Geelong sexologists explain why people are seeking intimacy help
Geelong sexologists are seeing more people looking for help with intimacy. Here’s why.
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Geelong sexologists are seeing more people looking for intimacy help.
Belinda Claveria, owner of Embodied Sexology in Breamlea, has a broad clientele ranging in age from their mid-20s to the elderly.
They include women with post-birth challenges, couples questioning their relationships after kids, men with erectile dysfunction, and people with traumatic histories.
She said demand had increased.
The key concerns people came to her with included couples facing desire discrepancy, when one partner wanted more sex than the other; a general sense of numbness and disconnect from the body; couples that felt like they’d lost connection; and men with erectile or ejaculation issues.
Ms Claveria, a somatic sexologist, said sessions could include counselling, engagement exercises, floor work, and touch exercises.
“To have great sex you need to be confident,” she said.
According to the Institute of Somatic Sexology, the practice combines focusing awareness through the body with sexology — the scientific study of human sexuality.
“There’s a real difference between somatic and clinical (sexology),” Ms Claveria said.
Ms Claveria said dwindling intimacy was often a key sign of other problems in a relationship, and if issues weren’t addressed this could contribute to affairs.
Rochelle Hamilton, a clinical sexologist at Barwon Consulting Suites, said she saw clients of all ages and received referrals from a range of specialists, from psychiatrists to urologists.
Patients could be coming back from a medical diagnosis, like cancer, or have experienced trauma, like a poor birthing experience.
“It’s more than seeking help about sex per se, it’s about understanding journeys and working very collaboratively,” Ms Hamilton said.
“You’re looking at things from every avenue to make sure someone can achieve a healthy, safe intimate life.”
“I think I’m more than just a sex therapist.”
She said people may have become more brave in seeking help for a stigmatised issue.
“People don’t like to think they need help with sex,” she said.
“I have seen an increase since people have gone to online dating.”
Ms Hamilton said while people could hide their issues online, they became vulnerable upon meeting in real life.
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