In your first session, your therapist will likely need to get a feeling of setting encompassing your interests. This can appear to be like customary traditional therapy intakes, with obviously the additional focal point of sexuality and the worries that carried you to treatment.

Your sexual history, both individuals and (if applicable) as partners. Your general mental health history. Your sexual orientation and gender identity. Your family and your relationship with them. Any traumatic experiences or history that the therapist should be aware of. Any physical or medical concerns that may be affecting the current issue. The course of the relationships and what it's like outside of sex (if the issue is related to a partnered relationship). Your typical sexual habits, including frequency and type of sexual contact and masturbation. How you show desire and affection, beyond sex.

NO, sex therapy does not involve sexual contact with or in front of a therapist. Sex therapy is still under the umbrella of psychotherapy, in which concerns are being treated from a psychological, mental health, and relational perspective.

Building skills for pleasure and arousal as an individual and/or couple. Learning ways to manage anxiety, including performance anxiety around sex. Education around anatomy, sexual functioning, and pleasure. Examining any dependencies n erotic sources for arousal, like pornography. Identifying masturbation habits that aren't conducive to functioning with a partner. Understanding the body-mind connection and what stimuli work for you. Shifting the focus of sex from a performance and orgasm-focused one to an embodied experience where arousal and erections are free to ebb and flow. Addressing any underlying mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression preventing you from feeling desirable.

Feeling stuck in something related to your sexuality? A sex therapist can serve as a professional guide. Curious to try a new kink or explore open relationships? A therapist can help you navigate the do's and don'ts. Looking to try something new in your relationship? A sex therapist may assign you homework, which can serve as a permission of sorts to add excitement to your relationship.

Healing from infidelity. Pornography addiction. Pain with sexual touch. Managing triggers. Discomfort with fantasies. Undesired or out-of-control sexual behavior with partners or alone. Felling disconnected when engaging sexually with a partner. Building trust and safety, Premature ejaculation. Frustration achieving orgasm - alone, and/or with others. A lack of sexual desire for one's partner, or low libido. Motivation to explore new ways of expressing desire. Reconnecting with sexuality after major life events. Exploration of lifestyle that feels authentic to sexual preference. Sexuality in context of infertility. Ways to foster intimacy in long term relationships.

Not necessarily. Many sex therapist will take a holistic approach to treatment, considering overall wellbeing and what is most important to each partner in the moment.

Any uncomfortable questions you should brace yourself for? Be prepares to answer questions raining from the type of sexual activities you've engaged in to any issues that may emerged from your sexual relationships. You may be asked to share about the pattern and frequency of masturbation or what your orgasms are like. You might also get questions about how you show desire and affection beyond sex. You'll likely talk about your body and how you feel about it. Regardless of the specific questions asked, your therapist is looking to understand what sex used to look like, how it's currently looking, and how you would like it to look. The therapeutic alliance, the relationship you build with your therapist, is of utmost importance. A good, compatible sex therapist will work at your pace and comfort level.

Great news! Sex therapy can involve both partners, or just one if the other is reluctant.

If there is no identifiable psychological or medical causes behind one's sexual dysfunction, your best bet is sex therapy, over pharmacological solutions.

Specialized training in sex therapy and sexual health: while therapist differ in their approaches to addressing sexual health related concerns, a therapist who has training and expertise specifically in sex therapy and sexual concerns will likely have the knowledge and skills to help you through your challenges. It may also be helpful to find a therapist who is AASECT certified. Trust, non-judgement, and feeling comfortable: As with all therapy types you should fell comfortable and confident with your therapist and express yourself openly and without fear of judgement. Your therapist should make you feel your concerns are heard and addressed, and a strong therapeutic alliance is being built. This is especially true of sex therapy, in which the topics can often fell uncomfortable and outside the realm of typical therapy topics. Assessment of progress throughout treatment: Sex therapy can be an effective treatment modality both psychologically: make sure you are seeing progress throughout your treatment, and raise any concerns with your therapist as they arise.