What is Vaginismus?:Vaginismus is when the muscles surrounding the vaginal opening involuntarily contract or spasm, making penetration of any kind painful, if not impossible. What are the Symptoms of Vaginismus?: Many women with vaginismus are unable to tolerate inserting a tampon, having a pelvic exam or having penetrative sex. Often women will describe attempts at penetrative sex as if their … [Read more...] about 5 Common Questions About Vaginismus
10 Surprisingly Common Causes of Women’s Low Sexual Desire
Many women experience low sexual desire at points in a long-term relationship and mistakenly believe (or their partners mistakenly believe) that the cause is hormonal. Because women have “responsive or receptive” sexual desire (unlike men who have spontaneous desire) women’s sexual desire is more likely to be impacted a range of stressors and factors. Consider these common barriers that can lower … [Read more...] about 10 Surprisingly Common Causes of Women’s Low Sexual Desire
The Importance of Collaborative Care
Multiple studies at this point have demonstrated the effectiveness of collaborative care in treating complex sexual issues such as female sexual/pelvic pain (Reissing, Binik, Khalif, Cohen & Amsel, 2003; Brotto, Young, Smith & Sadownik, 2015; Bergeron, Corsini-Munt, Aerts, Rancourt, & Rosen, 2015; Meena, 2009). There are many factors that cause and/or magnify sexual/pelvic pain from … [Read more...] about The Importance of Collaborative Care
Tips for Pleasurable Sex for Women with Pelvic & Sexual Pain
About a third of women will experience pelvic/sexual pain at some point in their lives. Whether your pain is related to post-partum issues (dryness related to breastfeeding, pelvic floor muscle dysfunction from pregnancy) or a chronic condition (IC, endometriosis, vulvodynia, changes from menopause) it is possible to have pleasure sexual experiences with yourself or with your partner. Consider the … [Read more...] about Tips for Pleasurable Sex for Women with Pelvic & Sexual Pain
10 Things you Should Know About Women & Trauma
Whether you are a woman who has experienced a traumatic event or are wondering how to support a female partner who has experienced a traumatic event, it is helpful to know more about how gender impacts the way women experience trauma. Gender can influence the way people experience trauma due to expectations of behavior based on social/cultural gender norms, how much a person ascribes to gender … [Read more...] about 10 Things you Should Know About Women & Trauma
10 Things You Should Know About Men & Trauma
Whether you are a man who has experienced a traumatic event or are wondering how to support a male partner who has experienced a traumatic event, it is helpful to know more about how gender impacts the way men experience trauma. Gender can influence the way people experience trauma due to expectations of behavior based on social/cultural gender norms, how much a person ascribes to gender role … [Read more...] about 10 Things You Should Know About Men & Trauma