Psychosexual Counselling
The Sexual Health Service provides psychosexual counselling by appointment only. This service includes support and talking therapy for sexual difficulties. These could be problems with arousal, desire or orgasm; for example, erectile difficulties in men and painful sex in women. If you are in a relationship, and depending on the issue, your partner may also be asked to attend therapy with you however you can attend therapy alone.
In most cases you would need to be referred to the service by a health professional such as your GP. This is because you may need to have some tests completed first to exclude any medical problems which could be causing or contributing to your difficulties. The service is happy to be contacted for further information.
What to expect from therapy
Psychosexual counselling, also known as psychosexual therapy or sex therapy, is a talking therapy that is based on Cognitive Behavioural, Systemic and Psychodynamic approaches. When the service receives a referral you will be offered an initial assessment with the psychosexual counsellor. This initial assessment could be over the telephone or face to face. The purpose of this assessment is to gather some information about you and the difficulties you have been experiencing and to work with you to find the best way forward. The counsellor may also want to take a history to understand how the problem developed and its impact on your life.
If ongoing therapy is appropriate you will meet with the counsellor for regular appointments to discuss your concerns and explore ways forward.
Further information
For further information on sexual difficulties or psychosexual counselling the following websites may be useful;
The College of Sex and Relationship Therapists (COSRT) is a professional body for psychosexual therapists and also provides information and advice to members of the public.
The Sexual Advice Association aims to provide information and advice to help individuals and couples their sexual health and wellbeing.
NHS Choices information on Sex Therapy and what to expect.
Relate provides help for individuals and couples with relationship difficulties.