Sexual Problems
Premature Ejaculation
Many men will have the experience of from time to time ejaculating sooner than they would wish at times in life-this can be related to not having had sex in a while or becoming sexually aroused too quickly. When it’s an ongoing problem it’s often an issue that has been present since teenage years. If you only experience premature ejaculation during sex with a partner but it works fine on your own, it may be that the issue is related to anxiety. Sex therapy aims to help you understand the issues related to how this problem has developed for you and will involve home practise to help you or you and your partner gain and manage ejaculatory control for pleasurable sex.
Intimacy Difficulties
Experiencing problems within your sexual relationship with your partner is not at all unusual.
Because sex is the most intimate part of a relationship, any disruption can be distressing and upsetting and lead to further difficulties within the framework of the relationship. Loss of sexual desire can be common for both men and women and can be connected to stress, tiredness, the arrival of a new baby, fertility concerns, communication problems or indeed a specific sexual dysfunction. We are living in a time of economic crisis which for many people is causing worries about finances, employment and living arrangements- all of this can put pressure on a relationship and of course the sexual relationship. Sex is very personal and individual for every couple-what seems right for another couple may not be for you. As a sex therapist, Teresa will help you identify the blocks to intimacy within your relationship and work with you to openly discuss and explore them in order to create a more fulfilling sexual experience.
Orgasm Problems
Research has shown that 1 in 4 women will have difficulty reaching orgasm at some point in their life.
Around 30% of women may never have experienced orgasm at all and an estimated 70% of women do not experience orgasm through penetrative sex. Like other sex problems, the reasons behind this will be individual and personal to each woman; they can include distraction, tiredness, loss of libido, boredom or relationship problems. This is an area of sexual life that many women just don’t talk about, even with their female friends but sex therapy offers a very safe forum in which to explore this problem and learn ways to either achieve or enhance orgasm- either on your own or with a partner.
Erectile Dysfunction
Most men experience erectile problems at some stage in life-in fact about 40% of men will have experienced erectile problems by the age of 40. It is a very common issue.
Sometimes this can be a one off experience related to stress, fatigue or alcohol and the problem generally resolves quickly. In some cases it can be related to diabetes, cardiovascular problems or kidney issues and should be investigated by your GP. Most commonly, erectile difficulties are caused by psychological issues including stress, problems in the relationship, performance anxiety or depression. Sex therapy helps by assisting you recognize and understand the issues behind erectile difficulty that pertain to you personally, helping you to feel less confused and distressed about it. It also involves learning skills and techniques aimed at gaining control and gaining confidence about erections.
Painful Sex
When penetrative sex proves painful or uncomfortable, it can be due to vaginismus or dyspareunia. Both are extremely common sexual problems which women find it difficult to talk about.
There can be several different causes to these issues- generally psychological in nature; anxiety about sex (particularly for the first time), negative messages about sex and sexuality from the past, inadequate sex education, and on occasions, sexual abuse or rape. This problem can cause particular worry for women who wish to conceive.
Sex therapy can be a very successful treatment for painful or impossible penetrative sex as a sex therapist will help you understand the specific reasons why it is happening for you and then will guide you through a program to gradually increase comfort around penetration so that it becomes pain free and pleasurable.
Gay Sexuality
Gay and lesbian people can experience sexual difficulties from time to time in the same way that heterosexual people do.
I work with gay and lesbian couples and individuals to help with any sexual issues that cause distress either personally or within the relationship.
In addition, I work with people who are questioning their sexuality or are in the process of coming out.