Sex Therapy
Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH, BHSc, ND is a highly experienced and internationally recognised sex therapist in Sydney. She has both written extensively and spoken professionally on sex therapy and is the author of four books on sex, gender and sexuality diversity.
Visit her comprehensive therapy website for details of her full range of services by clicking the button below:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do you Serve Only heterosexuals?
We provide sex therapy for individuals and those in relationships including people who are heterosexual, gay or same-sex attracted, bisexual, sex and/or gender diverse including people who are intersex, transexed, transsexual, transgendered, androgynous, without sex and gender identity, cross-dressers and people with sex and gender culturally specific differences.
Who is a Professional Sex Therapist in Sydney?
Sex therapists are specialists dealing with issues around sex. They come to this speciality from different directions. They may be medical doctors who have an interest in sexual health, naturopaths who have specialised in sex-related issues, nurses with experience in sexual health, counsellors, hypnotherapists, psychotherapists, psychologists or psychiatrists with special training in sexual health.
Each speciality and sub-specialty brings its own benefits to the healing and evolvement around a person’s sexual health issues. Sexual health professionals gather experience in particular areas of their practice over the years.
Where Can I Find Sex Therapy in Sydney?
The Australian Society of Sex Educators, Researchers, and Therapists (ASSERT), NSW, keeps a register of therapists it has vetted and considers sufficiently experienced in the field of sex therapy. Dr Tracie DCH has been on this register for many years.
The sex therapy offered at the Australian Health and Education Centre in Sydney takes place in a comfortable, private, confidential environment where you may get help with your sexual health issues. It is conveniently located close to public transport and has good local parking available.
How Do I Know if the Sex Therapist is Qualified?
As mentioned above, recognised sex therapists in Sydney will belong to ASSERT and have been vetted for their qualifications and experience by the ASSERT, NSW, board, which Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH has been.
She is a qualified naturopath with a degree in complementary medicine and a member of the Australian Register of Naturopaths and Herbalists (ARONAH).
She is also a trained psychotherapist and psychosexual therapist and on the Australian Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (ARCAP). Again, the board vets each registrant’s qualifications and it takes several years to qualify to get on the register in the first place. In addition, each year registrants have to prove further education and constant professional supervision.
What is Sex Therapy?
During the consultation at our clinic the first thing we do is take a full physical medical history. This is imperative as often people’s sexual difficulties can be traced back to medical conditions, diseases or disorders so these must be screened in order to take a scientific approach.
At the same time Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH is asking you questions about your psychological state of mind and taking any psychological history that may be pertinent to the sexual issues with which you seek help.
Again it is so important to screen you for any signs and symptoms that may point us in the direction of how to help you.
Only after we have taken a full history and done any examinations, which may include blood tests, will we begin to devise any necessary treatment plans required. In some cases we may even suggest other professionals working in a multi-disciplinary team approach.
Is There Couples Sex Therapy?
You can either see a sex therapist on your own or come along as part of a couple. Sometimes we may actually ask that all partners in the relationship attend the sex therapy sessions. This is because the problem that exists may be part of the couple’s relationship dynamics.
Couples sex therapy is also very good because it helps partners both be part of the solution. We want each person in the relationship to feel comfortable with the therapy and that the therapy is not just working for the individual but also for the relationship.
What Can Sex Therapy Help Me With?
At the Australian Health and Education Centre you can get help with sexual health issues in many different ways.
Since we are naturopaths we always look at the possibility of a natural medicine way of sexual healing first. We may prescribe naturopathic solutions and changes in your lifestyle to help your body and mind work better.
In more serious cases we may work with endocrinologist and surgeons to make the necessary changes to help you become sexually functional.
Where the problem is psychosomatic we provide psychotherapeutic services.
You can get help with*:
Anorgasmia
Both women and men can suffer from a failure to reach orgasm. Predominately this affects women but men can also experience these symptoms. The cause can be physical or psychosomatic and may require investigation of physical symptoms.
Part of treating this condition is teaching the individual to create the circumstances in which she is excited enough and stimulated enough to orgasm, psychosexual therapy and in some cases working with other professionals including the administration of medication.
Vaginismus
Vaginismus is when vaginal entry is not possible or very difficult and painful. Many women experience vaginismus at different times of their lives and it is very common. It can occur before or at the start of sexual intercourse.
This may be due to physical or psychosomatic reasons. Part of therapy is finding out why it is happening so we can help you move forward. In some cases we may work with other professionals to help you achieve your goal of comfortable vaginal penetration.
Premature Ejaculation
This is when a male has problems controlling ejaculation and the ejaculation occurs very early after the penis is stimulated. We treat this both physically and psychosexually as there may be different causes as to why it is happening. We must look at all possible causes in order to decide how to treat you.
Premature ejaculation can occur as both primary and secondary. Primary means that it begins in puberty and the male has always experienced the problem. Secondary means that at one time the male had good ejaculation control but the premature ejaculation began after puberty.
Retarded Ejaculation – Delayed Ejaculation
Retarded ejaculation (also called delayed ejaculation) is when a male has problems orgasming and ejaculating. Perhaps they are unable to ejaculate or must have sex for a very long time to ejaculate. At times this can cause distress and problems in a relationship.
