If you believed all the advertisements on television around erectile dysfunction (ED) you may be inclined to think it was a purely mechanical issue….

Well, we believe there is a place for pharmacological interventions; however not as the panacea for all problems. We often say that for men their penis is like a barometer…strange but often true…that when their inner world meaning making is in conflict with their outer world experiences the barometer goes down. Typical examples of ED issues that are psychologically based might be; financial, relationship, stress, anxiety, depression, addictions etc…

The first thing we assure men is that this is a normal reaction to stress and not a disability to focus on. Remember, your thoughts manifest in your outer world. Our focus is on what is happening in their lives that may be causing stress and address that. We address key areas such as core constructs and belief systems, food, exercise, relationships, drugs and alcohol and work from there.

We always check ourselves on the ecology of our interventions as it’s not just about treating the symptoms. It’s about treating the underlying issue and understanding that this person has relationships with other people who also have needs and desires. This is often where we encourage the client to bring in their partner to talk through the bigger issues that exist for them both.