Sex & Cancer

Are you struggling with the following:

– “I am recovering from prostate cancer and struggling to make intimacy work again.”

– “I am recovering from breast cancer and struggling to make intimacy work again.”

CAN SEX THERAPY HELP? 

Yes!!!

• We help with Prostate Cancer Recovery – helping men and their partners reclaim a new sexual intimacy after cancer and subsequent treatments

• We help with Breast Cancer and Recovery – helping women and their partners reclaim a new sexual intimacy after cancer and subsequent treatments

  

Many people with cancer, or post-cancer/remission, experience disruptions to sex and intimacy. This can include erectile issues, decreased sexual desire, pain with intercourse, fatigue, and body image issues.

According to the Lance Armstrong Foundation 2010 survey, 70% of cancer survivors report sexual function as one of the top common concerns. And this is only from those who report.

To add to this, our social script pertaining to sex is particularly harmful for the cancer survivor. “Normal” sex is socially constructed as (hetero-normative) penetrative sex. This social script is maintained by our understanding of the strong, long-lasting erection as a symbol of masculinity. Anything outside this paradigm does not count as “real sex”.

This social script is precarious for anyone trying to establish intimacy beyond just the genital performance. To cancer survivors and their partners, this script is dangerous and devastating because it can be almost impossible to fulfill for many people. Furthermore, because sex is scary to talk about in the first place, many patients do not bring up sex to their oncologists in fear of being judged. Few medical professionals discuss sex in detail.

For cancer survivors and their partners, it is essential to re-conceptualize our understanding of sexuality. Sex is far more than our capacity to have intercourse. It is about learning to accept our new bodies, re-learning how our bodies function and feel, and re-positioning Pleasure as our top goal.

At the Intimacy Institute, we help bridge the gap between oncology and sexual health. Our team helps clients discuss a new normal of sexual function and intimacy. We help clients develop the skills and tools to prioritize pleasure for themselves and their intimate lives.