Psychosexual therapy also known as sex therapy is the use of targeted counselling, or longer-term psychotherapy to support sexual concerns. It’s a form of psychotherapy for individuals and couples to explore sex related concerns.
The aim of sex therapy within our clinic in Newcastle is to support your emotional concerns. Your first appointment explores your concerns, thoughts and feelings as well as taking background information. Within the detailed history we are trying to identify and start a working formulation of events and psychological factors which might be influencing the here and now experience. It is important within the assessment stage to rule any medical or physical causes so you might be advised to speak with your GP and we can support in this.
If you are attending as a couple we also explore the relationship. It is important for goals and communication to be happening outside of the sessions for psychosexual therapy. At times couple therapy is the main focus, this may look like a couple of sessions of working on communication prior to psychosexual programme being implemented. We want to provide the best basis for psychosexual therapy to be successful.
Most of the work within psychosexual therapy is based upon your foundations, this includes the past and looking forward to a new way to be to improve sexual well-being. We explore the meaning of sex and discuss how sex commences in the brain. Within clinic we take a holistic approach to all well-being and this may include diet and exercise to be included. We also cover subjects such as sensate focus, mindfulness during sex and much more.
For psychosexual therapy to be positive we recommend at times a relaxed view of sex e.g. not all sexual experiences will be like the movies, encourage to consider activities that is not all about sexual penetration e.g. sensate focus and to introduce sensuality. I can empathise that this can feel ‘daunting’ for many but I’ve supported many individuals and couples upon the journey and once many have started talking they report to feeling less anxious and worried.
Having sexual concerns can feel rather isolating and lead to feeling self conscious. Please be reassured you are not alone within your experience. The truth is, sexual concerns are rather common and the best way to resolve them is talking about it. At times when we are feeling isolated or ashamed we think we are the only ones to be experiencing the emotions. This can lead to more isolation. Taking a spiritual view, Buddhism always reminds us that when suffering to remind ourselves that someone else out there is experiencing the same.
There are many psychological theories in regards to sex. Sharing and normalising this within therapy can be of great benefit for many to normalise their experience. For some people sexual confidence is about ‘performance’ or ‘size’, others it is trust, safety and care. One theory suggests that if a couple reports the sex is ‘going well’ it represents 20% of that relationship. However if the sexual intimacy becomes problematic, it flips and becomes 80% of the relationship. The main thing to consider is how you and your partner find the sexual well-being of your relationship.
Goal: A confidential space for you to talk and that is safe to enable you to open up about your concerns. We plan things for outside of the session so psychosexual therapy is not only talking. People attend sex therapy for a variety of reasons. These may include loss of desire, sex and love compulsion, navigating intimacy postpartum / menopause, climax concerns.