Episode 212: What Sex Therapy Is Really Like

A lot of people have ideas about sex therapy that are totally wrong. For example, some people seem to think that the therapist is going to be having sex with you, or that they’re going to watch you have sex. This could not be further from the truth! So let’s talk about what sex therapy is and isn’t. In this show, we’re also going to explore who sex therapy is for, how long it typically lasts, how well it works, and much more.

I am joined once again by Dr. Jennifer Vencill, an assistant professor, board certified clinical health psychologist, and AASECT certified sex therapist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Vencill’s first popular press book is titled DESIRE: An Inclusive Guide to Navigating Libido Differences in Relationships, which she co-authored with Dr. Lauren Fogel Mersy.

Some of the topics we discuss include:

What are some common things people get wrong about sex therapy?
When someone visits a sex therapist for the first time, what might that first session look like?
How long might someone expect to be in sex therapy to resolve a sexual problem?
Who is a good candidate for sex therapy?
What does couples sex therapy look like?
How successful is sex therapy at treating and resolving sexual and relationship difficulties?

To stay connected, you can follow Jennifer on Instagram.

Looking for a sex therapist? Check out this page for a handy list of therapist locater tools.

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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.