Sexual and Pelvic Pain
If you've been told your pelvic pain is 'all in your head,' or you've completed physical therapy and still struggle — a pain psychologist is the specialist you haven't tried yet. Pain psychology addresses the fear-pain cycle, nervous system sensitization, and the psychological patterns that keep pain going beyond medical treatment.
​
Many women with vaginismus or vulvodynia have already seen a gynecologist, a pelvic floor PT, or both — and still struggle. That's because the nervous system and psychological components of pelvic pain require a different kind of specialist.
​
Dr. Anna Yam specializes in the treatment of sexual pain and pelvic pain conditions, including:
​
-
Dyspareunia - pain during or after sex
-
Vaginismus - inability to have penetrative sex, pain with attempted vaginal penetration, vaginal clenching, vaginal spasm
-
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction - pain and sexual difficulties associated with a tight or loose pelvic floor
-
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
-
Vulvodynia - intermittent or constant vulvar and vaginal pain
-
Pain associated with vaginal atrophy
-
Pain associated with ovarian cysts
-
Bladder pain & Interstitial Cystitis
​
​​What does pelvic pain therapy typically involve?
-
You gaining more knowledge and understanding of your pelvic pain condition
-
Learning if and how your experiences with sex to date have impacted you, and vice versa
-
Learning effective pain relief skills
-
Guidance on working with the right medical providers to get results
-
Improving communication with partners, potential partners, friends, family, and others to feel supported
-
Treating stress and anxiety associated with sexual and pelvic pain
-
Partner education and couples therapy
-
Individual sex therapy and couples sex therapy
-
Pelvic pain therapy helps medical interventions work better by treating you as a whole person
-
There is no one size fits all, all aspects of therapy are tailored to you
​
Want more resources?
Check out my online, self-paced Healing Pelvic Pain Workshop
You can also begin with a free Pelvic Pain Guide by clicking here.
​