If you are a regular reader of Garden Views you will recognize the name of Dr. Barbara Bartlik as a regular contributor to our newsletter. Dr. Bartlik has generously offered to visit our store on West 57th Street in New York City once a month and make her self available to answer questions regarding psychological issues that may be interfering with a healthy sex life for you. If you are not familiar with Dr. Bartlik, you can find a resume of her work on our web site. She will be in the conference room of our store next month on Thursday, November 11th from 5pm until 7pm. After meeting her in person you can decide if her workshop might be beneficial for you. Below is an outline of Dr. Bartlik’s workshop… Dell Williams

Workshops for Women Who Want to Enhance Their Sexual Life
Barbara Bartlik, M.D.

Ironically, one of the most powerful forms of therapy for individuals with sexual problems is секс шоп для взрослых, in which intimate emotional problems are discussed in the company of virtual strangers. When it comes to sexual problems, group therapy not only accelerates healing, but can help participants achieve more than they might have through other forms of therapy.

It is well known that women with primary anorgasmia (who have never had an orgasm) respond well to therapy groups designed to treat this condition. Though primary anorgasmia is not as prevalent today as it was a half century ago, it still exists. Other common sexual problems that bring women into treatment include menopausal problems, hypoactive sexual desire disorder, sexual aversion disorder, sexual pain problems, orgasm problems and body image concerns. Some women have no difficulty achieving orgasm on their own, but are inhibited in the presence of a partner. All of these situations can disrupt a couple’s relationship and lead to break ups that otherwise might not have happened. Women in lesbian and heterosexual relationships are equally affected.

The range of sexual problems listed above respond very well to group therapy. Specifically, individuals learn that they are not alone and that others experience significant emotional pain due to sexual problems. This immediately reduces the amount of shame that they feel and the sense that they are abnormal or responsible. Participants receive support, helpful suggestions and feedback from not only their group leader, but from their peers, which in many ways is more valuable. In addition, they offer solutions to others in the group. When their feedback is appreciated, they feel more confident and competent, sexually.

Each group has a didactic component during which the group leader discusses issues that affect sexuality, such as lifestyle, nutrition, health and medication. The leader assigns generic behavioral sex therapy techniques designed to help participants overcome their sexual problems. One example of such a technique would be to come up with a list of 5 romantic or erotic things that the participants would like to do with their partners, and share the list with their partners. Another would be to look at their genitalia in a mirror and observe the changes that occur with arousal through self-stimulation. Because participants see how others have benefited from homework assignments, they have less resistance to carrying them out. Additionally, assignments may be tailored to meet the specific needs of individual participants.

From the outset, camaraderie develops between group participants and motivates them to remain active in treatment. Often, they share secrets about themselves and their sexuality, which lessens the hold that these secrets have over them.

To illustrate, I will describe a case of a woman whom I treated in a six session group therapy workshop for women with sexual problems. She was 28 years old and grew up in a conservative home. She had experienced sexual problems in all of her relationships, and always had found sex painful and not enjoyable. She never achieved orgasm. She was tearful as she described how much she loved her fiancé and how frustrated she was that she couldn’t get over this problem. One of the homework assignments was to self-stimulate using a favorite sexual fantasy. Initially, she was apprehensive about trying this exercise, but hearing how others responded to it was encouraging to her. Eventually, she was able to achieve orgasm on her own and then in the presence of her fiancé. Next, she was instructed to purchase a set of vaginal dilators of gradually increasing size and insert them into her vagina. After about two weeks she was able to insert the largest one. She then felt confident to attempt intercourse with her fiancé, which went very well. By the end of the workshop, she was having enjoyable sexual intercourse with her fiancé and feeling more confident with respect to her sexuality.