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What is Sex Therapy?
Sex therapy is simply counseling that helps individuals and couples enhance sexual fulfillment and/or resolve sexual conflicts and problems. Sexuality is part of our everyday lives. So, talking about sexual concerns should not be foreign or shunned as our culture sometimes tends to do. Because sexuality is such a big part of our everyday lives, it is natural to have complications or concerns about sexuality. In sex therapy, a counselor can help you find answers to your concerns. Solutions can vary from simple education to more extensive counseling around complex issues. The therapist will make sure that ethical boundaries are maintained and the goals of the client are set as the most important priority. Techniques include relationship and intimacy enhancement, strategic reading, specific behavioral interventions as homework, therapy groups, and referral/consultation with other professionals.
Pornography Addiction
One of the toughest addictions both men and women can encounter is love addiction, pornography addiction, or sexual addiction. This is an addiction that has invaded the church on an equal basis with the secular world. It has invaded the lives of pastors, deacons, elders, musicians, and every other position within the church. The results can be devastating to the individual, their family, and when eventually it becomes exposed, to the church and the congregation as a whole. God intended sex and love to be a great gift and a way for man to know God more intimately. The distortion of His intention has produced devastating effects. Thankfully there are ways to treat this addiction, although they can only be successful if the person being treated is dedicated to becoming cured. The alternative to not seeking a cure can be not only devastating but deadly for some. The problem is progressive and often leads to other forms of sexual addiction. If you find that pornography has invaded your life and has a significant hold on you, is affecting your marital life or sexual life, and is costing you in time, money, or spiritual strength, YOU NEED TO SEEK HELP NOW. Even if it plays a minor role in your life now, it will continue to grow until it has a destructive hold on you. It is better to seek help now than to let it destroy your life. I am trained in dealing with all types of sexual addiction. Contact me today to get on the road to recovery.
Therapy Options for Sexual Concerns
Knowing what to do to treat sexual concerns depends on the type of problem an individual is having. Sex therapy covers a variety of concerns, such as sexual addiction, pornography addiction, erectile dysfunction, hypersexuality, low desire for sexual intimacy, communication revolving around sexual intimacy, pain during sexual activity, and premature ejaculation.
Addictions are usually treated with a variety of supportive resources, one of which would be weekly counseling or, if need be, an intensive inpatient program to help break the addictive cycle. Supportive resources for sexual addictions may include regular or daily involvement in a group such as Sex Addicts Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery, or some other form of an addiction support group as well as having a sponsor, increasing personal boundaries, possibly website monitoring software, and other important resources to help break the addictive cycle and increase openness. The importance is to increase support, education, and self-awareness to provide the best opportunity for behavior and heart change.
Sexual intimacy concerns that may include erectile dysfunction, hypersexuality, low desire, communication, pain, or premature ejaculation all may benefit from counseling with a trained sex therapist in conjunction with a trained medical doctor to make sure that medical concerns are not increasing the chance that these issues are present. Relationship counseling has proven to be highly successful in resolving some of these concerns due to the increase in communication skills and discussion about intimacy concerns.
If you or someone you know are experiencing any of the above issues or symptoms of these disorders, please do not hesitate to contact your doctor and a counselor to attempt to determine the best possible treatment. They are not life or death symptoms, but the sooner they are treated, the better the outcome. I believe that if treated properly prognosis is possibly higher than treating it on your own.
Helpful Books Related to Sexuality
52 Ways to have fun, fantastic sex. A guidebook for Married Couples (Joyce Penner)
A celebration of Sex (Douglas Rosenau)
A celebration of Sex after 50 (Douglas Rosenau)
A celebration of Sex for Newlyweds (Douglas Rosenau)
All night long. How to make love to a man over 50 (Barbara Keesling)
Getting your sex life off to a great start. A guide for Engaged and Newlywed Couples (Cliff and Joyce Penner)
Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction (Mark Laaser)
How and when to tell your kids about Sex. A Lifelong approach to Shaping your Child’s Sexual character (Stan Jones)
Intimate Issues. Conversations Woman to Woman (Linda Dillow & Lorraine Pintus)
Out of the Shadows: Understanding Sexual Addiction (Patrick Carnes)
Restoring the Pleasure (Cliff and Joyce Penner)
Secrets of Eve: Understanding the Mystery of Female Sexuality (Archibald Hart, Catherine Hart Weber, Debra L. Taylor) (buy)
Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage (Kevin Leman)
Soul Virgins: Redefining Single Sexuality (Douglas Rosenau, Michael Todd Wilson)
Talking to your Kids about sex (Mark Laaser)
The Fight of Your Life: Manning up to the challenge of sexual integrity (Tim Clinton and Mark Laaser)
The Gift of Sex: A guide to Sexual Fulfillment (Cliff and Joyce Penner)
The Sexual Man. Masculinity without guilt (Dr. Archibald Hart)
The Way to Love your Wife: Creating greater love and passion in the bedroom (Cliff and Joyce Penner)
When Two become One (Christopher and Rachel McCluskey)