Counseling and treatment of sexual difficulties those are not due to medical or physical causes. Many people encounter sexual difficulties because of anxieties, and at the same time, their sexual difficulties are a cause of anxieties. Many are helped by a combination of sex therapy and marital counseling. The purpose of sex therapy is to reduce anxieties the couple has about sexual activity and increase their enjoyment of their relationship.
In sex therapy, couples learn about normal sexual behavior and learn to reduce their feelings of anxiety about sex by gradually engaging in increasingly intimate activities. Couples learn to communicate better with each other regarding sexual matters and preferences and to retrain their approaches and response patterns.
There are several techniques in sex therapy. One is sensate focus therapy, in which the couple explores pleasurable activities in a relaxed manner without sexual sensations. The couple might start with massage of non-erogenous areas of the body. Gradually as anxieties diminish, the couple progresses to stimulation of sexual areas, and finally to sexual intercourse.
Other techniques sex therapists use are directed toward reducing premature ejaculation, relieving muscle spasm of the vagina and helping both partners reach orgasm. For sexual problems related to physical causes or illness individuals should consult a physician, particularly specialists in gynecology or urology.
