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Why should I see a sex counsellor / therapist?
You may want to see a sex counsellor if you are struggling in any of the following areas: dating, relationships, communicating about sex and intimacy, performance anxiety, pornography, masturbation, sexual desire, body image, fetishes, kinks, sexuality, gender, kissing, polyamory, open relationships, monogamy, cheating or infidelity, sex toy, consent and sexual rejection.
When do I need to see a sex counsellor?
An ideal time to see a sex counsellor is when you have an area of life that isn't working as well as you'd like it to, and are now ready to explore it. But ultimately, the decision of when you see a counsellor is up to you.
How does sex counselling help?
Oftentimes, the best way to tackle an issue is to talk about it. Evidence shows that healthy sexual intimacy and relationships increase your quality of life. Sex counselling helps by empowering you with knowledge, focusing on your inner strengths, and allowing you to talk in a safe environment. Some of the methods we use include: acceptance and commitment therapy, strengths-based approach, and solution-focused therapy.
What is a sex therapist or counsellor?
A sex therapist or counsellor is trained in counselling, but with an interest and additional professional development with supporting people with concerns related to sex, intimacy, sexuality, and gender etc. They specifically are trained to work with you to make you feel supportive and safe to discuss concern, issues or worries around sex and other areas important to you.
What does a counselling session look like?
The first session is a great chance to see if our services are a good fit for you and if you feel comfortable enough to share. We allow extra time after this first visit in order to provide extra support if needed. Follow-up visits are 50 minutes long and involve honest and open conversation between you and the counsellor. Your counsellor will likely ask questions about your personal, physical, and sexual history in order to get a better understanding of your experience.
Are my sessions confidential?
Absolutely. Our counsellors are certified members of the Australian Counselling Association or Registered Psychologist, and as such must follow strict guidelines. There are a few situations where we may be required by law to break confidentiality, however these are only in rare circumstances and we will be happy to explain these to you at your first visit. They mostly involve situations where you are at risk of harm, if you request us to release your records to your doctor, or if we are required to release them to a court.
What if i have an issue you can't help with?
Counselling can help a lot of people, but sometimes there is an underlying psychological or physical issue impacting what you are dealing with. In these cases where you require psychological support we have a member of our network who is a registered Psychologist. We would be happy to point you in the direction of our Psychologist as needed. We also have a network of other professional and sensitive health care providers that we can refer you to. For example for Sexual Health screening with have friendly, appropriate doctors and nurse practitioner clinics we can recommend. We offer a discounted initial session so that you can come in, share what you are dealing with and what you expect from counselling. We provide a service that is honest and we only want the best for you. Therefore, we have no problem referring you if we feel that someone else is better suited to help you. If you feel like you can’t work with your counsellor, we can recommend someone else who may be a better match. We won’t be upset if you say you want a different style of counselling. What’s most important is that you feel comfortable with the counsellor. If you prefer a female counsellor, please let us know and we can refer you to the female psychologist in our network.
How much does counselling cost?
Standard sessions are about an hour long. The first session costs $180 for couples, and we allow up to 75 minutes, follow-up sessions cost $150 for couples and individual sessions are $140 for initial and follow up. Online individual appointments are $150. Our pricing is similar to that of a physiotherapist, chiropractor, or doctor if you spent an hour with them (and much cheaper and less painful than seeing a dentist!). Your mental and emotional well-being are important to us. If cost is a real barrier, please discuss this with us during your first session.
How many sessions do I need?
This depends on what you are dealing with, what your goals are, how long you have had this concern for, how long it takes you to feel comfortable to fully open up and share your concerns, and the work that you do between sessions. Just like you may get stretches to do from your physiotherapist, we try to give you small and manageable things to do between sessions to keep you moving towards your goals.
Do you do sessions online or via skype?
We do offer online or Skype sessions, especially for those located in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, or regional Australia. We generally recommend having the first session in person, but if you are feeling a bit shy or your travel schedule doesn’t support this then we can organize an online appointment. You can book this via our bookings page.
Are there any other concerns you deal with
Yes. Discrepancies, intimacy concerns, jealousy, infidelity, 'cheating', open relationships and more are all in our wheelhouse.
Can't I just use medication?
Not necessarily. Some medications can help with physiological or functional issues related to sexual activity, but also some medications can decrease your sexual function. If your concern is psychological or emotional in nature then counselling is likely a better fit for you. Alot of the time working with both medication and counselling in partnership with your doctor or other health professionals can give you the best out.
Should i be in a relationship to have sex counselling or therapy?
You don’t need to be. Sex counselling doesn’t require a partner, but it does require a willingness to be open and honest.
I'm in a relationship, do i need to bring my partner to my sex counselling sessions?
This depends on the situation. Sometimes when there are concerns between partners, it’s better for both people to be present, but this isn’t always the case. Just ask your counsellor and they will be happy to discuss this with you.
My partner and I are not having sex, can you help?
Yes, this is one of the things that we can discuss with you and help you with.