What You Can Expect From Sex Therapy

with Dr. Adams and Dr. Avery-Clark 

AREAS OF FOCUS

There are several reasons that may prompt you to want to enhance intimacy in your life. There may have been a prolonged period of time during which sex and/or the relationship has taken a back seat to other events in your life, such as having very young children, career pressures, prolonged illness, etc.  Or it may be that after having resolved relationship difficulties you now want to reactivate intimacy in your life and further solidify your marriage or relationship.

You and your partner may have recovered from a difficult emotional period in your or their lives (e.g. depression, anxiety, sexual trauma, a prior abusive relationship, substance abuse, etc.) and are now able to focus attention on re-establishing intimacy in your relationship. Or you may also be somewhat confused about sexuality and intimacy and may need a few sessions of consultation in order to gain a clearer perspective and obtain more realistic information. 

Sometimes people have difficulties that involve compulsive and potentially self-destructive sexual behavior patterns or have inappropriate sexual attractions or desires.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

You can expect that you will be very actively involved in your counseling effort.  Your first session will be a consultation with Dr. Adams or Dr. Avery-Clark during which the reasons for counseling will be assessed and goals may be established.  Clinical surveys will be given to you to complete.  The second session will usually be devoted to history taking.  The third and following sessions will typically be devoted to accomplishing your goals.  You will find that achieving your goals is a collaborative effort with your therapist(s).  You will be given homework assignments consisting of readings and/or activities, and you will be asked for feedback on your experience.  This will allow for continued updating of your progress and the effectiveness of the intervention strategies. It should be noted that the clinical services provided DO NOT under any circumstance involve physical contact or observation of physical contact between partners by the therapists. 

Dr. Adams’s and Dr. Avery-Clark’s treatment program is usually short term and more rapid than traditional approaches.  However, circumstances can alter the timetable of the approach.  Factors such as a medical condition, an emotional disturbance or other psychological stressor, or ambivalence about treatment may result in a longer treatment process.  If medical factors are suspected, a consultation with an urologist or gynecologist may be suggested.  

HOW YOU MAY BENEFIT

The potential benefits from consultation or counseling with Dr. Adams and Dr. Avery-Clark are the following:

1. You will be provided with a better understanding of and a different perspective on human sexuality and intimacy that will enable you to make more knowledgeable decisions;

2. You will develop the ability to achieve your goals in the areas of enhancing sexuality and intimacy in your life and/or learning techniques to reverse an area of sexual or relationship distress; and

3. Once you experience success you will have life long tools and knowledge that will enable you to tackle these problems and accomplish your goals on your own or with minimal additional assistance.

Dr. Adams’s and Dr. Avery-Clark’s treatment approach has been very successful with many couples.  However, the techniques and strategies utilized by Drs. Adams and Avery-Clark may not be the most effective approach for every couple.  Usually couples are able to determine whether treatment is producing the results they desire within the first three working visits following the initial assessment phase.

Sometimes it is necessary for treatment of other individual problems (e.g. alcoholism, drug addiction, depression, anger management, etc.) to come before sex therapy. Sometimes it is necessary for one or both partners to have several individual sessions in order to focus on his or her own personal problems or commitment issues before proceeding with sex therapy. Most sexual difficulties are amenable to the short-term treatment program offered by Dr. Adams and Dr. Avery-Clark. 

Dr. Adams and Dr. Avery-Clark were both trained as sex therapists at the renowned Masters & Johnson Institute, and they are both Ph.D. Clinical Psychologists licensed by the state of Florida. Dr. Adams or Dr. Avery-Clark can be reached by email at drs4intimacy@msn.com or by phone at (954)227-2700 or (561) 347-0997.