Systemic Sex Therapy with a Heterosexual Couple

In this course, Juan Camarena works with Marianna and her husband Ryan who come to therapy because both are frustrated with their sex lives. With different expectations and needs, Juan works with the couple to open up communication, offer experiential exercises to enhance connection, and discuss the messages they were given about sex that relate to culture/ethnicity, gender, class, and religion while they were growing up. Based on the information Juan gathers from an intake interview, he diagnoses Marianna with a DSM-V code diagnosis of Partner Relational Issue and Ryan with a DSM diagnosis of male hypoactive sexual desire disorder. Juan practices Systemic sex therapy with Marianna and Ryan, as written by Hertlein, Weeks, and Gambescia. This approach considers the individual, relational, and family-of-origin factors in both the origins and treatment of a problem. Juan adds culture, gender, and class as additional factors to consider when providing counselling. Systemic Sex Therapy emphasises human diversity taking into account the following: individual biological, psychological, and sexological factors; relational issues such as communication, expectations, and connection; and family of origin, culture, gender, class, and religious factors. While seemingly complex, helping clients understand the multifaceted nature of sexuality and sexual connection helps to de-stigmatise sexual issues and increase relationship satisfaction.