SEX THERAPY
Sex therapy or sex counseling is a specialized form of talk therapy that focuses on concerns of sexual functioning, expression, or communication about sex.
Most of us have had or will have sexual problems at some point in our lifespan. And, most problems, are quite fixable.
When issues and problems show up in our relationships and intimacy, they are an opportunity to heal, grow and re-discover our sexual selves.
Sex Therapy Los Angeles – San Fernando Valley
At CRIW, our commitment to you is to hold a warm, inviting and non-judgmental space in order to meet you wherever you are on your personal path to pleasure, vitality and sexual expression. Sex therapy at CRIW is a spiritual place for people of all cultures, religions, and lifestyles. Our multicultural clinicians are specially trained in sex therapy and always inclusive, culturally sensitive, and understanding.
Sex is not just a physical act.
Sex embodies and integrates the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of all partners.
Sex therapy is an opportunity to voice needs and wants in a safe, contained environment.
Feelings of hurt, anger, resentment, disappointment, and inhibition, along with misinformation (including too much information), contribute to and add difficulty to solving intimate issues on your own. The truth is that most of us have not received good role modeling on how to have intimate and sexually enlivening relationships.
Many individuals— both partnered and not— desire to genuinely expand, deepen awareness of self and connection with another. Often, they cannot find the right words, the right time or the right help, so they keep quiet, squelch feelings and thoughts which only makes problems feel bigger and more hopeless.
Learning That We Cannot Hide from Our Partners
If we are not present or open to enjoying our intimate and sexual moments, everyone involved is aware of it. When we are avoidant or part of a sexless relationships, all partners are greatly impacted.
During sex therapy, talking through the various elements of sexual experience in a safe, non-judgmental therapeutic setting helps individuals and couples identify obstacles (that might exist beyond the realm of sexual performance) and find solutions to sexual and relationship issues.
A well-trained sex therapist is aware of how overwhelming it may feel to talk about these intimate subjects and has both the experience and the training to assist you in creating the love, intimacy and relationship you desire.
We don’t just have one sexuality
in our lifetime, we have many.
Throughout the lifespan, body, heart, mind, intimate needs and sexual desires change. So, it makes sense that our sexual self and our sexuality also changes as we go through the different seasons of life.
What may have turned us on at one time, may not turn is on after big or even simple life events—moving in together, marriage, childbirth, career changes, grief, parenting, health issues, physical injury, daily life stressors and celebrations—impact who we are in our relationships and our intimacy.
Rather than think that there is something wrong, which only causes more shutting down and withdrawing, sex therapy or sex counseling creates a space to explore what each individual or partner can do to heal and nurture intimacy and connection.
Sex therapy becomes an opportunity to explore the stories and beliefs we hold about desires, turn-on’s, turn-off’s and should’s about sex.
Most of us hold misinformation, beliefs, or misunderstandings about sex learned from well-intended parents, cultural or religious traditions and from Google searches.
Individual and couples sex therapy becomes an opportunity to talk about these misunderstandings as well as vulnerability issues that occur in long-term relationships. It helps individuals and couples explore different facets of sexuality and themselves.
As sexuality changes throughout the lifespan, and so does the sexuality of a relationship.
Sexuality is not only about functioning but creating more intimacy and pleasure.
Sex therapy becomes the place where you expand what sex and sexuality means for you while defining and integrating the sexuality of the relationship and your partner. Vulnerability becomes the essential ingredient that allows for a deeper connection, sharing and pleasure. Ultimately helping you experience amazing sex and pleasure as your birthright.
What Makes Sex Counseling at CRIW Different?
At CRIW, we are specialized to treat specific sexual problems, situations and issues in an integrated, holistic manner with other therapeutic techniques such as sensate focus, body-focused, movement, cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, mindfulness, trauma-informed, spiritual psychology, and systems therapy. We see both individuals, with their partners if need be, couples and partnerships of all kinds and at different lifespan stages.
We are equally sensitive to the pressures and anxiety of erectile functioning and performance anxiety as we are to struggles of low desire and pelvic pain. We are also sensitive and have experience working with varying religious and cultural traditions and rituals. We are a multilingual, multicultural and spiritually based practice.
No matter the sexual issue or concern, we see it as an opportunity to heal, grow and expand into greater life vitality, deepening the awareness of true your erotic self and freedom of sexual expression.
What are reasons people seek sex therapy?
Because we serve our clients from a holistic, integrated space, we view sex therapy as a space to heal various facets of life. After all, how we do one thing, we do everything.
Sex is not only about functioning and frequency. It is about learning about your sexual self—your unique erotic flavor, textures, needs, desires—how you want to share and connect with another and who you are in relationship with another.
Common reasons people seek sex counseling:
- You want to recapture the magic of the early stages of your relationship.
- You and your partner have mismatched sex drives, and have a hard time understanding each other’s needs.
- You are ready to let go of sexual shame.
- You want to learn how to experience an orgasm.
- You want to heal painful sex.
- You feel disconnected with your own sense of desire and what turns you on
- You are experiencing performance anxiety during sex and want to learn how to relax and be more present.
- You want to feel more comfortable in your own skin and enjoy sex
- .You want to feel more connected to yourself and your partner during sex.
- You want to learn about what you want and feel comfortable asking for it.
- You want to heal from sexual abuse or trauma.
- You want to help your partner heal from sexual abuse or trauma.
- You want support in exploring or coming to terms with your sexual identity and expression.
- You are seeking to learn techniques a lover—due to cultural, religious, or psychological reasons—you may not have had a lot experience.
- You are interested in an open relationship, polyamorous relationships and/or kink—in a relationship or not
- You are being challenged in an open relationship, polyamorous relationships and/or kink.
- You know that your sex life could be better, but you just don’t where to start.
- You are recovering from infidelity and want to learn to trust and be intimate again.
More reasons people seek sex counseling:
- Loss of desire, difficult arousal
- Issues with vulnerablity
- Healing sexual harassment
- Pain: dyspareunia, vulvodynia, vaginismus, pelvic pain
- Birthing trauma
- Aging and sexuality
- Spirituality and sexuality – Sacred Sex
Sex therapy is not
- Sex therapy does not involve physical touch, nudity or sexual behavior between client(s) and therapist. You may have home assignments that involve touch or nudity, but never in session (or out of session) between clinician and client.
- Sex therapy does not involve shame or judgment.
- Sex therapy is based on consent: there is no pressure for you to do anything you are not comfortable with.
YOU WERE BORN TO FEEL PLEASURE
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