approach. It lies in the fact that a person is taught to be present in the present moment and perceive it entirely, without evaluations and judgments.

There is some evidence that mindfulness therapy helps women to solve problems with libido and arousal, pain during penetration and inability to achieve orgasm. It can also improve sex life for those who suffers from illness or past traumatic experiences.

However, the quality of the evidence is still low. More research is needed to find mindfulness therapy effective.

How to find a good sex therapist

Dmitry Orlov listed several points that should be observed when choosing a sex therapist:

1. Search professional associations. There you will learn more information about the specialist’s experience and reputation.
2. Read customer reviews in different sources. This will help protect yourself from negative experiences.
3. Make sure your sex therapist is properly trained and licensed. Only a sexologist can work with this method. This is a separate medical specialty. If a person does not have supporting documents about his education, he is a dubious specialist.
4. Look for a specialist’s page on social networks. Here you can learn even more about the psychotherapist, watch videos and ask questions directly that interest you.

It is also important to pay attention to your condition at the first appointment. If the specialist’s words or actions cause discomfort and you do not feel safe, it is better to end the session. In this state, sex therapy procedures will not give a positive result and can be psychologically traumatic.

What will happen at an appointment with a sex therapist?

The specific content of the therapeutic session depends on the client’s requests and the therapist’s approach.

Dmitry Orlov

An appointment with a sexologist begins with a discussion of your sexual health and relationships in general. The specialist’s task is to create a comfortable environment so that you feel comfortable talking about your condition. Your doctor may also ask questions about your general health, family history, and religious and cultural beliefs, all of which can affect your sex life.

Depending on the results of the examination, the sexologist will give you recommendations and tasks that you will perform independently.

How long will sex therapy last?

Dmitry Orlov says that the duration of the course of treatment depends on several factors:

1. The essence of the problem is whether it is a disorder or a variant of the norm.
2. Duration of symptoms.
3. Features of sexual temperament.
4. Ability to follow specialist recommendations.

The average course duration takes from 4 to 10 sessions.