Vaginismus Treatments Done Differently
I'm in San Diego attending a conference of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health. We start early and finish late. I'm exhausted, but my brain is satisfyingly full.
This year 25 countries have sent researchers and therapists to present lectures about a vast array of issues that pertain to female sexual well being. I am amazed at the dedication of the presenters and thrilled about the progress that this field is making. There are about three hundred people attending and about 50% are medical health providers (medical doctors, nurse practitioners, physical therapists), 20% solely scientific researchers and the remaining 30% are primarily mental health providers. I don't present - just listen. I prefer to translate the research into information that the average person could possibly use. Not all researchers present the fruits of their work in easily understandable terms, so that's what I do.
I've treated clients in my office for vaginismus (painful vaginal spasms) for many years. The work with these clients is often slow paced. I measure progress in my mind with some equivalent of emotions measured in microns. And, I am OK with this.
The treatment works if the woman sticks with it. If she does her work at home by writing her thoughts in some journal form and uses her insertors regularly, she can take the steps that mature her sexuality. And, I usually strongly suggest that she learn to eroticize what can be a very clinical "getting to know you" session with her genitals. It often takes six to nine months to accomplish full insertion with an insertor that resembles her partner's erect penis size.
So, when Moniek M. ter Kuile of The Netherlands presented her research, I was very interested. At the Outpatient Clinic for Psychosomatic Gynecology and Sexology at Leiden University Medical Center she was permitted to treat vaginismus clients in a uniquely effective and time-sparing manner.
It turns out that 60 women with lifelong vaginismus participated with their sexual partner in a therapist-aided treatment of their condition. Nearly all of the women were able to use insertors that began with very small sizes and gradually increased to the size of their partner's penis. The treatment consisted of up to three two-hour sessions in one week's time in which the woman controlled the insertion of these learning devices into her own vagina while her partner held a mirror for her to see her own genitals. The therapist verbally assisted with guidance and helped the woman to follow through with what she came there to do.
I was very struck with the contrast!
As a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, ethically I am not supposed to touch my clients (other than the occasional handshake or to receive a "thank you" hug). As it is, people with little information about what I do as a sex therapist confuse the nature of my job with sexual surrogate therapists. All I do is talk, draw diagrams and use pictures to explain sexual and relationship information.
So, I sat there wondering if the medical setting of this study somehow legitimized this approach for the women. I wondered if this worked and was accepted just because The Netherlands is a more liberal country. And I wondered if there was a way that I could incorporate this into my practice.
The therapist did not touch the clients. She was just present in the room, keeping the couple on course and offering support. People often comment that I seem fairly placid, calm and easy to be around. Perhaps there is a gynecologist who would join in on this type of treatment. I'll be giving that one some thought. If women could accomplish this in a week's time rather than the better part of a year -- wouldn't that be great?
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: sex therapy, vaginismus, sexuality
This year 25 countries have sent researchers and therapists to present lectures about a vast array of issues that pertain to female sexual well being. I am amazed at the dedication of the presenters and thrilled about the progress that this field is making. There are about three hundred people attending and about 50% are medical health providers (medical doctors, nurse practitioners, physical therapists), 20% solely scientific researchers and the remaining 30% are primarily mental health providers. I don't present - just listen. I prefer to translate the research into information that the average person could possibly use. Not all researchers present the fruits of their work in easily understandable terms, so that's what I do.
I've treated clients in my office for vaginismus (painful vaginal spasms) for many years. The work with these clients is often slow paced. I measure progress in my mind with some equivalent of emotions measured in microns. And, I am OK with this.
The treatment works if the woman sticks with it. If she does her work at home by writing her thoughts in some journal form and uses her insertors regularly, she can take the steps that mature her sexuality. And, I usually strongly suggest that she learn to eroticize what can be a very clinical "getting to know you" session with her genitals. It often takes six to nine months to accomplish full insertion with an insertor that resembles her partner's erect penis size.
So, when Moniek M. ter Kuile of The Netherlands presented her research, I was very interested. At the Outpatient Clinic for Psychosomatic Gynecology and Sexology at Leiden University Medical Center she was permitted to treat vaginismus clients in a uniquely effective and time-sparing manner.
It turns out that 60 women with lifelong vaginismus participated with their sexual partner in a therapist-aided treatment of their condition. Nearly all of the women were able to use insertors that began with very small sizes and gradually increased to the size of their partner's penis. The treatment consisted of up to three two-hour sessions in one week's time in which the woman controlled the insertion of these learning devices into her own vagina while her partner held a mirror for her to see her own genitals. The therapist verbally assisted with guidance and helped the woman to follow through with what she came there to do.
I was very struck with the contrast!
As a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, ethically I am not supposed to touch my clients (other than the occasional handshake or to receive a "thank you" hug). As it is, people with little information about what I do as a sex therapist confuse the nature of my job with sexual surrogate therapists. All I do is talk, draw diagrams and use pictures to explain sexual and relationship information.
So, I sat there wondering if the medical setting of this study somehow legitimized this approach for the women. I wondered if this worked and was accepted just because The Netherlands is a more liberal country. And I wondered if there was a way that I could incorporate this into my practice.
The therapist did not touch the clients. She was just present in the room, keeping the couple on course and offering support. People often comment that I seem fairly placid, calm and easy to be around. Perhaps there is a gynecologist who would join in on this type of treatment. I'll be giving that one some thought. If women could accomplish this in a week's time rather than the better part of a year -- wouldn't that be great?
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: sex therapy, vaginismus, sexuality
