Most of us associate sex with good times. After all, making love is probably the best activity one could pursue. Isn’t it? But as such, rarely do we hear about issues that revolve around sex lives. From sexless marriages to uncertain orientations to overall confusion, there’s so much that can keep us awake at night if we keep it to ourselves.
But hey! There’s no reason to despair. Problems you might have with your sex life can become past with a little help from professionals who specialize in such issues — sex therapists. The jobs of these people are to relieve individuals or couples of burdens that come from their unfulfilled intimate lives.
In this article, we’ll list some major benefits of sex therapies. Moreover, we’ll hopefully convince you to seek their assistance if you’re uncertain about your private life.
What Makes People Sexually Unhealthy?
It’s not uncommon to hear people talk about how we can have even better sex. Yet, how often does someone mention that we should better understand our sexualities, desires, and kinks. Well, that’s why sexologists (sex therapists) are for. With their help, we can spot dangerous practices and patterns in both ourselves and our partners.
Here are some unhealthy sexual behaviors:
- Putting yourself or others in dangerous situations — This issue ranges from practicing unsafe sex (unwanted pregnancies, STDs, etc.) to seeking pleasure at dangerous places or with shady partners.
- Having sex when sad or stressed out — Although it can up your mood, no one should rely on intercourse to fix them.
- Not knowing when to stop — hypersexuality is a common problem these days. However, it’s key to understand how much sex is too much.
- Not respecting boundaries — Sex isn’t okay if there’s no consent from both sides. No matter what you think or how you feel, the decision must be mutual.
Sex Therapists and Their Actual Jobs
Before we go any further and persuade you to make an appointment at your local sex therapy, we should explain what these people do. Namely, sex therapists can work like typical family and marriage counselors. Then again, they can be a private or couples’ shrink or psychologist. And lastly, these folks can perform social worker tasks too.
In case you wonder what it takes to become one, well, it’s not that complicated. Some sex therapists attend schools that specialize in training them to solve sex-related issues. On the other hand, others research on their own and attend annual conferences before they engage in private therapy. Either way, they dig around deep to provide people with answers.
In some ways, attending sex therapy is like going to a gynecologist or urologist for genital-related problems. It might be weird at first, but you get used to it by time and open up about your intimate life. But that’s the catch. You need to relax and be open about your private difficulties so that your sexologist of choice can help you out.
Sexual Health and Well-Being Correlation
In essence, sex therapy and well-being should go hand in hand. Without addressing the issues in your intimate and private life, it’s more than likely that you’ll be on the receiving end of all things bad in sex terms. Nevertheless, it’s okay not to be all-knowing and perfect when it comes to intercourse. No one is.
Yet, it’s not okay to know that and keep going as if it were no biggie when you could find solutions just around the corner. An unhealthy sex practice can result in both a decline in physical and mental health. From catching nasty infections to experiencing unwanted pregnancies to having trouble with the law, it all comes down to not seeking help.
As such, resolving sexual issues, receiving sex education, and talking about sex, in general, is essential to living a happy life. No sexual problem is too big for a professional sexuality educator and counselor to handle. And don’t worry — they’ve seen and heard it all. With their education and experience, you’ll be on your way to safe sexual satisfaction.
The Signs of a Sexually Healthy Individual
What makes a person sexually healthy, you might ask. Well, several aspects reflect a healthy individual in sex terms. We can, nevertheless, group them into different categories.
Communication
The first and obvious sign of being a sexually healthy adult is to interact with others respectfully, regardless of their gender. This includes asking for their permission and boundaries and keeping track of whether they’re okay while enjoying the deed itself.
Relationships
When it comes to relationships, healthy and sexually functioning adults won’t only seek people they can have intercourse with. They won’t be looking to exploit others or tolerate being exploited. In other words, they seek trustworthy partners.
Self-Esteem and Self-Worth
People with the right sexual attitude appreciate their bodies and those of their partners. As such, they have no problem with touching, as they don’t feel any shame or disgust. They are also comfortable in their skin when it comes to sexual orientation and choice of partners.
Education
The fourth category consists of being aware of what are the consequences of having sex, from how important contraception and hygiene are to how dangerous sharing personal messages and photos can be without others’ permission.
Do We Recommend Seeing Sex Therapists?
Having a sex life that makes you feel complete is essential to living a healthy and prosperous life. This is visible both physically and mentally. From normal blood pressure and cardiac health to less stress and negative thoughts, it all eventually comes down to sex.
If you or your partner are having difficulties with intercourse, we fully recommend working on a treatment plan with a certified sex therapist. This is a perfect way to solve underlying issues, including both physical and mental sexual dysfunction.
Lastly, sex therapy is perfect to open up about issues that you simply can’t mention when alone with your lover. And since every healthy relationship is built on trust, communication, and sharing, what better way than to participate in sex therapy?