All About Erectile Dysfunction and How to Overcome it with Psychological Therapy & Counselling

What is Erectile Dysfunction?

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is the medical term for what used to be known as impotence.

It is a problem in which you may find it difficult to achieve or sustain an erection in order to have sex.

Furthermore, it is an extremely common problem and can affect both young and older men.

Erectile Dysfunction can have a deeply psychological impact and can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.

The causes of Erectile Dysfunction can include both physical and psychological problems, including:

Physical problems as diabetes, high blood pressure due to stress at home or work, heart disease, alcohol abuse or other serious illnesses such as cancer.

Psychological problems such as Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Fears and Phobias, previous negative sexual experiences or even underlying issues within your relationship.

Can Erectile Dysfunction be treated?

In many cases, Erectile Dysfunction issues can simply disappear over time, but if left “untreated” the problem can become something more deeply “embedded”.

In order to rule-out any PHYSIOLOGICAL causes you should consider consulting your GP who should be able to determine if it is due to any underlying problems.

On the other hand, If it turns out that your problem is psychological then we can almost certainly help you using psychological therapy which you can read more about below.

We understand that it can be difficult to talk about this problem, so please be assured that your conversation with us will be private and confidential.

Can I Help Myself to Overcome Erectile Dysfunction?

There are certainly a number of things that you can do to reduce the occurrence of Erectile Dysfunction, most of which are related to your life-style:

• Consider Stopping Smoking – Research shows that the chemicals in Cigarettes can affect the blood supply which supply the Penis making is physically more difficult to get an erection
• Make improvements to your diet or lose weight – The healthier your diet, the healthier your body and the healthier will be your sexual life. Try to ensure that your food includes all the essential components of Vegetables and Proteins.
• Take more exercise & reduce your stress levels – Become more active, get fit and you will find that not only does your general level of stress reduce, but your heart will become healthier leading naturally to better erections.
• De-stress – Anxiety and stress caused by pressure at work, money problems or poor sleep can all have an impact on your performance.
• Cut your Alcohol intake – If your are drinking more than 3 units per day you ability to have an erection will almost certainly be adversely affected.

Therapy & Counselling for Erectile Dysfunction

We offer a number of different types of therapy and counselling for Erectile Dysfunction and sexual problems.

Choosing the most suitable therapy depends on a number of different considerations including factors such as:

• How long you have had the problem.
• Your personal preferences.
• How your problem is affecting you today.

You can read more about the different types of therapy for ED on the following links:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction
• Counselling for Erectile Dysfunction
• Pluralistic Therapy for ED

Although all therapies use slightly different approaches, the one thing they all have in common is the relationship that is formed between the client and therapist.

Research suggests that this therapy relationship may be the most important factor in achieving a good therapy outcome.

Behaviour Change Framework – BCF

All of our counselling sessions and programmes for Erectile Dysfunction are enhanced by applying the Behaviour Change Framework (BCF).

This scientifically proven protocol clearly defines the incremental stages of behaviour change that you need to go through in order to achieve long lasting and sustainable change.

Drawn from the Transtheoretical Model of Behaviour Change (TTM), the framework provides a roadmap that not only gauges the current stage of progression through the change process, but also indicates if more change is required before entering the next phase of therapy or coaching.

In this way, we are able to ensure that you get the best possible level of support in overcoming your problems as well as ensuring that we don’t terminate the change process prematurely.

You can read more about the Science of Change here.

Arrange your FREE initial consultation here.

If you’d like to find out more about overcoming Erectile Dysfunction or recovering from any of your mental health problems then why not arrange a free initial consultation with us.

During this consultation we will discuss your particular issues and the different types of mental health counselling we offer (including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – CBT) without you having to commit to any counselling going forward.

The consultation lasts around 50 minutes and is a great opportunity to meet with either Paul or Joan and decide if you would like to proceed with any support.