Sex Therapy
Too many couples lose hope when their intimate connection falters, or they feel out of sync with each other sexually. Too many individuals suffer when they think they don’t measure up sexually or express their sexuality in ways that don’t fit neatly into the mainstream. Sex therapy can help you discover what works for you and avoid discouragement and emotional distress.
What is Sex Therapy?
Sex therapy is a specialized form of talk therapy that focuses on people’s concerns about their sexual functioning, expression, or communication about sex. A sex therapist offers insight, practical actions to take, education, and sometimes coordinates treatment with other medical professionals.
Sex therapy meetings are not medical exams. More like traditional talk therapy, they take place in a professional office and never involve any form of physical contact, nudity, or sexual behavior between therapist and client. While discussions with a sex therapist can be very frank, they will also be professional, respectful, and educational.
Sex therapy is a talk therapy treatment for the following conditions:
- Low sexual desire
- Mismatch with partner’s desire
- Conflict about sex
- Pain during sex
- Difficulty with climax
- Erectile dysfunction
- Sexless relationships
- Shame
- Compulsive sexual behavior.
Dr. Petersen is a certified sex therapist who helps individuals and couples with these and other sexual concerns.
Working with a Credentialed Sex Therapist
Sex Therapy is a highly credentialed profession, legitimately practiced only by a licensed mental health or medical professional (such as a Marriage and Family Therapist, Psychologist, Social Worker, Nurse Practitioner or Physician) who is awarded certification after extensive training beyond their mandatory professional license.
The credentialing process for a certified sex therapist involves several years of specific course work, training, supervision, mentoring and approval by experienced members of The American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT). The AASECT website explains more about certification and the ethical responsibilities of sexuality professionals, as well as how to find one.
Dr. Petersen works with relationships between individuals, couples, and families of every type, configuration, ethnic, gender and sexual background.