to the YourTango newsletter!

Continue to Site »»

ProConnect

Get back the sexual intimacy in your relationship

By . Posted on .

Get back the sexual intimacy in your relationship
Sexual intimacy is the foundation of making love rather than just having sex

Marriage is a partnership and that includes making each other happy sexually, not by having sex but by creating sexual intimacy. Anyone can have sex or perform the act of intercourse, but sexual intimacy is another aspect that is often over looked.

As a clinical sexologist and marriage counselor that is the area of marriage that I help couples to improve upon. Once the sexual intimacy is brought back into the marriage, the couple will feel a renewed sense of closeness in the relationship.

More from YourTango: Love, Sex, & Pheromones: Who's Your True Biological Match?

Many times couples don't even realize that the intimacy is missing or perhaps they never had it to begin with. One way that I help my clients is to begin with touching each other in an intimate non-sexual way. This first exercise helps me as the counselor to understand where the couple is in their marriage and what needs to be the focus of healing. Couples can speak or talk about the marriage until they are blue in the face,but the true test is can they look at each other without talking and touch each others faces in an intimate way. Often times asking the couple to preform this simple exercise brings up emotions that they had no idea were at the core of the problems in the marriage. Some couples when asked to do this simple exercise with their spouse found it almost impossible.

Sexual intimacy is not based on male or female emotion, as a woman wanting it more than a man, it is a human necessity to be held, kissed, rubbed and touched in an intimate loving way. Sexual intimacy is the foundation of making love rather than having sex. Couples can be in a marriage for years and have sex but lack intimate sex.

How can this problem be resolved?

More from YourTango: The Link Between Postpartum Depression And Your Sex Drive

When I counsel couples we are active in creating a new marriage, one based on intimate exchange. I ask them to do home assignments involving intimacy in the marriage and then we talk about it. As the couples progress with their home assignments, they learn new aspects about each other, emotionally an physically. They learn to communite with one another surrounding sex, and this leads to open discussion in other areas of the marriage.

The transformation is a wonderful experience and the couples learn that sex can be fun, sexy, intimate and a wonderful part of the marriage. As my motto goes "Everyone deserves to have a healthy sex life!", but it does take a commitment to make it work.
 

Article contributed by
Advanced Member

Dawn Michael

Author

Dawn Michael M.A.

Location: Westlake Village, CA
Credentials: MA, MC
Other Articles/News by Dawn Michael:

Love, Sex, & Pheromones: Who's Your True Biological Match?

By

Sexual scent has been studied time and time again. It has been proven that a woman's keen sense of smell can attract a mate—but most relationships and marriages are not true biological matches. A woman's body will react to a man's pheromones if he's a true biological match for her. Her genitals will become moist, and blood will rush ... Read more

The Link Between Postpartum Depression And Your Sex Drive

By

Many studies have been done on postpartum depression, with some of them having linked it to pre-pregnancy depression and/or to stress from outside factors such as relationship conflicts. A recent study that was published in The Journal of the American Medical Association involved the screening of 10,000 new mothers over four years, ending in 2011. Nearly ... Read more

How A Sex Therapist Can Save Your Marriage

By

Marriage counseling is a great way to help resolve issues in the marriage but often falls short of getting into some of the more complicated sexual issues that couples may have. Sex therapist are trained to help with solutions for couples who are seeking help with sexual or intimate related issues in the relationship. Often times it may be difficult for a ... Read more

See More

Recent Expert Posts
Smooch

Does Length Matter When Dating

Does the length of time dating before marrying have a significant impact on the success of your...

Imagine

Change Of Heart: Now She Wants Him Back

There's a reason you broke up with your ex. Is there really any benefit to taking a step backwards?

Smooch

Three Realities you Must Accept in a Healthy, Happy Relationship

If you do not understand and accept these realities, then you cannot have a healthy relationship.

Ask The Experts

Have a dating or relationship question?
Visit Ask YourTango and let our experts and community answer.

Resources
How to find the right pro for you
10 Reasons Mental Health Pros Should Join YourTango Experts

10 Reasons Mental Health Pros Should Join YourTango Experts

YourTango Experts can help your business go from good to great.

10 Steps To Improve Your Coaching Business

Take your coaching business from mediocre to great in no time…

Frequently Asked Questions About YourTango Experts

Thinking of joining? Here's all the facts you need to know to make the most of your membership.

Getting Your Guy To Join You In A Therapy Or Coaching Session

So how can your get your strong, self-reliant, superman to talk to an Expert with you?

Therapist/Counselors: Who We Are & What We Do

What exactly does a therapist/counselor do and can they really help?

See more resources>
HOT STUFF!
FROM OUR PARTNERS