Besides physically caused erection difficulties, performance anxiety is a major source of erectile dysfunction. Therefore, most sex therapy concentrates on reducing or Sexual Difficulties and Solutions eliminating anxiety. Initially, a couple uses the sensate focus exercises, understanding that at this point the touching is intended not to result in erection, ejaculation, or intercourse, but to […]

In the following paragraphs, we outline methods for dealing with the common difficul­ties of premature ejaculation and erectile disorder. We also discuss a way to treat the less common condition of orgasmic disorder. Lasting Longer Some self-help and sex therapy approaches to learning ejaculatory control are easy to implement—in many cases, without professional guidance. Strategies […]

Treatment for vaginismus usually begins during a pelvic exam, in which the health-care practitioner demonstrates the vaginal spasm reaction to the woman or couple. Subsequent therapy starts with relaxation and self-awareness exercises, including a Sexual Difficulties and Solutions soothing bath, general body exploration, and manual external genital pleasuring. Next the woman learns to insert first […]

Once a woman has learned to experience orgasm through self­stimulation, sharing her discoveries with her partner can help her partner know what forms of stimulation are most pleasing to her. Each partner takes turns visually exploring the other’s genitals, locating all the parts discussed in Chapters 3 and 4. After looking thoroughly, they experiment with […]

In this section, we describe procedures that may help women learn to increase sexual arousal and reach orgasm by themselves or with a partner. We also include suggestions for dealing with vaginismus. Becoming Orgasmic Therapy programs for learning to experience orgasm are based on progressive self-awareness activities that a woman does at home between therapy […]

How Modern Sex Therapy Can Clash With Cultural Values Cultural beliefs influence sexual practices, the perception of sexual problems, and modes of treatment. For example, in much of the Middle East the marital sexual rela­tionship is based primarily on the two dimensions of male sexual potency and couple fertility. For both men and women, only […]

One of the most useful couple-oriented activities for enhancing mutual sexual enjoy­ment is a series of touching exercises called sensate focus (I Figure 14.3). Masters and Johnson developed the technique of sensate focus to use as a basic step in treating sexual problems. Sensate focus can help to reduce anxiety caused by goal orientation and […]

One of the primary benefits of sex therapy—whether the immediate goal is learning to have orgasms with partners, overcoming premature ejaculation, or solving almost any other problem—is that partners participating together in the treatment often develop more effective communication skills. This quotation from our files illustrates how important communication can be in solving sexual difficulties: […]

Physical and emotional self-awareness and self-expression are crucial elements in satisfy­ing sexual experiences (Morehouse, 2001; Schwartz, 2003). A good way to increase self­awareness and comfort with our sexuality is to become well acquainted with our sexual anatomy, as described in Chapters 3 and 4. Experimenting with masturbation is also an effective way for both men […]

The various self-help and sex therapy suggestions offered in the following sections have proved helpful to many people in enhancing sexual relationships or resolving sexual problems (Van Lankveld, 2009). However, the same techniques do not work for every­one, and exercises often need to be individually modified. Furthermore, professional help may be called for when individual […]