Sexual problems are particularly difficult because of the embarrassing and taboo nature of sexuality.  Commonly, they exist within the context of a relationship, so that a person's partner too, is involved.  It is said that sex is roughly ten percent of a relationship, but when sex is a problem, it inflates to negatively consume ninety percent of the relationship. When one or both partners in a relationship are sexually troubled, the impact of the problem snow-balls with the passage of time.

Beyond a purely biological need for reproduction, healthy and satisfying sexual play includes a merging of partners, which reduces tension, increases emotional intimacy, contributes to the feelings of connectedness and of being loved; the qualities that people most highly value in a love relationship.  Without that, the cohesion between partners is reduced and sometimes lost.

When faced with a sexual problem, a person must first admit to the problem.  In seeking help to correct it through sex therapy or through a doctor, a person must acknowledge their own value.  The by learning about their sexuality, about their emotions which effect their sexuality, a person must learn and grow.  Overcoming a sexual problem is an opportunity to grow.  Sex therapy is about helping people to grow by becoming stronger and more self -aware.

TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING SEXUAL PROBLEMS:

• Lack of  Sexual Desire
• A Sexless Marriage, Relationship
  
• Lack of Orgasm
• Discomfort with Sexuality
• Ejaculatory Problems such as: 
  • Lack of Ejaculatory Control
  • Inability or Slow to Reach Ejaculation

• Erection Difficulties
• Arousal Difficulties
• Painful Intercourse
• Vaginismus (Impossibility of Penetration)
  
• Lack of Sexual Pleasure
• Sexual Avoidance
• Poor Sexual Skills
• Lack of Playfulness

Sexual problems are particularly difficult because of the embarrassing and taboo nature of sexuality. Commonly, sexual problems exist within the context of a relationship, so that a person's partner too, is involved. It is said that sex is roughly five percent of a relationship, but when sex is a problem, it inflates to consume ninety percent of the relationship. When one or both partners in a relationship are sexually troubled, the impact of the problem snow-balls with the passage of time.

Beyond a purely biological need for reproduction, healthy and satisfying sexual play includes a merging of partners, which reduces tension, increases emotional intimacy, contributes to the feeling of connection and of being loved; the qualities that people most highly value in a love relationship. Without that, the cohesion between partners is reduced and sometimes lost.

When faced with a sexual problem, a person must first admit to the problem. In seeking help to correct it through sex therapy or through a doctor a person must acknowledge their own value. The by learning about their sexuality, about their emotions which effect their sexuality, a person must learn and grow. Having a sexual problem is an opportunity to grow. Sex therapy is about helping people to grow to become more self aware and stronger.

After all, shouldn't good sex just come naturally?  Should we really have to work at it?

These are valid, commonly asked questions.  In a perfect world our sex lives would be simple, naturally obtained and deeply satisfying.  But in this less than perfect world, sexuality is a very complex aspect of being human, which is easily disrupted by a multiplicity of factors, such as physical, emotional, relational, developmental,
educational, societal, religious, economic...and the list goes on.  The pitfalls to healthy sexual functioning are many.

Sex is supposed to be highly pleasurable; an experience that helps to meaning and purpose.  Sharing the pleasure of sex strengthens the bond between romantic partners.  So when it is not pleasurable, sex therapy can be an effective way to address the obstacles to sexual and relational pleasure.

Sexual problems are unfortunately common.  They interfere with sexual pleasure. People who have experienced them (several studies estimate that figure at 40% of adults) know only all too well how painful and difficult a sexual problem can be (see article entitled List of Common Sexual Problems). When sex is a problem, its impact is not limited to the individual, but frustrated partners, too, are at risk also for developing sexually-related problems.  Unresolved, these difficulties imperil relationships by increasing the likelihood of increased conflicts, affairs, breakups and divorces.

Many sexual problems arise out of a simple lack of information.  Despite the abundance of information in this day and age, many people still get little information or the wrong information about sex.  Sometimes just providing the right information about healthy sexual functioning can solve what has grown to be a difficult problem.

Unfortunately,  people suffer in silence because they are too embarrassed to get help. This reality increases the necessity for sex therapy.  Without the proper information, unrealistic expectations tend to develop regarding sex.  In certain social environments, where particular religious or moral constraints predominate, the availability sexual information is blocked by attitudes of shame.

It is not unusual for couples not to talk about sex. Yet partners, if they share pleasure, must act in cooperation.  There is the expectation that sex should happen without planning and all will go well.  Yet when partners work together on any household task, they have little problem recognizing the importance of communicating so as to coordinate their actions and successfully complete the task.  Sexual partners who do not talk about sex have a greater chance of developing a sexual dysfunction than parters who do.

Sex therapy differs little from traditional talk-based psychotherapy, except that the focus of the treatment is on solving sexual problems, and the sex therapist is a professional who is specially trained in the complex arena of human sexuality. And just like traditional psychotherapy, sex therapy involves no touching between patient and therapist and absolutely no sex between patient and therapist.

There is a significant distinction between a professional known as a sex surrogate, and a sex therapist. Unlike the sex therapist, the sex surrogate aids a patient in overcoming sexual challenges by actually engaging together with the patient in touching and sexual experiences.

How does sex therapy work? The traditional form of psychotherapy is effective in solving many sexual problems because emotions play a huge role in sexual functioning and experience, and by talking about the particular difficulties you have, your emotions are elicited, causing you to become more aware of how you function in different parts of your life, such as when you are being sexual with a loved one.