Has your sex life with your partner become disappointing, difficult, conflicted or painful? Worse, has your sex life evaporated into thin air? Clinical studies have shown that when sex is happening in a long-term relationship – even plain vanilla, ordinary lovemaking – it accounts for a mere 15% of relationship happiness. But when sex is absent, conflicted or disappointing, it accounts for 75% of your relationship unhappiness. In other words, sex isn’t that big a deal when it’s happening, but becomes disproportionately important when it isn’t.

Most sexual dysfunctions are complex bio-psycho-social problems that need sophisticated psychotherapy in order to be treated successfully. Any single-pronged approach is likely to fizzle. So if you are experiencing sexual difficulties – whether with desire, arousal, pain or orgasm, please don’t suffer in silence any longer.

Ending your vicious cycle

If you and your partner have fallen into a vicious cycle of expecting a sexual encounter to end in disappointment while at the same time hoping that “this” time will be different, know that you are not alone. Expecting the worst while simultaneously hoping that this time will be better just increases your anxiety and exacerbates the problem. When you’re anxious about sex, you’re likely to become more of a spectator than a participant. The more closely you watch and worry, the less aware you’ll be of how your body is feeling.

Now the good news: You can regain a satisfactory sex life by working with a sex therapist. Sex therapy can help you learn how to break a negative cycle and cultivate positive experiences again. Sex therapy is psychotherapy – talk therapy – where the subject of conversation is about the challenges you might be experiencing in the area of sexual intimacy.

Why live with a problem that can be solved? Click here to Schedule an Appointment, or call (866) 337-4911 for more information. We welcome patients from Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh, Washington, DC and surrounding areas.