Are you facing obstacles in your intimate life? Have you encountered challenges in your sexual relationships or are you interested in exploring and enhancing your sexual well-being? Sex therapy, a form of talk therapy with a focus on sexual health, may be the answer for you. 

Despite the many misconceptions about what goes on during sex therapy, sex counseling can help you connect with yourself and your partner(s) on more authentic, curious, and fulfilling levels. You will foster self-awareness, challenge limiting beliefs and societal roles, discover your enjoyment of intimacy, and take steps towards a healthier and more fulfilling sexual life. 

At Handel Behavioral Health, our certified sex therapists in Massachusetts offer a supportive and nonjudgmental space for you to address a wide range of concerns related to your sexual life and sexual identity. You will receive personalized guidance, tailored to your specific needs and goals. 

Our certified sex therapists are ready to work with you online in Massachusetts or in-person from our offices in Natick, Franklin, Amherst, West Springfield, and Wilbraham Massachusetts. To start working with one of our certified sex therapists in Massachusetts, contact us today at 413) 343-4357 or request an appointment online.

To learn more about sex therapy and if it may be right for you, please read on.

What is sex therapy?

Sex therapy is a form of talk therapy or psychotherapy, with a focus on sexual health. It does not involve intimacy or physical contact in front of the therapist. Instead, the focus of sex therapy is to address sexual dysfunction and intimacy issues from a psychological perspective, including exploring mental health factors that may be connected to sexual challenges.

What are the common reasons to seek sex therapy?

You may seek counseling from one of our certified sex therapists if you’re experiencing the following changes and challenges in your sexual life:

• Low libido (desire to have sex) 
• Arousal difficulty
• Performance anxiety or erectile dysfunction 
• Orgasm dysfunction 
• Painful intercourse
• Difficulty being intimate with someone
• Infidelity
• Sexual trauma or past negative experiences

You may also consider sex therapy if you’re seeking to explore your sexuality identity, preferences, and cultivate a more authentic sexual expression. 

What does working with a sex therapist involve?

Our certified sex therapists believe that sexuality is a deeply personal and multidimensional aspect of a person’s experience, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to sex therapy. 

Depending on your needs for sex therapy, our therapists may help you build skills that improve your sexual and emotional communication; they may teach you techniques that improve your sexual satisfaction and arousal; they may treat underlying anxiety related to your sexual experiences, or they may help you address and heal from sexual abuse or sexual trauma. 

Common therapeutic modalities offered during sex therapy include:

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps individuals identify and challenge negative thoughts and behaviors that may contribute to sexual issues. 
• Senate Focus Therapy: Senate focus therapy is a mindfulness technique that focuses on enhancing intimacy and communication through non-sexual touching exercises. 
• Mindfulness Therapy: Mindfulness therapy can help individuals become more aware of their bodily sensations, reduce anxiety, and promote sexual satisfaction. 
• Psychoeducation: Psychoeducation provides individuals with information about sexual anatomy, psychology, and psychology to reduce anxiety around sexual concerns.

What can sex therapy help with?

Sex therapy can help you work through a variety of challenges and concerns related to your sexual life, including:

• Stress or anxiety around sex: working through any sexual concerns or anxieties that interfere with some aspect of sex. 
• Lack of desire or separate desires: you or your partner(s) might not feel as much sexual desire as you want to, or you may not experience the same frequency of desire. 
• Challenges with sexual arousal: if you find it difficult to feel sexually aroused, or you experience orgasm faster than you want to. 
• Challenges related to sexual orientation or gender identity: if you’re struggling with any part of your sexual orientation or gender identity, these aspects can affect your sexual life. 
• Painful intercourse: Painful intercourse can interfere with your sexual life. 
• Body image or self-esteem issues: Working through issues around physical appearance and sex appeal, which can challenge an individual’s sense of self-worth and sexual satisfaction. 
• Exploring new sexual activities: You and/or your partner might be curious to explore new sexual desires or non-monogamy. 
• Feeling stuck or unsatisfied sexually: You might find yourself stuck in a rut and not sure why, or you might be interested in exploring new sides of your sexuality and not sure where to begin.

What are the benefits of sex therapy?

Beyond providing a safe and supportive space for you to explore your sexual concerns, sex therapists can help you in the following ways:

1. Improve communication: Our therapists facilitate open, honest communication about your sexual needs, concerns, and goals, which can strengthen emotional and physical connection. 
2. Overcome sexual challenges: Our therapists will help you work through issues like low libido, performance anxiety, or difficulties with orgasm and arousal. 
3. Improve emotional intimacy: Sex therapy helps you build trust and emotional intimacy, often leading to more sexual satisfaction and stronger connections. 
4. Explore sexuality: Our therapists are here to help you explore your sexual identity and desires in a safe and confidential environment. 
5. Work through past negative experiences and trauma: Our therapists are trained to help you address past trauma and negative experiences which can facilitate healing and growth.

Schedule an appointment with a sex therapist in Massachusetts today:

If your sexual interactions leave you feeling uncertain, insecure, unfulfilled, anxious, or depressed, or if you’re looking to deepen your understanding of your sexual life, our sex therapists in Massachusetts are here for you. 

To start working with one of our certified sex therapists online in Massachusetts or in-person from our offices in Amherst, West Springfield, Wilbraham, Natick, or Franklin, contact us today at (413) 343-4357 or request an appointment online.

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