Menu
Sex Therapy
Whether addressing relationship challenges or individual concerns, our starting point varies. Factors such as mental and physical health, addictions, conflicts, shifts in family dynamics, breakups, blended families, stress, financial and work-related issues, age, cultural influences, religious and spiritual beliefs, technology, social media, and timing can all play a role.
Diverse Situations
These diverse dynamics, experienced at any age or stage of life, can significantly impact our approach to sex, whether on an individual level or within a relationship. The enjoyment, pleasure, or lack thereof, influenced by these factors, may sometimes disrupt the balance, leading to contrasting and unfamiliar territory in the realms of sex and relationships. This shift can result in temporary or lasting challenges, creating mismatches and disconnections that demand attention and resolution to restore comfort and harmony.
Personalised Approach
As a trained sex therapist, I embrace a personalized approach in sex therapy, recognizing that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Your individuality takes center stage, as we navigate through any concerns you may be facing. While symptoms and similarities might seem alike, the crucial element lies in acknowledging your unique circumstances. Together, we collaborate to optimize your sexual well-being, emphasizing the key role of effective management.
Learning is the key to understanding how sex and relationships work. It’s important to know yourself and your relationships better. I’m here at Sex Therapy Maitland and Cessnock Australia to help you with figuring out your sexual wants, needs, desires, and how different relationships can affect you. Let’s explore and understand these aspects together.
- Female Lack of Intimacy
- Male Sexual Desire
- Other: Asexuality
- LGBTIQ
- Sexual Abuse
- Dating Apps
How I prepare for our session?
I consistently stay informed by keeping up with the latest evidence-based research, technology, and trends in the field of Sex and Relationships, covering all ages, genders, and sexual orientations. If you’re facing challenges in any aspect of sexuality, relationship dynamics, or sexual health, whether mentioned below or not, or if you simply want to have a chat, feel free to reach out to me.
Self-esteem, Body image and Sex
Body image is both the mental picture you have of your own body and how you see yourself when you look in the mirror. Body dissatisfaction occurs when you have persistent negative thoughts and feelings about your body. It is an internal emotional and cognitive process and is influenced by external factors such as pressures to meet a certain appearance ideal. Body dissatisfaction can drive people to engage in unhealthy weight-control behaviours, particularly disordered eating, and sex dissatisfaction. This places them at heightened risk for developing a sex disorder.
Self-esteem dictates how you value and respect yourself as a person which can impact every aspect of life and contribute to happiness and wellbeing.
How you feel about yourself and your body can impact how satisfied you are with your sex life. If you have good self-esteem and feel positive about your body, it’s likely to contribute to a more satisfying and enjoyable sexual experience. On the other hand, if you struggle with self-esteem or body image issues, it might affect how comfortable and satisfied you feel in intimate situations. Building positive feelings about yourself and your body can enhance your overall sex satisfaction.
In the therapy setting we discuss:
- Eating disorders
- Body image and appearance-related concerns
- Weight loss goals
- Sex dissatisfaction
Life Stressors and Sex
When one evaluates environmental demand as beyond his/her ability to cope successfully, he may feel stressed. This may include elements of unpredictability, uncontrollability, and feeling overloaded. Life stressors will diminish when people learn how to manage adjustments to changes in life, both good and bad.
Life stressors, like problems at work, family issues, or health concerns, can affect how satisfied you feel with your sex life. When you’re dealing with a lot of stress, it might be harder to enjoy and feel content in your intimate moments. Stress can create challenges in feeling connected and satisfied in your sexual experiences. Taking steps to manage stress can positively impact your overall sex satisfaction.
Grief and Loss and Sex
When we experience sadness or loss, it can affect how satisfied we feel with our sex life. Grief might make it challenging to engage in intimate moments or find pleasure in them. Emotions from loss can create a barrier, making it harder to connect with our partner or enjoy sexual experiences. Taking time to grieve and communicate with your partner about your feelings can help navigate these challenges and eventually contribute to improving your sex satisfaction.
Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. The more major the loss the more intense the grief seems to be.
Grief can be expressed in many ways and it can affect every part of your life such your emotions, thoughts and behaviours, beliefs, physical health, your sense of self and identity and your relationship with others. Grief can leave you feeling sad, angry, anxious, shocked, regretful, relieved, overwhelmed, isolated, irritable or numb.
Trauma and Sex
Trauma could be defined as a physical injury, a wound, a hurt, a defeat, or/and an unpleasant experience that causes abnormal stress.
Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. defines trauma as “not the story of something that happened back then, but the current imprint of that pain, horror, and fear living inside.” Such events may leave us stuck in a state of helplessness and terror, and it results in a change in how we see danger.
If something really bad or upsetting has happened to you, it can affect how happy you feel about your sex life. Trauma might make it difficult to enjoy intimate moments or feel comfortable with your partner.
On the positive side, having a satisfying and good relationship with yourself or your partner can help heal the hurt from trauma. When you feel safe, loved, and connected, it can gradually make the bad feelings from the past start to fade away. Building a positive and supportive connection with yourself or your partner can be a way to heal and improve how you feel about sex.
Concerns we address:
- Lack of Intimacy
- Low Sexual Desire
- Changes in Libido
- Female Sexual Aversion
- Asexuality
- Cultural Diversity
- Dating
- Relationship difficulties
- Compulsive behaviours: masturbation, pornography, internet sexual behaviours
- Erectile Dysfunction - inability to achieve & maintain an erection
- Social Media
- Performance Anxiety
- Female Sexual Arousal
- Parenting
- Infidelity
- Ageing
- Menopause
- Sexual Phobias
- Premature Ejaculation
- Retrograde Ejaculation
- Painful Ejaculation
- Anejaculation
- Sex during and after childbirth
- Sex Therapy with Ageing Adults
- Sexual Health STI’s, HIV, Aids
- Alternative Sexual and Relationship Lifestyles - Polyamory, Swinging, Swapping, Fetishes, Kink, BDSM
- Religious and cultural background Diversity and Inclusivity
Contact
Email us to book 20 minutes free chat or fill the form below
"*" indicates required fields
