Married couples often struggle with finding the time, energy and desire to have sex. From taking care of the kids to busy work schedules, couples often put sex on the back burner. A marriage with no sex is destined to experience tension, especially if one partner is in the mood, while the other constantly rejects his sexual desires. Sex therapy, provided by a trained counselor, can help couples find ways to reignite their passion and enjoy a healthy sex life.
Different Views On Sex
People view sex differently. Their perceptions of sex are largely based on how they were raised, the way they’ve been influenced by society and their physical, spiritual, intellectual and emotional needs. In an article for “U.S. News and World Report” magazine, Helen Virginia Bush, president of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists, notes that each spouse’s culture, religion and previous experiences may have an impact on his or her sexuality. Since each individual’s experiences with sex is different, couples have to take this into consideration when they decide whether they should attend sex therapy sessions. These factors also contribute to what couples expect to accomplish by going to sex therapy.
How Much Sex Is Enough
Incompatible sex drives are one reason why married couples attend sex therapy. Couples undoubtedly compare their sex lives to close friends, family members and media reports, and wonder how much sex is healthy. An 2010 iVillage report, which surveyed 2,000 married women ages 18 to 49, showed that 23 percent of women have had sex between one to three times a month, while 21 percent say they have sex more than 10 times a month.
Misconceptions About Sex Therapy
Sex therapy isn’t only for married couples who aren’t having sex as often as they’d like to. It’s also for couples looking to express themselves more freely in the bedroom, need help achieving orgasm, who are dealing with issues of sexual abuse, self-esteem issues and even individuals who have a porn addiction. Sex therapy helps couples focus on more than just the physical aspects of sex, but also the emotional side.
Rewards of a Healthy Sex Life
Successful sex therapy sessions can help you and your spouse restore your sex lives. Having a healthy sex life offers many rewards to a couple. WebMD cites some of the benefits as reduced stress, a stronger immune system, better self-esteem and potential natural sleep aid. Couples can also burn calories in the bedroom which may contribute to weight loss.
Share Freely for Best Results
Couples are often uncomfortable discussing the most intimate details of their sex lives with complete strangers, and speaking with a sex therapist is no different. However, be warned that to make sex therapy sessions successful, it’s essential for both partners to be open and honest about experiences, current frustrations, wants and needs. The more you put into a therapy session, the better results you’ll see when it comes to intimate interactions with your spouse.
Photo Credit
- couple-playing image by JulianMay.co.uk from Fotolia.com
