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Women's Sexual Expression
By: Kali Monro, M.Ed.
Have you ever wondered whether other women have problems
with sex? Do you worry that you're the only one who makes
passionate love at the beginning of a relationship and then
withdraws? Or perhaps you enjoy making love to your husband,
but feel uncomfortable receiving sexual pleasure? If any of
these sound familiar, you are not alone.
Barriers to Feeling Comfortable with Your Sexuality
While we may believe that sex should flow naturally and
easily, the reality is often different. It's no wonder,
given all that we're up against--it's remarkable that we
feel comfortable with sex at all!
Patience and Awareness
If you're having a hard time with any aspect of sex, the
best thing you can do for yourself is to be patient and
understanding. Freeing yourself of pressure, blame, or
criticism is crucial to moving through any obstacle you
face.
A good starting place is to simply pay attention to
everything that you feel as soon as you are aware of feeling
uncomfortable. If you are numbing, or shutting down, you'll
want to figure out how you felt immediately prior to that.
*How does your body react?
*What body sensations do you notice?
*Do you hold your breath?
*Does your heart quicken?
*What are your thoughts? Are you concerned about reaching a
female orgasm?
*Do you see or sense images, sounds, smells, or tastes?
*What do you notice before and during the point you start to
feel uncomfortable or begin to numb yourself?
Being aware of your own experience and responses is an
important first step. This awareness helps you be in your
body and be present with yourself. These are important
elements for being able to relax and enjoy sex. This does
not mean that you suddenly feel comfortable with sex, in
fact initially you may feel even more uncomfortable because
you are more aware of how upset or scared you feel. Some may
respond to this process by feeling calmer. If you feel more
upset or about the same, continue to be with your feelings,
let yourself breathe if you can, and remember this will help
you to feel better about sex.
It is important that you and your husband accept how you
feel and approach your feelings with tenderness and love.
Awareness, acceptance and compassion are probably the most
important things you can do for yourself and/or your
partner.
Are There Any Connections to the Past?
You may want to ask yourself:
Have you felt this way before?
Do you feel this way in other situations?
See if you can remember the first time you felt this way and
whether there might be a connection. Does it make sense to
you why this was triggered at this time? If not, try to
remember the next time you felt this way and whether you can
make a connection to your present feelings. Strong emotional
reactions are usually connected to past experiences that
have not been fully resolved.
You may have been sexually assaulted and coped by numbing
out. Or you may have been raised in a chaotic household and
feel a strong need to be in control. Directing your
attention to what originally brought on these feelings or
reactions, and finding ways to work through those issues can
help a lot.
How is Your Relationship With Your Husband?
If you are withdrawing from sex, how are you feeling about
your relationship?
Are there areas in your relationship, apart from sex, that
need to change?
Are you spending too much time together, which can dampen
passion?
Are you not spending enough time together, which can lessen
your intimacy?
Are you carrying around "baggage" from a previous
relationship, which may be blocking your ability to relate
intimately with your husband?
Are your childhood experiences coming between you?
You may want to ask yourself what happens when you withdraw
from your husband. Does it reduce some anxiety or fear, or
get you some much needed space. Maybe there is another way
that you could accomplish the same thing. When you are aware
of what is going on, you can let your husband know how you
feel, and ask her/him for what you need.
What You Can Do: Slowing Down
If you are going numb or shutting down, there are a number
of strategies you can try. One strategy is to approach sex
at a slower pace, spending more time at sexual activities in
which you don't numb out. Maintain a lot of contact with
your lover by talking to each other and keeping eye contact.
The idea is to stay present and in your body, and to stop
when you begin to numb out.
Asking For What You Need
You may need a stronger or softer touch, or to be in a
certain position. Stop whenever you need to, and talk about
how you are feeling. You might want to hold each other for
awhile, then begin again unless you don't want to. Only you
can know how you are feeling and whether you want to
continue or not, your husband can only guess. It is far
better for you if you take charge of your own needs and that
your partner respects that. At times, it may feel
frustrating, for both of you, so remember that by being
patient and taking it slow, your sex life can improve.
Partners who view each others' difficulties with sex as
something to work on together have the best results. In this
situation a partner will ask how the other is feeling, what
is wanted, and whether they need to stop. This sends a clear
message that you care and that it is okay to stop at any
time.
Talking About Sex
Talking about sex, both inside and outside the bedroom, is
important in any relationship. If you're shy about saying
what you like while you're making love, tell your sweetie at
another time. Have fun, it doesn't need to be serious. You
may feel more comfortable sharing sexual fantasies because
it is less direct. Do what works for you, but find a way to
communicate your likes and dislikes with sex.
Starting and Stopping Sex
For the person who feels uncomfortable on the receiving end
of sexual pleasure, try starting with just a little and
stop. Talk about it, if that feels okay. Then try a little
more, remembering to breathe. Take a break again. Keep
trying this, receiving a little each time and then maybe
increasing the amount of time each time. By going slowly,
stopping and starting again, you can increase your comfort
level with the focus on you. Both of you need to be patient
because this can feel frustrating too but it is well worth
it in the long run. You may find you even enjoy it and have
a
better orgasm.
Letting Go
To have an orgasm, we need to be able to ride the waves of
arousal and let go--not always such an easy thing to do. If
you find this difficult, begin outside the context of sex by
thinking or talking about the following questions:
What does letting go mean to you?
What would happen if you were to let go?
How do you feel about letting go?
Do you know what those reactions, associations, and feelings
are connected to?
Are there other ways of your life in which you find it hard
to let go?
Do you like to be in control?
Is there anything you are afraid will happen if you are not
in control?
You might want to begin by finding opportunities to let go,
to be in less control outside of sex. How do you feel about
that? Start small. Find little ways you can be in less
control throughout your day. See if you can relax more, take
it easy. Remember this can help improve your sex life so let
that motivate you.
During sex notice your reactions. If you start to tense up
or pull back, stop right there. Notice that for a moment,
breathe, and if you want continue. Trying to push on while
you tense up will not work, backing off will. You'll
immediately relax some. Remember, you are tensing up for a
reason, honor that and let your husband know you need to
stop. Obviously it is crucial that your partner handles this
sensitively and respectfully.
Additionally, you may need to let your husband know how to
pleasure you just the way you like it. Give yourself
permission to do that.
And most importantly, no one has an orgasm by trying to have
one. Let go of that goal, and focus on the pleasurable
feelings in your body. Some women need to hear gentle loving
words or be held when they approach orgasm because for them
it brings up all sorts of safety issues. Others like to hear
something more raunchy.
Final Thoughts
Experiencing sexual pleasure involves being present; staying
with your feelings, your breath and other body sensations;
expressing yourself (talking, making sounds, moving your
body); and letting go. Finding ways to feel more comfortable
doing these things, in and outside the bedroom, will help
your sex life. Try not to worry if you don't notice any
difference right away, be patient with yourself and your
husband--your sex life can and will improve.
© Kali Monro, 1998, 2000.