Sex therapy is a type of psychotherapy that helps people address their concerns about sexual function, sexual feelings, and intimacy. Sex therapists work with individuals and couples of all ages, genders, and sexual orientations. Sex therapy is talk therapy, not physical therapy. The goal of sex therapy is to help people achieve a satisfying and fulfilling sex life and to restore intimacy.
Sexual problems can be classified into categories:
- sexual desire disorders (decreased or excessive sexual desire)
- sexual arousal disorders (erectile dysfunction or impotence; frigidity)
- orgasm disorders (premature orgasm, delay of orgasm, or absence of orgasm)
- sexual pain disorders (dyspareunia [painful intercourse] and vaginismus [involuntary spasm of the muscles of the vaginal wall which interferes with intercourse])
- unwanted sexual fetishes
- sexual addiction
- depression, anxiety or other related issues with coming out
- challenges with identifying as a sexual minority
- gender identity conflicts
- negotiating polyamorous and other sexually diverse relationships