SEX THERAPY

Every human experiences its own vastly different levels of intimacy. Sex therapy works to enhance your multifaceted world of connection with yourself and others. Sex therapy is designed to improve your emotional attachment and broaden your understanding of the personal and collective pleasure and desire within your relationship with self and others. Below is a great description of what Sex Therapy is and what it isn’t originally posted HERE.

What Sex Therapy is:
At its core, sex therapy is a form of talk therapy (AKA counseling) that aims to help individuals and couples improve their sex lives. It’s very similar to general counseling, but it focuses on sex and relationships. Nobody takes their clothes off, and we don’t watch people have sex. We simply talk!

We often discuss sexual difficulties the client is currently having and ways to help resolve them. We see both individuals and couples. At the end of each session, the therapist may assign homework or make recommendations for the individual or couple to try. This can include things such as sensate focus, trying a new sex position, or reading a book. 

We may also refer clients to medical providers, such as pelvic floor therapists or doctors who specialize in sex medicine. We realize that each situation is unique, so our sessions and treatments are unique as well. We tailor each session to meet the specific needs of each client.

What Sex Therapy is NOT:

Again, sex therapy is talk therapy. While the client and counselor discuss intimate and sexual topics, they do not engage in any sort of physical contact or sexual activity at any point. A therapeutic practice in which the client and practitioner engage in physical touch or intimacy is typically known as sex surrogacy. While sex surrogacy can be helpful for some, the practitioners at Emma Schmidt & Associates are not sex surrogates.

The sex therapy you receive in The Relationship Clinic is one that is geared to be relaxed, informative, and genuine. Expect to discover your playful side as you explore through at-home exercises done privately between sessions. 

“Sex affirming” and “sex positive” may seem like pithy descriptions but relate well to what you can expect in our non-judgmental approach to sex therapy. After the assessment phase (a joint session, individual sessions, and a feedback session) is a brief skills-building phase where you are invited to embrace sexual pleasure and experimentation. Sex therapy is oftentimes a brief series of sessions. At times, challenges in sexual intimacy can be a side effect of other prevailing concerns in the relationship or individually. It may be recommended to initially build these other fundamental skills through traditional individual or relationship therapy prior to engaging in sex therapy. You will receive clinically appropriate referrals when necessary.

Dr. Cathi is a member of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists and a Certified Sex Therapist (certified by Modern Sex Therapy Institutes). Beyond her clinical education and licensure, this certification includes 90 clock hours of academic coursework in sexuality education, 10 clock hours of structured group work, 300 hours of supervised clinical treatment of patients presenting with sexual concerns, and 50 hours of supervision with an AASECT Certified Supervisor of Sex Therapy. 

Cathi completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Sexology at Modern Sex Therapy Institutes and is continuing her research on the ways resiliency in relationships correlates with sexual health and wellness across the lifespan.