Have you ever taken time to reflect on what your sexual health means to you? Depending on our personal histories and our access to resources (educational, medical, etc.), we may not have an idea of what exactly sexual health means. Historically, sexual health has been understood as simply avoiding unwanted pregnancy or contracting a sexually…
Relationships
What is Dyspareunia and the Underlying Diagnoses of Sexual Pain
Addressing unwanted sexual pain is a key component of sexual health. The presence of unwanted sexual pain, also known as dyspareunia, can make engaging in sex become quite stressful. Dyspareunia can vary based on the person, and can occur before, during, or after sexual intercourse. It can sometimes even happen while using female hygiene products—such…
Couples Therapy: How to Maintain Success
Source: Photo by AllGo on Unsplash The beginning of couples therapy tends to create a lot of positive change in the relationship. You will learn how to change your cycles of conflict and improve your communication. In some of my previous articles, I have shared some of the skills that you can use to strengthen…
How Understanding Desire Can Help You Connect with Your Sexual Self
Source: Joanna Nix-Walkup on Unsplash What is desire? Typically in popular culture, we see sexual desire depicted in a binary way; there are people with high sex drives and people with low sex drives, and there are a multitude of messages about what being in either of these two groups may mean. Mismatch or misunderstanding…
Taking Space: How Intentional Distance Can Actually Improve Your Relationship
Source: Photo by Milan De Clercq on Unsplash The pandemic has impacted all of our lives in unprecedented ways and much has been lost, from the ultimate loss of loved ones to job loss to the loss of our ability to engage in our hobbies or connect with friends and family safely. At the beginning…
Moving on Mindfully After a Breakup: 4 Questions to Help You Reflect
Source: Photo by Andrik Langfield on Unsplash After the end of a relationship, you might have trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, and find yourself ruminating about why or how things ended. Be gentle with yourself. The most important first step after a breakup is to take extra good care of yourself. Take care of yourself like…
Insights from Couples Therapy: Family Logistics Meeting
Source: Photo by Laura Margarita Cedeño Peralta on Unsplash Successful relationships are built on effective communication and working together. Unfortunately, the stresses and pressures from daily life can get in the way, resulting in both of the individuals feeling like they are not getting the support they need. However, the time when we feel busiest…
Cultural humility: An essential framework for therapists that anyone can use to foster connection and understanding
Source: Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash Cultural humility is an approach used by therapists and other mental health professionals to create strong relationships with their clients and promote better therapy outcomes. Cultural humility is the process of being open, having self-awareness, and committing to self-reflection and critique when interacting with others. Having cultural humility…
When the Word “Family” Causes Distress
Source: Photo by Oleg Illarionov on Unsplash “Are you visiting family for the holidays?” While almost certainly a well-intended question by the person asking, such a question can create painful emotions for those with strained or no relationships with members of their family of origin. When you think of words that cause pain, the word…
Couples Therapy: A Daily Conversation That Can Reduce Stress and Improve Connection
Source: Photo by In Lieu & In View Photography on Unsplash In any relationship you are present as both a partner and as an individual. While you live together, you also have a life that is separate from your loved one. We spend time apart from each other and simultaneously want to be a part…
