Sexual Dysfunctions

Sexual dysfunction refers to persistent difficulties with any stage of the sexual response cycle—desire, arousal, orgasm, and resolution—that causes significant personal distress.

 

While there are often physical causes which require medical intervention, these issues are deeply intertwined with psychological factors like anxiety, stress, and past experiences. My psychosomatic approach to therapy, is designed to address this crucial mind-body connection to help you overcome these challenges.

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Psychosomatic therapy operates on the understanding that your thoughts and emotions can directly impact your body's physiological responses. In the context of sexual dysfunction, this means we address the psychological and emotional contributors to a physical problem. For example, stress and anxiety can tighten muscles, constrict blood flow, and distract the mind, all of which can interfere with sexual function. I use this therapeutic model to help you manage the emotional state that is preventing a healthy sexual response.

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Erectile dysfunction (ED) is often a perfect example of the psychosomatic loop in action. A man who experiences a single instance of erectile difficulty may develop a fear of it happening again. This fear, or performance anxiety, then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: the stress and anxiety of "needing" to perform cause physiological changes (like adrenaline release) that make it even harder to achieve an erection. My therapy helps break this cycle by shifting the focus away from performance and back to pleasure, sensation, and connection.

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A core technique I use to address performance anxiety and other dysfunctions is sensate focus. This is a series of "homework based" structured touch exercises designed to remove the pressure of sexual performance and re-establish a positive connection to touch and sensation. 

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Sexual dysfunction can be isolating and confusing for both individuals in a relationship. Partners often feel bewildered, rejected, or even responsible. I provide support for partners by giving them a safe space to express their feelings and helping them understand the dynamics of the dysfunction. I teach them how to be a supportive ally, not a source of pressure, and how to participate in therapeutic exercises like sensate focus. This ensures that the healing process is a shared journey, strengthening the relationship as a whole.​​

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