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As a clinical sexologist, I (Dr. Heather Howard) help individuals and couples address a wide range of sexual concerns, including the following:
- Feeling abnormal (in terms of sexual behavior, fantasy, capability, physique, etc.)
- Feeling uninformed or misinformed about sex
- Feeling inexperienced
- Feeling unskilled
- Feeling ashamed of sexuality or sexual desires ("sexual shame")
- Feeling negative about one's body ("negative body image")
- Discrepant desires between/ among partners
- Sexual orientation identity (straight, gay, bisexual, etc.)
- Sexual relationship structure (monogamous, polyamorous, polysexual, open, swinging, etc.)
- Infidelity
- Negotiating kinky relationships
- Gender identity
- Lack of or reduced desire or arousal
- Difficulty maintaining arousal
- Erectile difficulty
- Difficulty reaching orgasm
- Ejaculatory control difficulties
- Fear of or aversion to touch, intimacy, penetration or pain
- Unconsummated marriages or relationships
- Difficulty identifying satisfying activities for both partners
- Difficulty communicating sexual needs and desires
- Lack of intimacy
- Sexual trauma or sexual abuse history
- Finding and negotiating satisfying sexual activities and positions following surgery or a health crisis
- Finding and negotiating satisfying sexual activities and positions with chronic health challenges or limited mobility/ physical disability
- Sexual compulsion
- Seeking resources (including finding like-minded people)
Because of my experience with managing my own pelvic pain condition as well as my research in pelvic pain, I am uniquely qualified to work with clients who have been diagnosed with the following pelvic and sexual pain conditions (please visit the About Pelvic Pain page for further details about these conditions and the relationship between sex and chronic pain):
- Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome
- Dyspareunia
- Anodyspareunia
- Endometriosis
- Female Sexual Dysfunction
- Hypertonic Pelvic Floor Dysfunction / High-tone Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
- Interstitial Cystitis / Bladder Pain Syndrome
- Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
- Peyronie's Disease
- Pudendal Neuralgia
- Vaginismus
- Vulvar Vestibulitis / Vestibulodynia
- Vulvodynia
I also offer sex education and sexual enrichment programs for individuals and couples who would like to improve or enhance their sexual relationships. Some common goals include recapturing lost sensuality, adjusting sexually to life changes such as health challenges or childbirth, and becoming comfortable with one's own or a partner's sexuality.
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