Sex Therapy: What is it and How Can it Help You Improve Your Relationships?

Did you know that 30% of a person’s well-being and happiness depends on their sexual satisfaction? Sex therapy is a very effective psychological method to improve your sexuality.

Currently, 95% of sexual dysfunctions They are of psychological origin, due to anxiety, depression and self-esteem problems. Drugs can help in certain cases, but for the vast majority, it is a superficial remedy that will not solve the origin of the problem. Worry about performance, bad experiences or poor learning cannot be overcome with medication.

What is sex therapy?

The sex therapy It is one in which the focus of attention is directed to improving sexual functioning. It can be applied to patients who have or do not have a partner. In sexual therapy three fundamental aspects are worked on:

• The thoughts and ideas that contribute to a distorted view of sexual functioning.
• The emotions whose activation occurs around the sexual response and disturbs performance.
• The behaviors relearning sexuality in a progressive and more positive way.

Causes of the problems treated in sexual therapy

The sexuality Although initially a positive good, it involves habits, behaviors and attitudes acquired during the individual development of each person. It should be a source of pleasure but, when dysfunctions occur, it becomes the source of conflicts, an obstacle to communication and the cause of deep discomfort. In a session with a sex therapist, three fields of action are contemplated: research, education and clinical sexology, which is concerned with the treatment of sexual problems of both organic and psychological origin. In its medical area it diagnoses diseases and organic dysfunctions, while in the psychological area it treats problems from an emotional origin.

Actually, around half of the population suffers from some type of sexual disorder which, despite the suffering it causes, remains hidden for socio-cultural reasons. A large percentage of them are the result of psychological problems or factors associated with them.

Many of these problems are the result of the influence of both psychological and organic factors, so the sex therapist will face them in a multidisciplinary manner, including medical participation. Furthermore, as in a sex therapy Very limited objectives are set, conflicts are usually resolved in a short time. The sex therapist’s approach is varied, although in general four are distinguished: cognitive-behavioral, sex-analysis, humanistic-existentialist, sex-body and interactional (this is usually the most effective in relationship problems).

When is it advisable to go to sexual therapy?

There are many times when people do not realize that we are facing a problem. In many cases we could recommend going to a sex therapy when sexuality as a couple or with lovers ends up being a problem for the person.

In this way, when the quality of life of an individual is affected by sexual desire or by intimate problems that make these relationships impossible, we can affirm that it is a clear sign to go to a sex psychologist. Most problems can be classified into the following:

• mismatched libidos (one couple wants sex all the time the other wants it rarely)
• sexual boredom (one or both members of the couple are bored with their sexual relationship)
• a wish for change the paradigm (e.g. discussions about polyamory or opening the relationship to other partners)
• low libido (one or both partners are not interested in sexual activity)
• cope with the infidelity
• The impact of the compulsive sexual behaviors in the relationship and resulting in personal distress

Problems treated in sex therapy

A sexuality therapy It is recommended in a wide variety of scenarios. Even so, there are some very common occasions in which people go to sex therapists and they are very effective in treating these problems.

1. Sexual traumas

There are many causes in which certain sexual relations have caused trauma to the person. Among the best known, sexual assaults can be the main problem that represents trauma for the individual. Although it may seem at first that this situation has already been overcome, if deficiencies in sexuality are experienced, it may still be present.

2. Boredom

One of the most common problems in Couple relationships It’s boredom during sex. When sexuality with your lover becomes routine, most experience a lack of sexual desire. In these cases, it is essential to consult with a sex therapist to see how to improve our intimate life with our partner.

3. Compulsive sexual behavior

Some people experience anxiety and shame in their first relationships. Individuals with compulsive sexual behavior have a problem with the frequency and intensity with which they experience sex. For this reason, hypersexuality is a pathology that must be treated in a sexuality therapy

4. Problems in the couple

When there are certain problems in the couple such as having suffered infidelity or poor communication during sexual relations, a sex therapist can be the solution when it interferes with sex.

5. Personal difficulties

Many patients experience problems in sexuality due to their lack of self-esteem, low confidence, or due to a bad personal experience. In this way, the sex therapists They can improve sexuality by solving these small personal problems.

What happens in a sex therapy session?

Whether you do sexual therapy with a couples psychologist or individually, the sessions with these professionals usually have a similar methodology. In this way, during the couple or individual sexuality therapy The first step to be taken will be analyzing the origin of the problem and how it can be treated. Additionally, each of the sessions will have work that the person must do on their own during the progress of the therapy. By analyzing the symptoms, the causes and the different techniques to be able to face sexuality, you will be able to see great progress.

How can sex therapy help my relationship?

The psychology of sexuality It is much more complex than it seems at first glance. That is why undergoing sexual therapy can reconvert your relationships and even your personal life. So much so that sexuality therapy can help you in different aspects.

• Improved communication emotional and sexual
• Improve the sensuality and sexuality through sexual exercises that can help eliminate sexual boredom.
• Improve the understanding of needs desires and sexual desires of each one
• Improve the fantasy exploration (a neutral third party could make it easier for a person to reveal their sexual fantasies)

In addition, there are other aspects that can help your relationship that are extracted based on the problems prescribed during the session with the sex therapists

The sexuality It is very important not only for the proper functioning of relationships with both partners and lovers, but it also plays a vital role for your self-esteem and self-perception. For all this, taking care of yourself also includes keeping in mind enjoying your sexual side.