Find a therapist for sexual dysfunctions

Sexual dysfunction covers a wide range of presentations. The common factor is that the difficulty causes personal distress and is not fully explained by another medical or mental health condition.

Common presentations

• Persistent low or absent sexual desire (hypoactive sexual desire disorder)
• Difficulty becoming or staying aroused during sexual activity
• Difficulty reaching orgasm, or orgasm that is significantly delayed
• Premature or early ejaculation causing distress
• Involuntary muscle contraction making penetration painful or impossible (vaginismus)
• Persistent genital pain during or after sex (dyspareunia)

Other common experiences

• Anxiety before or during sexual activity that interferes with response
• Avoidance of sexual situations due to fear of failure or pain
• Relationship strain as a result of ongoing sexual difficulties

Only a qualified professional can assess whether a difficulty meets the criteria for a sexual dysfunction and determine whether physical, psychological, or combined factors are involved. Medical investigation is important when a physical cause is possible.

Sexual dysfunctions are treated through a combination of specialist psychological and, where appropriate, medical support.

• Sex therapy Sex therapy is a specialist psychological approach focused directly on sexual functioning and experience. It typically involves talking work alongside structured behavioural exercises conducted privately, and can be delivered individually or with a partner.
• CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) CBT addresses the anxiety, avoidance, and unhelpful thought patterns that often maintain or worsen sexual difficulties, and is particularly effective when performance anxiety is a significant factor.
• Couples therapy Couples therapy addresses the relational dimensions of sexual dysfunction, including communication difficulties, disconnection, and how each partner's response to the difficulty is affecting the other.
• Psychodynamic therapy Psychodynamic approaches explore the emotional, relational, and developmental roots of sexual difficulty, useful when the origins are connected to earlier experience or attachment patterns.
• Counselling Counselling provides a private, non-judgmental space to begin talking about sexual difficulties and to think through what kind of support would be most useful.

Choosing an approach isn't something you have to do alone. IC's matching can pair you with a therapist whose approach suits your situation. Get matched.

It's Complicated is a therapist-founded mental health platform connecting clients with verified practitioners across Europe and globally, in over 60 languages. We work with over 2,500 vetted therapists, with in-person availability in Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Lisbon, Vienna, and other major cities, alongside online sessions worldwide. It's Complicated is free to use, and you pay your chosen therapist directly at rates they set. Finding a therapist with specific experience in sexual dysfunctions, who will approach the topic without embarrassment or judgement, requires a more careful search than a standard directory allows. Our matching service is built to remove that friction. You complete a short survey, our psychologists combine data-driven insights with human judgement to identify the right therapists for your situation, and you choose from a shortlist of strong candidates. You can also browse our directory directly if you'd prefer to choose yourself. Get matched with a therapist who specialises in sexual dysfunctions, or browse the directory.