If you are single we will treat you alone but if you are in a relationship we may ask for the partner to attend the session in order to help you work together during sex to increase ejaculation stimulation. How this is treated depends on the presenting signs and symptoms of the individual – every client is different and we tailor each treatment to you.
Sex, Gender and Sexuality Issues
Sex and/or gender diverse (SGD) people come from differing groups. They may experience the physical difference of being intersex, not strictly male or female.
People can identify as transsexual, transgendered, transexed, or androgynous. Some people may even identify as having no sex or gender at all. Other people are what are referred to as cross-dressers or transvestites.
In different cultures sex and gender may be viewed differently within the society and there may be no English equivalent for those descriptions.
This is an area in which Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH is an internationally recognised specialist. She has presented at the World Sexology Conference and is the author of four books on the subject in addition to many articles and papers.
We further help people around issues of sexual identity who may experience being gay, lesbian, bisexual, polyamorous or simply exploring their sexuality and may need guidance on how to go forward and best deal with their relationships and families.
Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH has experience of working in this area for more than 40 years.
*Many factors will be important in determining your actual results and no guarantees are made that you will achieve results similar to anyone else’s. Because of the nature of therapy and the requirement on the part of each individual entering therapy to actively engage in the session and to carry out any additional recommendations outside the session, no guarantees can be made of results.
Where Can I Get Infertility Treatment in Sydney?
One in five couples has trouble when trying to have a child. There are many reasons for infertility including genetics, hormonal imbalance, health problems, low organ function, low sperm count, nervous womb, toxicity exposure, iatrogenic infertility (caused by medical procedures and drugs), stress-induced infertility and psychosomatic infertility.
We help you go through the health checks and work out where the problem may lie so we can initiate treatment and work in co-ordination with other professionals to improve your fertility. We also do not just work with the mother but both parents to increase fertility.
Where Can I Get Rape Counselling in Sydney?
Many women may experience rape during their lifetime. We provide a safe, private environment in which you can begin to deal with those issues to help you get your life back together.
Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH has extensive experience in trauma counselling and is the author of the Amazon number 1 best selling book Inspiration for Survive and Prosper: Personal Transformation Out of Crisis.
We provide the kind of rape counselling that helps you once again a re-empower yourself as a woman of strength. We know that sometimes some women are raped and never deal with those issues for years and we provide a therapeutic space for you to deal with those issues when you are ready.
Where Can I Get Sexual Assault Counselling in Sydney?
We provide sexual assault counselling in Sydney which includes recovery from male and anal rape, unwanted sexual advances, sexual harassment, sexual abuse and long-term consequences of incest and child abuse. Since Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH is also a trauma specialist, she helps you manage post-traumatic stress due to earlier sexual abuse.
In cases where sexual assault results in legal cases we are also able to provide case reports and expert witness testimony for court cases in coordination with your legal team. This follows a strict procedural process as laid down by the court and can only be provided on request from your solicitor.
Do You Provide Sexual Addiction Counselling?
Many people consult us with regards to sexual addiction counselling. This may include addiction to pornography, internet pornography, chronic adultery, having secret affairs outside your relationship, paraphilia (attraction to objects), voyeurism, sexually harassing behaviour, persistent sexual behaviour in public and unwanted family sexual attractions.
Since Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH is also a specialist in habit breaking and overcoming addictions as well as a sex therapist, these issues fall very clearly in our area of expertise. We offer therapy when the sexual behavioor has got out of control and is disturbing or threatening to disturb your life.
Can I Get Help With My Partner’s and My Mis-Matched Sexual Libido?
Everyone’s desire and need for sex is different. Sometimes your partner in the relationship will want more sex than you and vice versa. This can be for many reasons including differing sexual desire fluctuating hormones, disability, disease, ageing, different attitudes to sex, stress and a different cultural upbringing. This can cause friction and disharmony in the relationship.
These issues need to be addressed because if they are not they can give rise to repressed anger and resentment which can derail the relationship and even at times lead to divorce and irreconcilable differences. You and your partner can benefit from psychosexual counselling to help you renegotiate the relationship and find solutions to the situation.
Do You Help With Sex Education?
We absolutely do help with sex education. Sometimes schools and parents neglect to give good sexual education to the young so they are left mystified about how to have good sex and good sexual conduct. This can be frightening and demoralising.
Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH has an encyclopaedic knowledge about sex, sexual behaviour and the joys of sex. She is passionate that everyone, young and old, should have good knowledge and confidence around sexual behaviours and experiences.
Will My Health Insurance Cover Sex Therapy?
This depends on the kind of health insurance you have. There are many different health funds and thousands of different kinds of policies. Also it depends on whether you have used up your credits with your health funds during the allowed year.
If you can claim for counselling, naturopathy or hypnotherapy (if we use hypnosis – see our health funds page), you may be able to get a rebate from your health fund, depending on your policy.
Everything we do is from a naturopathic perspective, so most people claim through naturopathy.
To book your sex therapy appointment with Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH, call us now.
