What is Psychosexual Therapy?

The Mary Clegg Clinic therapists have a wealth of experience in dealing with the sensitive nature of exploring sexual difficulties and handle this aspect of therapy with great care.

About Psychosexual Therapy

Psychosexual therapy is the process of addressing both sexual and relationship difficulties on either an individual or couple basis. The physical and psychological aspects of the individual or couple are explored using full clinical assessment in order to produce the best possible treatment options.

Some of these problems may be physical like, for men, an inability to achieve an erection or experiencing ejaculation difficulties, orgasm problems or an inability to become aroused, and for women, orgasm difficulties, loss of lubrication and/or painful intercourse. Or they may be psychological, like loss of interest or desire for sex, addiction or obsession with sexual stimuli, sexual violence or abuse or negative and abusive messages from childhood.

Couple Cuddling

Working towards regaining a close relationship

For a clinical diagnosis of any issue, there will be a level of distress to the person and/or that person experiences difficulties with their personal, intimate relationships with their partner. What this means that if it is not a problem to you and it is not a problem to your partner then there is no problem. Others may consider behaviour, illness or disease warrants positive action and may coerce people into therapy. However, all referrals to our service must come from the person or couple who want the therapy to help them resolve their difficulties. We do not accept referrals from family members or friends, however well-intentioned.

Our Methods and International Industry Standard Training

The Mary Clegg Clinic uses the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5 2013 (DSM-5) and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10), a medical classification list by the World Health Organization (WHO). They both contain codes for mental health issues and diseases, signs and symptoms and treatment protocols. They are a universally recognised authority for mental health diagnoses. However we always strive to provide you with the gold standard, evidence-based care and our programmes and treatment options are based on considerable clinical experience and expert supervision to the highest levels. We have outcome measures in place to ensure that your care is monitored and evaluated at every stage.

Please do not self-diagnose. If you think that you may have a problem please discuss with your GP in the first instance or make an appointment to see a therapist at our clinic. There you can be fully assessed and treatment options discussed with you.

Mary Clegg, Clinical Director, Therapist

Mary Clegg our Clinical Director has extensive training and experience working with the physical and psychological aspects of sexual difficulties and has published in books and written peer-reviewed articles on the topic. She is generally recognised as an expert in the clinical management of sexual dysfunction. The Mary Clegg Clinic uses a holistic approach and can coordinate care for Clients with their General Practitioner and other allied healthcare professionals. Using a multidisciplinary approach modelled on the well renowned Porterbook Clinic protocols, the Mary Clegg Clinic is uniquely placed to offer one place to address your sexual problems.

What can the Clinic Offer?

We can work with:

For Men

  • Erectile Dysfunction (ED) – the inability to get and/or maintain an erection suitable for penetration
  • Orgasmic and ejaculatory problems – i.e. too rapid, delayed, absent or painful
  • Peyronies Disease – a bend in the erect penis

For Women

  • Arousal difficulties – the inability to have a lubrication (wetness) or swelling response to sexual stimuli
  • Painful sex
  • Pain in or around the vulva (outer genital region)
  • Vaginismus – a constriction of the entrance to the vagina that prevents penetration
  • Orgasm difficulties – absence or never experiencing, difficulties with or pain during or after

For Both Men and Women

  • Loss of desire for sex, interest or receptivity to sex
  • Compulsive behaviour (sometimes called addiction) to sexual stimuli or pornography
  • Childhood sexual abuse
  • Sexual abuse in relationships
  • Sexual violence
  • Negative childhood messages around sex
  • Paraphilia – the attraction to objects, actions or people to produce sexual arousal. This could include fetishism
    Sexual identity or gender issues
  • Fertility
  • Transgender
  • Cross Dressing – transsexuality
  • Sexuality – orientation. Difficulties with adjusting to your sexual preference. This may be coming out to parents or moving from a heterosexual relationship to a same-sex one.