What is Sex Therapy?

Sex therapy is a form of talk therapy that involves education and restructuring your attitudes and beliefs towards sex and sexuality. Most often, we come to terms with our sex lives in a way that comes from past experiences which are learned. Oftentimes these experiences lead us to feel shame and guilt about connecting with our erotic self. We carry this heaviness into our adulthood and it can affect our relationship with our bodies and our partner(s) more than we acknowledge. This can be due to our upbringing, past trauma, family, religion, lack of comprehensive sex education, to name a few. HOW DOES SEX THERAPY WORK? Let’s talk about when it comes to finally booking that first appointment. Some clients choose to attend sessions alone and others prefer to bring their partner(s) with them. When you choose to come with a partner(s), it is often recommended after the first or second session together, I meet with each partner separately. The frequency and length of the sessions usually depend on the client and the type of problem being addressed. Whether it is issues of premature ejaculation, lack of desire, low libido or mismatched libidos, menopause, performance anxiety, or erectile difficulties; each issue is handled with care and we work together towards reaching your sexual goals. Sex Therapy is a form of talk therapy where we will sit in a room and talk through the issues you and/or your partner(s) are experiencing. We always aim to create a sex-positive environment or what we refer to as my judgment-free zone. It’s completely normal for my clients to feel nervous when meeting with a sex therapist, especially for the first time! Many people have trouble talking about sex at all, so discussing it with a stranger may feel awkward at first. We totally understand, so we try to make you feel comfortable. We start with questions about your health and sexual background, sex education, beliefs about sex, and then we discuss the specific sexual concern that brought you to therapy. Before the close of each session, we usually assign “homework”. Homework consists of practical activities that my clients are expected to complete in the privacy of their own homes. We check back in the next session to see how this homework has worked for you and make any alterations needed to best benefit your progress.

It’s important to know that sex therapy sessions do not involve any physical contact or sexual activity among clients and the sex therapist.

WHEN SHOULD I SPEAK TO A SEX THERAPIST? A few reasons it might be time to reach out to a sex therapist:

When your relationship problems are beginning to affect your sex life
You are feeling a block that is not allowing you to reach an orgasm
Your body doesn’t seem to be cooperating with your sexual desire
When you are having trouble communicating with your partner(s) about your sex life
You begin to see your sex life as something that cannot be fixed
When you have lost touch with your desire to have sex
You feel that your relationship with your body and erotic self has worsened
You are thinking about your sexual identity

If you’d like to book a session with one of our collaborating sex therapists visit our contact page Read more about Sex Therapy at Therapy in Barcelona here

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ABOUT Leigh

Leigh Matthews is a Registered Australian Psychologist and founder of Therapy in Barcelona, a group therapy practice in Barcelona that has supported the English speaking international community for over 13 years. While Leigh’s earlier work focused on helping clients navigate the complexities of expatriate life, her current role is dedicated to leading a uniquely diverse team of highly skilled English speaking therapists from around the world in Barcelona. Committed to fostering professional growth and collaboration, Leigh ensures the practice provides compassionate, client-centred care while focusing on business development and mentorship. Through Therapist Launchpad Consultations, Leigh now shares her expertise, supporting therapists to build successful, ethical practices of their own. Visit Leigh’s LinkedIn Profile

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On July 17, 2020 / Clinical Sexology, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Couples counselling, Couples Counselling Online, English Speaking Therapists Barcelona, Sex Therapist Barcelona, Sexual Issues

What is Sex Therapy?