COUPLES, RELATIONSHIP AND PSYCHOSEXUAL

Many couples face difficulties at some point in their relationship. Often these difficulties are the result of neglecting certain emotional issues, which tend to worsen as time goes on. Partners may begin to push one another away through withdrawal, infidelity, passive aggressive behaviour or anger. Sometimes, because of various work and family engagements, people begin to feel disconnected from one another.

As a result of these emotional problems, some couples begin to feel that there is no joy or love left in their relationship and struggle to see a future together. Usually the couple feel like they have made a commitment to each other and would like to honour this commitment, but each feels that the issues they are facing personally are unbearable and insurmountable.

Relationship & Marriage Counselling can help you and your partner access and express these personal thoughts and feelings, so that you can communicate your needs better with one another.

With the help of a professional therapist, you and your partner can start to explore the emotional core of your issues and aim to resolve them in a calm and supportive environment. These issues need not overtake what is truly important in your relationship, which is your love for and commitment to one another.

How Counselling can Help Your Relationship or Marriage

In a relationship or marriage counselling session, we will first discuss the reasons for seeking treatment, focusing primarily on the feelings of each individual, and move away from any blaming language. By providing a supportive and structured environment, the counsellor will encourage you and your partner to actively listen and openly discuss troubling thoughts and feelings. This will help you to reflect on and share your feelings with your partner. We will develop a plan to work together to improve communication between you both, in order for you to feel more ‘heard’ and understood.

Please contact The Counselling Practice on 07746 411222 for a free 20 minute introductory telephone consultation to discuss what counselling can do for your marriage or relationship.

Psychosexual Counselling

Psychosexual Therapy is a form of counselling which has been developed to specifically treat sexual dysfunctions. A Sexual Dysfunction or disorder is a problem that is sexual in nature or greatly affects an individual’s sexuality.

Psychosexual counselling can help with identifying both the physiological and psychological components of a sexual disorder. If necessary, the therapist will refer the client to a medical doctor or specialist, so that the physiological issue can be treated and the therapist will continue treating the emotional issues underlying the disorder.

Some Common Sexual Issues, that psychosexual counselling can help identify and treat, include:

• Erectile Dysfunction
• Painful Sex in Men and Women
• Low Libido or Disinterest in Sexual Activities
• Sexual Trauma
• Sex After Menopause
• Dissatisfaction with Body Image Resulting in Lack of Sexual Confidence
• Performance Anxiety
• Shameful Feelings about Sex and Sexuality
• Sex Addiction

If you are experiencing any of these problems, contact The Counselling Practice on 07746 411222 to receive a free introductory consultation.

Therapeutic Steps in Psychosexual Counselling

The therapist’s role is to create a supportive, non-judgemental environment in which you can feel safe. Anything you disclose to your therapist will be kept confidential to protect your privacy and help you to feel that you can express yourself freely and openly. It is the therapist’s role to be informed about sex and sexuality to the extent that you can have a constructive and supportive dialogue around these issues.

Psychosexual counselling can be undertaken either alone or with your partner present.

Once the main issues have been established, the therapist will provide you with some information about the disorder. This will include information about the possible physiological or psychological reasons for your problem.

The therapist will then provide you with some suggestions on how to proceed with the treatment of your sexual issue. Suggestions from the counsellor will vary depending on the disorder, but the focus will always be on understanding the issue in order to have a healthy and fulfilling sex life. The therapist might give you some intimacy exercises which are to be performed at home, either alone or with your partner, or you might be given some cognitive exercises which will help you deal with your fear or anxiety around the specific sexual issue.

After this point, if the counsellor believes that the disorder might have a physiological basis or feels that you might need the services of another specialist, they might refer you to a doctor or another specialist for further treatments.

Healthy Sexuality and Psychosexual Counselling

Sexual dysfunctions and issues are ubiquitous in modern society. Adolescents and adults alike experience dilemmas such as difficulties accepting and expressing their sexual desires, problems communicating with their partners about sex and sexuality and feeling ashamed of their bodies and sexual feelings. Older adults may experience problems such as decreased levels of libido, erectile dysfunction and pain during sex after the onset of menopause.
However, these issues are rarely discussed because of the perception that sexual issues may be seen as shameful. Psychosexual counselling can help individuals feel that being satisfied with their sexuality and engaging in fulfilling sexual activities are an essential part of normal adult life.

Psychosexual therapy aims to help the client achieve an active, healthy and personally satisfying sex life.

Many people choose not to speak about their sexual problems. In this way, the emotions around these issues never get resolved because the individual tries to cope with it on their own. Without the comfort of discussing their thoughts and feelings with a supportive person, the troubling emotions become even more painful to bear.

Although it might seem difficult, it is important to remember that issues around sex and intimacy can be overcome.

For some people, therapy might be first time they have ever admitted to or spoken about the sexual problems that they have been experiencing their whole lives. In talking about these issues, during a psychosexual counselling session, clients may begin to develop a sense of sexual and emotional freedom and discover that this helps them to feel more engaged and passionate in their everyday lives.