Sex therapy involves essentially four stages:

Assessment of the presenting problem:

The first stage generally takes place in two to three sessions. The therapist conducts a global assessment of the client’s situation by inviting them to talk about their concerns and the changes they would like to make. These first sessions also allow the client to see whether or not they are comfortable with the therapist. Anyone who wishes to consult must be selective when choosing a therapist. It is crucial to choose a therapist in whom one feels they can confide since the therapeutic relationship is the foundation of the whole therapeutic process. It is also during the assessment stage that the general therapeutic objectives are determined as well the therapeutic framework most appropriate for the client and for the problem in question (for example, referrals to other resource persons or working in collaboration with other professionals; decisions related to the process, such as: individual, couples or mixed sessions; frequency of sessions, etc.).

Clarification and comprehension of the presenting problem:

The second stage’s main objective is to help the client understand the different factors that have contributed to developing and maintaining the problem at hand, thus better enabling him to take action and modify his situation. This step is similar to doing a puzzle: as the pieces of the puzzle fit one by one, a clearer image of the situation emerges. The therapist’s role at this point is to guide the client in this type of exploration by sharing knowledge, proposing hypotheses and establishing relationhips between the different “pieces” of the client’s current reality, his past, etc. The sexologist might suggest writing exercises, readings, etc. in order for the client to continue exploring the issues between sessions.

Experimentation and change:

Once the client has a better understanding of his situation, he is ready for change. It is during this third stage that the therapist identifies with the client new ways of thinking and behaving that will enable him to reach his therapy objectives. The client is asked to experiment different techniques of change, such as: adopt attitudes or ways of perceiving things that are more adapted and constructive, learn new abilities that will improve aptitudes in seduction and eroticism, learn how to build sexual desire or modulate sexual arousal, diversify sources of sexual arousal, learn how to better manage emotions and automatic reactions, improve interpersonal skills and abilities to communicate as a couple, learn how to assert oneself in a relationship or in a sexual context, negotiate more efficiently the differences in one’s relationship, experiment new ways of fulfilling one’s needs, etc.

Consolidation of therapeutic gains:

Once the therapeutic objectives are mostly attained, the last step consists of consolidating the therapeutic gains and making sure the client “stays on track”. The therapist might suggest spacing out sessions for a certain period, which would allow the client to continue experimenting the positive changes they have adopted all the while benefiting from support sessions.