Sex Therapy via Telehealth

I began offering telehealth therapy sessions via Zoom at the beginning of the pandemic. For many clients, being in close proximity to their partners over extended periods of time either created new challenges or brought longer term issues that had been lingering into sharper focus. Not surprisingly, mental health therapy in general and sex therapy in particular, were in high demand. As a an admitted non-techie person and having provided only face to face therapy for more than twenty years, I was hesitant to adapt to telehealth and quite frankly, a bit skeptical.

However, I quickly recognized the benefits of online therapy for my clients. First, there is a tremendous convenience to being able to log in and have a therapy session from almost anywhere. Clients no longer had to take time off from work, drive across town and sit in the waiting room before being seen for therapy when they could instead be seen instantly at a click of a button. I also began seeing clients from all over Texas. Prior to the pandemic, I had a few clients who would drive in from Corpus Christi or Austin, but now I am seeing clients from Dallas, Houston, El Paso, Laredo and rural Texas as well.

Perhaps even more important than the convenience, I soon realized that my clients were typically more relaxed being in a setting in which they were familiar and comfortable. My office setting was designed intentionally to put clients at ease, but not surprisingly, people feel more at home when they are actually “at home.” In sex therapy in particular, the discussion topics can be intensely personal and people may be hesitant to be vulnerable. I found that my clients are more easily able to engage and less reluctant in online therapy sessions.

How online therapy works: I use Zoom for therapy sessions. Zoom is HIPAA-compliant, confidential, and for the those unfamiliar with it, very straightforward and easy to use. You can download the Zoom app in the App Store or on Google Play. The night before your appointment, I will send a link for the Zoom appointment via text and you can join directly through your smartphone. Alternatively, you can join the Zoom appointment from your computer or tablet.