Coming to Terms with Your Sexuality: How Can Therapy Help?

What is Sexuality?

Human sexuality defines how people are sexually attracted to each other and how this attraction manifests itself erotically. Our sexuality is also an important part of our identity and how we express ourselves in the world.

Human sexuality is the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also refer to the way someone is sexually attracted to another person, whether it is to the opposite sex (heterosexuality), to the same sex (homosexuality), to either sex (bisexuality), to all gender identities (pan sexuality), or not being attracted to anyone in a sexual manner (asexuality). However, sexuality is not directly tied to gender.

LGBTQ+ people can be at a greater risk of developing a mental health condition than those in the wider population. The reasons for this are complex and not entirely understood, however, most mental health problems experienced can be linked to discrimination, bullying, homophobia, biphobia or transphobia.

Interest in sexual activity typically increases when an individual reaches puberty. Whether our sexuality comes from genetics, or is shaped by the environment, has been a matter of debate for centuries. Is sexuality innate or learned? Does sexuality come from the instinctual side of our nature, or is it formed from society? What if our own sexuality doesn’t conform to the norms of culture, race or family imposed upon us?

Questions about our own sexuality, and how others respond to us sexually, are core issues often explored in therapy. Our sexuality is connected to our life force. Therapy can help you feel more comfortable and empowered in your life and how you express and live your own sexuality.