Sexual
Communication

Sex is a natural human need. It’s also a very sensitive topic!
 

Many of us were raised with feelings of guilt and shame around the issue of sexuality. Our family’s culture – particularly with respect to ethnicity and spirituality/religion – may have had strong values, traditions, and/or taboos about what was appropriate when talking about sex and sexuality, so we may or may not have gotten much useful information about sex in our family of origin.

Some parents feel they aren’t knowledgeable enough to speak to their children about sexual matters. Others are too embarrassed to even bring up the subject, or they’re afraid that bringing it up will encourage their children to have sex sooner. Many discussions end with, “Just wait until you’re married!”  

But most of us don’t wait. Most of us start having sex in our teens or twenties. But, just because we’re having sex doesn’t mean we’ve learned how to talk about it. In fact, whether we’ve "saved ourselves” for marriage or not, by the time we do get married or have a partner, most of us still have no idea how to talk about sex in an open, loving, honest way.  No wonder then, that many of us have difficulty talking about sex – even with our partners – which makes addressing sexual issues nearly impossible. 

If you feel too embarrassed or ashamed to ask for what you want (or don’t want) sexually, your chances of getting it are slim, indeed! And while sex isn’t “everything" in a relationship, it is an important form of loving expression between partners and deserves as much attention as any other form of communication. 

If you and your partner(s) have trouble talking about sex, counseling can help you develop the necessary trust and confidence to discuss sexuality and intimacy in an open, loving way, so that you can enjoy the fulfillment you deserve.