“Am I normal?”

As a therapist who specializes in sexuality, this is one of the most common questions I hear from my clients. What I tell them is that if you have experienced some form of sexual dysfunction, been divorced, had infidelity in your relationship, lacked intimacy with your partner, had little to no sex education, then congratulations, you are normal! In our society we grow up with a culture that is obsessed with sex yet is one of the most sex negative cultures on the planet. It is no wonder that most of us struggle with a part of our life that we are taught to believe “should” come naturally, yet without the proper tools is impossible.

Sex therapy is a form of talk therapy where we focus on the individual’s and/or couples issues with sex and sexuality. It can be based on functional issues such as erectile dysfunction, rapid ejaculation, inorgasmia, low desire, or more about a person’s sexuality or gender identity. With sex therapy we focus on and directly address the sexual issues rather than assuming they will improve if communication or other relationship issues improve. Some of the issues I work with in sex therapy are:

• ·         Erectile issues
• ·         Rapid ejaculation
• ·         Delayed ejaculation
• ·         Low sexual desire
• ·         Difficulty or inability to achieve orgasm
• ·         Sexual inhibition
• ·         Sexual addiction or compulsive behaviors
• ·         Alternative sexual expression
• ·         Gender identity
• ·         Gay, lesbian, and bisexual issues
• ·         Fetishes
• ·         Healing from sexual abuse