Deciding to go to a therapist takes incredible courage as we often find ourselves needing to overcome the stigma of it or other people's opinions of it in order to take the plunge. 

 

As Viktor Frankl emphasizes in his book Man's Search for Meaning, what helps us make difficult choices is knowing 'the Why.'  Why are we doing what we are doing, what is the meaning behind our motivations and choices.

 

So why start sex therapy?

 

Clients choose sex therapy for a variety reasons, the most common of which are wanting to have children, wanting to experience pleasure (which includes ridding oneself of anxiety and pain so that he or she can experience pleasure), and wanting to expand the intimacy of the coupleship and experience connection on every level.

 

Sometimes, clients choose sex therapy to get the education they never received in childhood and adolescence.  They feel the need to replace negative ideas about sex and their bodies with positive ones that celebrate their sexuality and honor their right to pleasure.  These clients oftentimes learn in session the language of sex, that is how to unabashedly and confidently call their body parts by their names, learn what gives them pleasure, and then learn how to communicate this newfound understanding to their partners.

 

Lastly, similar to Weight Watchers, some couples enter therapy so that they can have an expert monitor their progress whether the progress entails going from a nonexistent sex life to having a sex life or moving their sex life from good to great.  Whatever the reason, it is helpful to identify your Why so that you can walk into sex therapy clear on your goals and ready to do the work and ultimately reap all the benefits of sex therapy.