September 4 is the World Sexual Health Day. And obviously, it is the right moment to talk about a specialty that is still quite unknown or misunderstood: sexology.
Back to basic: What is sexology?
Sexology is a therapeutic approach that supports people through difficulties related to sexuality, pain, desire, or intimacy.
The first important point to remember: it is not limited to couple life. It also concerns (and maybe above all?) the relationship you have with your own body, your own sexuality.
The goal is for the clinical sexologist to work on the physical, emotional, and relational dimensions of your sexual health. Without judgment, without taboo, and always starting from what you are experiencing.
Sexologist vs. clinical sexologist: is there a difference?
This is a question that we even asked ourselves while writing this article with Dr. Louise Lempereur.
In Belgium, the title of "sexologist" is not legally protected which means that, in theory, anyone could use it... Not cool.
So what matters is the training: a serious clinical sexologist will have completed a recognized certified training program, in particular through the SSUB (Société des sexologues universitaires belges).
Steps are underway to better protect this title, but in the meantime, it is important to verify the credentials of the person you are consulting.
Something else that's really interesting is that depending on their core training, a sexologist can have very different approaches:
A psycho-sexologist will work on desire, emotions, relational dynamics, and trauma.
A medical sexologist will combine medical follow-up with sexological support.
A physiotherapist-sexologist will specialized in physical pain, the pelvic floor, and muscular tension.
A midwife-sexologist could be particularly relevant for the postpartum period, menopause, and hormonal transitions.
Who is it for?
First of all: if you are experiencing pain or symptoms, it is always better to speak with your GP or gynaecologist first to exclude any medical origin such as bacterial ... And yes, sometimes the two might be connected and this is where mixed profiles such as medical sexologist or physiotherapist-sexologist make complete sense (yay!)
Because sometimes we do love very pragmatic responses, you might want to benefit from a specific type of support if you are living with:
- Painful intercourse (dyspareunia)
- Vaginismus or involuntary spasms
- A drop in or absence of desire that is weighing on you
- A sex life impacted by endometriosis, PMOS, menopause, or the postpartum period
- A feeling of disconnection from your body after trauma or illness
- Difficulties communicating about intimacy with your partner
Your support, as you can see, can go quite further than the usual "couples counseling." What you're gonna work here is more about rebuilding confidence, reconnecting with yourself, and sometimes reconstructing a relationship with pleasure. One step at a time. At your own pace.
⚠️ A non-negotiable reminder
Every consultation, whatever the approach, must take place with full respect for your consent. You have the right to ask questions before you begin, to refuse to answer, to stop at any time, and of course to change practitioners if you do not feel comfortable. No good therapeutic practice should put you under pressure.
And what about Fâmme?
Finding a sexologist who specialises in women's health was not something I thought naturally. i didn't know about it. But by talking with specialist and women in pain I quickly understood how important it can be for some people who are living through constant pain. And therefor, through the platform, you will start finding the the right practitioners, matched to what you are actually going through. You can scroll a bit and find the professionals could help you.
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