VAGINISMUS
Vaginismus is a very common condition that can affect any woman of any age, with studies suggesting that around 1 in 10 British women find sex painful. Not only is vaginismus painful, it can hugely affect a woman’s self-esteem and relationships.
There is support out there for conditions such as vaginismus and vulval pain and a vaginismus psychosexual therapist can help with treating this problem.
“Psychosexual therapists are experts in dealing with vaginismus, with therapy very successful in helping to overcome the issue”
WHAT IS VAGINISMUS?
Vaginismus is a sexual problem affecting women. It makes penetration very difficult, if not extremely painful, for many women. Inserting tampons or attending gynaecological examinations may also be very difficult. It can be present from when a woman first attempts penetration or develop at a later stage in their sex life.
Vaginismus is an emotional and psychological condition which causes physical symptoms; the involuntary contraction or clamping of the muscles in the entrance of the vagina. The pain it causes is most definitely real and is often described as burning, searing or incredibly painful. Partners may describe it as hitting a wall. Many people struggle with years of suffering or avoiding intimacy and sex before discussing their pain with a vaginismus therapist.
WHAT ARE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CAUSES OF VAGINISMUS?
The causes of vaginismus are psychological, although it manifests as a very real and often incredibly painful physical condition. Due to this, psychosexual therapy for vaginismus can often help. The psychological causes that create vaginismus can vary from person to person and can include:
Fear of penetration
Anticipating pain
Fear of pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections
Lack of arousal
Relationship issues
Low sexual confidence or poor self-image
Previous sexual trauma
Prior invasive medical examinations
Previous medical conditions of the vulva or vagina
HOW DOES THERAPY FOR VAGINISMUS WORK?
Psychosexual therapists are experts in dealing with vaginismus and vaginismus therapy is very successful in helping to overcome the issue. Through non-invasive talking therapy sessions, your therapist will seek to understand the cause while working through a number of tools and techniques including mindful self-focus exercises and the use of lubricants, dilators and other aids. The aim is to use these tools to enable positive sexual experiences.
Couples therapy can also be important to enable the partners of women suffering from vaginismus to understand the condition. Many clients have been able to overcome vaginismus through therapy in order to experience comfortable and enjoyable sexual intercourse within their relationship.
ONLINE THERAPY FOR VAGINISMUS
We offer counselling for vaginismus in London, Beaconsfield, and Kent as well as online sessions via Telehealth or Zoom throughout the UK. Online vaginismus therapy can help you to develop a better understanding of the psychological causes of vaginismus. Both online and face-to-face sex therapy for vaginismus sessions can be undertaken on an individual basis, or as a couple.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
The cost of vaginismus therapy varies according to the location and the length of the session. Online vaginismus counselling sessions start from £50 for an appointment with a therapist in training or from £80 for an online appointment with a qualified therapist. The price of in-person psychosexual therapy starts at £65 for a 50-minute session with a therapist in training and £90 for a qualified therapist.
BUILD
CONFIDENCE
Confidence grows with nurture, while psychosexual therapy provides the environment for that growth to take place. It enables self-exploration, understanding, gaining new tools and looking through different lenses to promote a positive relationship with self and the things that matter.
TALK IT
THROUGH
Bottled up thoughts, worries and distress impact our wellness. As we start to talk, we start the journey to make sense of what is happening. It helps to do that with someone who has the resources and training to support us on our way.
MOVE
FORWARD
The first step of moving forward is understanding what is holding you back. The next is getting to a place where you can let go of it and reach out to what lies ahead. Exploration and healing take you from one to the other.
GETTING STARTED
It’s really easy to get started, all you need to do is submit a self-referral through this website and we will match you with the right therapist for your particular needs.
The price you pay will be dependant upon the type of therapy you need, the psychosexual therapist that you are matched with, and the length of the therapy session.
A self-referral is a no-obligation request, we will provide you with all the information you need to know to make a decision and proceed.
FAQs
Many women can struggle for some time before getting a vaginismus diagnosis due to a GP not seeing the psychological causes of the pain but noticing that you struggle with an internal exam. You may have medical conditions dismissed but still struggle with the pain and not understand the causes of it.
The symptoms of vaginismus typically include experiencing pain when you try to insert a tampon, involuntary muscle contractions of the vaginal muscles when attempting sexual penetration, difficulty achieving penetration, or experiencing pain when undergoing a vaginal examination like a smear test.
Vaginismus is caused by the involuntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles which obstruct the vagina by making it tighter. While it is encouraged to keep these strong so that they are working as they should, we need them to relax when attempting sexual penetration. If the muscles are clenched or contracted, then the vagina tightens and makes it hard for a penis or sex toy to pass through. It is this attempt to push through the muscle that causes the pain associated with vaginismus.
The length of time to cure vaginismus varies and is linked to someone’s desire to overcome their sexual pain. If you’re keen to overcome the difficulty for yourself this can make the treatment process quicker. It usually takes a minimum of 8 to 10 sessions with a vaginismus psychosexual therapist, although for some it can take longer.