Sexual Self-Help Usually Works

Self-help books and videos help more than half of those who try them.

• There are only a few thousand sex therapists and coaches in the U.S., and their services cost more than many can afford.
• Sexual self-help approaches typically help more than half of those who try them.
• Around 30 percent of sexual issues remain largely untreatable because of severe medical conditions or psychological challenges

I have tremendous respect for most sex therapists, but not all—particularly those who malign sexual self-help. Some years ago, at a meeting of the nation’s largest sexuality organization, I attended a panel discussion on the pros and cons of self-help. One panelist, a distinguished sex therapist, dismissed it as totally ineffective: “I have a steady parade of new clients who tell me self-help didn’t work for them.”
Well, duh. When self-help works, people have no reason to consult sex therapists. In addition to being myopic, this therapist had also failed to keep up with the research. Many studies show that self-help approaches—books (“bibliotherapy”) and/or videos—usually improve lovemaking and sexual satisfaction.
Sexual Self-Help Usually Works