What is Sex Therapy online?

Sex therapy online is a form of therapeutic service intended to help individuals and couples resolve sexual difficulties, such as performance anxiety or relationship sexual problems.

In traditional sex therapy, clients meet in the therapist’s office, whether alone or with their partner.  Sex therapy online provides the same services through the internet through a HIPAA- compliant platform that ensures confidentiality.

Why do couples seek online sex counseling

Couples seek sex therapy online when they are coping with physiological problems as well as psychological issues. Before you talk to a sex therapist online, it will be important for you to speak to a gynecologist or urologist to rule out physical conditions that should be treated ahead of time. In that consultation, your medical provider will help you to learn whether you are suffering from physical problems such as undetected medical disease, or hormonal imbalance and provide medical treatment for that condition. Menopausal symptoms such as dryness can also be treated medically with ring inserts.

Despite the medicalization of male sexual problems, such as using pharmacological drugs such as sildenafil for erectile dysfunction, many problems remain psychological and relational. Sex counseling online is an easy way to get online help without leaving your home.

What is the difference between sex counseling and sex therapy?

While often used interchangeably, the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) does draw a distinction between the two. According to AASECT, counselors come from a broader range of professions including clergy, school nurses, and other health professionals. Therapists, in contrast, must be licensed mental health professionals trained to assess, diagnose and provide in-depth psychotherapy and can treat patients with sexual issues and concerns.

Sex Counselors working online assist by using problem-solving tools, accurate sexual information, exercises and techniques in sexual expression. Sex Therapists, in contrast, provide sex therapy online using all of the above, plus help with sexual dysfunction, sexual pleasure, sexuality and chronic illness, sexual abuse and sexuality across cultures to name a few.

While both will help the client to define issues and concerns, determine how the problem evolved and help the client to understand these issues and options, sex therapists in addition, will develop a treatment plan including appropriate goals and solutions.

How is talking to a Sex Therapist online different than talking in person?

Clearly online sex counseling offers greater convenience and accessibility. Living in a remote area, or having difficulties with mobility or transportation isn't an issue with online sex therapy. Some clients are extremely uncomfortable going into a therapists office and believe that having sex therapy online in their own homes provides greater comfort. Those with high levels of anxiety or agoraphobia are also helped by online therapy. Privacy is also enhanced.

Drawbacks

Despite significant improvements in reception and clarity of picture, since I began seeing clients online over a decade ago, voice tone, facial expression, body language and eye contact can still be a challenge to those getting sex counseling online. For couples in particular, they are required to sit further away in order for both to be in vision. This prevents the sex therapist from picking up on subtle changes in pupil dilation, perspiration, or hand movements.

Technical difficulties such as overloaded transmission lines, servers crashing and network connections faltering continue to plague couples sex therapy online. Power outages during storms are also a possibility.

Sexual trauma and online sex therapy

Low libido, painful sex or an absence of sexual interest is often a side-effect of childhood or adult-onset sexual trauma. Online sex therapy can be a less-stressful way to help a couple work together on the common side-effects that impact their relationship. This is most often a follow-up treatment preferred after individual therapy is concluded.

How to I Talk to a Sex Counselor Online?

During this worldwide pandemic, individuals and couples turn to internet searches to locate a qualified professional. Formal educational experience and supervision in providing sex counseling or sex therapy is essential before a counselor calls themselves a "sex therapist" or "sex counselor."

Ask  yourself: Does this person have appropriate credentials to offer sex therapy online help? American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) has set strict ethical, educational and supervisory guidelines for practice.

If you are wanting couples sex therapy online, your search requires one additional requirement: advanced training in a science-based mode of couples therapy. Without such training, the sex therapist might be able to label the dysfunction, such as dyspareunia, vaginismus, or premature ejaculation, but lack the couples therapy training to recognize how the couple's relationship is likely to impact treatment.

We have two highly qualified sex therapists seeing couples and individual online.

Angela Voegele is a licensed clinical social worker who is both an online sex therapist and certified Gottman Method couples therapist.

Dr. McMahon is a clinical psychologist with extensive experience in online sex therapy and is a Gottman certified couples therapist.