Sex Education & Sex Therapy: Support for Sexual Functioning
“Those at too great a distance may mistake ignorance for perspective.”
How did you learn about sex?
Most of us primarily had school-based sex education as a result of concerns about non-marital adolescent pregnancy in the 1960s and the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the 1980s. School and community-based sex ed programs in the late 1980s improved until the late 1990s.
In the late 1990s, the U.S. government adopted the abstinence-only until-marriage sex (AOUM) model as the primary method of sex education. The first dedicated federal funding stream for the evaluation of adolescent sexual health programs wasn’t established until 2010.
Today, evidence-based comprehensive sex education (CSE) is the most effective form of sex education. Unfortunately, sociocultural and political systems barriers often prevent CSE.
Current U.S. Adolescent Sex Education
From 2011 to 2013, more than 80% of adolescents aged 15-19 had received formal instruction about STDs, HIV, and AIDS or how to say no to sex. In contrast, only 55% of young men and 60% of young women had received formal instruction about methods of birth control.
From 2006-2010 and 2011-2013, the share of adolescents aged 15-19 who had received formal instruction about how to say no to sex but had received no education about birth control methods increased from 22% to 28% among females and from 29% to 35% among males.
From 2011 to 2013, only 50% of females and 58% of males aged 15-19 reported receiving formal instruction about using a condom.
As of 2015, fewer than six percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students aged 13–21 reported that their health classes had included positive representations of LGBT-related topics.
Overall, research has shown that there is a decrease in the type and amount of sex education that adolescents are receiving today than in years past.
Effectiveness of Sex Education Programs
Leading public health and medical professional organizations support comprehensive sex education. Evidence shows that sex education that includes information about contraception and abstinence helps young people to delay sex, have healthy relationships, and avoid STDs or unintended pregnancies when they do become sexually active.
These programs have not only resulted in delayed sexual debut, but also reduced frequency of sex and number of sexual partners, increased condom or contraceptive use, or reduced sexual risk-taking.
Abstinence-only-until-marriage programs threaten fundamental human rights by withholding information about human sexuality and potentially providing medically inaccurate and stigmatizing information. Programs that promote abstinence-only-until-marriage have been described as "scientifically and ethically problematic."
A large body of research has found no evidence that providing young people with sexual and reproductive health information and education results in increased sexual risk-taking.
How is sexual health defined?
“A state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination, and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected, and fulfilled. ”
Human Sexual Rights
The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) developed the following list of rights that are sexual rights for all people from all walks of life. As you read this list, consider if you have access to your sexual rights.
The right to equality and non-discrimination — there is no distinction of sexual rights based on race, sex, age, etc.
The right to life, liberty, and security of the person — that the right to life and security cannot be taken away or threatened for any sexual reasons, including sexual orientation, gender identity, etc.
The right to autonomy and bodily integrity — everyone has the right to make their own choices about how they engage in sex, with whom, and how they use their bodies given informed consent.
The right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment — including harmful traditional practices, forced sterilization, or other forms of torture for any reason related to sex.
The right to be free from violence and coercion — including rape, sexual abuse, bullying, etc.
The right to privacy — including consensual sexual relations and practices.
The right to the highest attainable standard of health, including sexual health, with the possibility of pleasurable, satisfying, and safe sexual experiences — this includes having access to quality sexual health services.
The right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its application.
The right to information — this includes not censoring or misrepresentation of accurate sexual health information.
The right to education and the right to comprehensive sexuality education — education must be age appropriate, scientifically accurate, culturally competent, and grounded in human rights.
The right to enter, form, and dissolve marriage and other similar types of relationships on equality and full and free consent — this includes the right to choose whether to marry and to end a relationship.
The right to decide whether to have children, the number and spacing of children, and to have the information and means to do so.
The right to the freedom of thought, opinion and expression — the right to express your sexuality through appearance, communication and behavior with due respect to others.
The right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly — this includes the right to demonstrate and advocate about sexual health and rights.
The right to participation in public and political life — this includes participation in political discourse that includes sexual welfare and health.
The right to access to justice, remedies, and redress — this includes seeking justice for violations of sexual rights.
Seek Sex Therapy With a Qualified Professional
If you have a sexual health concern, it is important to receive care from a knowledgeable and credentialed professional.
Certified sex therapists are licensed mental health professionals, trained to provide in-depth psychotherapy, who have specialized in treating clients with sexual issues and concerns.
We work with simple sexual concerns and also provide comprehensive and intensive psychotherapy. If you are seeking therapy or counseling for sexual health concerns, it is best to be seen by someone with advanced training and credentials in sex therapy from the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT). Some providers may advertise for providing sex therapy services, but without adequate training, you may not receive science-based and accurate information or clinical interventions.
At Kimberly Keiser and Associates, our team of experienced therapists has an understanding of socio-cultural and familial factors concerning sexual values and behaviors and Kimberly Keiser is an AASECT-certified sex therapist.
The core knowledge areas sex therapists have consist of:
Ethics and ethical behavior
Developmental sexuality from a bio-psycho-social perspective
Issues related to sexual orientation and/or gender identity
Intimacy skills (e.g., social, emotional, sexual), intimate relationships, interpersonal relationships and family dynamics
Diversities in sexual expression and lifestyles, including, but not limited to polyamory, swinging, BDSM and tantra
Sexual and reproductive anatomy/physiology
Health/medical factors that may influence sexuality
Sexual exploitation, including sexual abuse, sexual harassment and sexual assault
Cyber sexuality and social media
Substance use/abuse and sexuality
Pleasure enhancement skills
History of the discipline of sex research, theory, education, counseling and therapy
Principles of sexuality research and research methods
Our team works with a wide range of sexual functioning and dysfunction including things like desire discrepancy, lack of desire, difficulty achieving or maintaining arousal, sexual pain, penetration problems, and difficulty with orgasm. When you consider how you learned about sex, the changing sociopolitical environment that impacts your access to comprehensive sexuality education, and the knowledge and freedom you have to exercise your sexual rights, you can see that achieving sexual health can be complex. Seeking a qualified sexual health professional can help facilitate your journey to sexual pleasure and health.
When you’re ready to take the next step for your sexual health, our team is here to help.