A lot of people land on this page after googling one term or the other, then realise they’re not totally sure which one they need. That’s fair enough. The two overlap a lot, and most people have never had a reason to learn the difference until now.
A lot of people land on this page after googling one term or the other, then realise they’re not totally sure which one they need. That’s fair enough. The two overlap a lot, and most people have never had a reason to learn the difference until now.
What does a psychosexual therapist actually do?
A psychosexual therapist works specifically with sex: desire, arousal, pain, function, anxiety around sex, and how your relationship with your own body affects all of that. Sessions are talking therapy, not physical examination or anything hands-on. It might be one person working through this alone, or a couple working through it together.
Common reasons people come to psychosexual therapy: mismatched libido, pain during sex, difficulty reaching orgasm, erectile difficulties, or just wanting sex to feel good again after it’s stopped feeling that way for a while.
What does a relationship therapist actually do?
Relationship therapy zooms out. It’s about the relationship itself: how you communicate, how you handle conflict, trust, and whether you’re both actually getting what you need from each other. It’s not only for couples heading for a break up, and it’s not only for people who are married.
Common reasons people come to relationship therapy: communication that keeps breaking down in the same way, rebuilding trust, working out what you both want long term, or just wanting somewhere neutral to actually be heard.
Where the two overlap
Sex problems are often relationship problems wearing a different outfit, and relationship problems often show up in the bedroom first. That’s why a lot of psychosexual and relationship therapists, this practice included, train in both. As I often tell couples: we’re not taught how to communicate, so how would we know how to do it well. The same goes for sex. Nobody hands you a manual.
In practice, this means sessions can move between the two without you having to pick a lane. A conversation that starts as “we haven’t had sex in months” often turns out to be about resentment, exhaustion, or not feeling heard, and it works the other way round too.
We’re not taught how to communicate in relationships, so how would we know how to do it well.
So which one do you need?
Honestly, you don’t need to work this out before booking. A free initial consultation is exactly for figuring out where to start, and a psychosexual and relationship therapist can hold both threads at once rather than sending you off to find someone else halfway through.
FAQs
Can one therapist do both psychosexual and relationship therapy?
Yes, this is common where a therapist trains in both, which means you’re not repeating your story to two different people.
Do I need a diagnosis or a specific problem to book?
No. Plenty of people come along without a clear label for what’s going on, that’s often exactly what the first session is for.
Is this only for couples?
No, individual sessions are just as common as couples work, for either type of therapy.
