How does sex therapy work?
First, as the training supervisor of a hospital-based Sexuality Center I may have seen more individuals and couples with sexual issues in a single year (I was at the hospital for over 20 years) than most psychologists see in a lifetime. I’m suspicious of clinicians who have had minimal exposure and consider themselves sex therapists.
Sex therapy requires a solid understanding of couple dynamics and a solution focus. Initially there is a formulation of the issues, then a clarification of the obstacles to resolution—sometimes that involves ruling out an underlying medical issue and it often involves addressing issues in the relationship—and finally a step-by-step plan is implemented toward a fix.
