One of the many ripple effects of the coronavirus is that at this time when people need more emotional support than usual, mental health professionals have been advised to try and do our therapy sessions virtually, on video or phone, rather than live. This is causing some distress for clinicians and clients alike. Live sessions offer obvious advantages, such as the intangible energy in the room between two real humans, and the ambience of a professional setting. When switching to virtual, the technical, legal, and insurance details need to be addressed on a case by case basis. And there are some clients and some modalities of therapy that would simply not work virtually, and no one should be pressured to do so if they don’t want it. But in some cases, there can actually be some advantages to doing sessions remotely, once it has to be this way, as reported to me by my own real clients:
- The convenience of not needing to travel, find parking, or get a babysitter. Most clients need to budget time not only for the therapy slot itself, but the travel time, and kid coverage too. Some of my clients drive an hour or more each way. Depending on the ages of the kids and distance of the office, virtual lessons can simplify the scheduling.
- Reduced anxiety about being in the office. Some clients find the process of physically going to therapy (or anywhere outside the home) somewhat anxiety-inducing. Being able to talk to one’s therapist from the safety and comfort of their own homes adds a measure of security, and brings some of the reassurance that therapy offers into the space where they actually live and function, that they can still feel after the call ends.
- Sometimes the reduced vulnerability, and the added barrier of not physically being in the same room as the therapist, generates a sense of courage, where clients have expressed being willing to bring up or disclose feelings or events that they were inhibited to say live in session.
- Feeling less physically self-conscious. Some clients feel distracted by being hyper-aware of the way they look, how they are sitting, if they are sweating, wearing too much perfume, or other nuances of presentation. Being behind a screen, some of these details are less perceptible and allow the session to focus more on verbal content. Conversely, it also offers the client to observe his/her own facial expressions while talking, which is a different perspective.
- Both client and therapist can wear sweatpants or pajama pants and the other wouldn’t see.
Regardless of whether you do live, virtual, or cancel sessions- hope everyone stays healthy, sane, and safe!
Have you ever wondered how often people engage in sexual activity?
Or how often is optimal for healthy, happily married couples to aim for?
(I purposely used the euphemism “be intimate” in the title because often, people who ask this question in the framework of “supposed to” are uncomfortable with the more direct language of “have sex.” They may prefer to say things like : “be together, do it, make love, have relations, etc.” Whatever works:)
Couples therapists get this question a lot, especially from people who feel like they didn't or don't have enough information in the area of sexuality education.
It’s a legitimate curiosity, but the answer may be unsatsifying.
Firstly: “supposed to” is not a great framework for healthy sex. It works better when the focus is on mutual pleasure, not obligation or comparison.
Second: Frequency is not something that is mandated. Not psychologically, not legally, not Biblically.
It’s determined by and customized to each couple.
There is a Medrash that describes this, and is quoted by Rashi in this week’s Torah portion (I’m writing this the week of VaYishlach, but you can read it any week:)
When Yaakov sent gifts of livestock to his brother Esav, the Torah lists in great detail, the numbers and species of all the animals in the caravan.
Why do we care how many he-goats and she-goats there were?
The answer offered is that the ratio of male to female animals was determined by how often they needed to mate, which was determined by how strenuously they worked. The Medrash extrapolates an analogy to human mating schedules. (The paradigm used by the Talmudic literature is phrased in terms of a husband’s requirement to be available for his wife, not the reverse, but sex should always be consensual both ways.)
The Medrash says that men of leisure might be available daily, laborers twice weekly, donkey drivers once a week, camel drivers ones a month, and sailors/ those who travel for work, every six months.
Of course these are just some examples but Rashi goes on to explain:
“From here we learn that this need is not equal to every person [or couple.]” It depends on the couple’s individual schedules, emotional, and physical limitations and needs.
I’ve heard many people say that they were initially under the impression that couples only have sex when they want to conceive a baby. They were genuinely shocked to learn otherwise. This is not so ludicrous, when you consider the fact that many young people are taught about sex only in the framework of “how babies are made” if that much. Of course, most couples have far more sexual activity than they do children or attempts to conceive them.
It’s a legitimate query to ask how often couples have sex, but there isn’t a one size fits all answer.
Naturally there are some broad, cultural averages, and data. The most commonly quoted one is approximately once a week, but the numbers range significantly, and fluctuate within each couple based on many variables, such as stages of life like pregnancies, having babies and young children, medical or situational factors, and other variables that often make it challenging or more feasible. So please do not use that average to shame yourself or your partner for wanting more or less than that!
The healthiest answer to "how often should a couple be intimate is “as often as works well for both of them at each stage and season of life.”
Desire discrepancies and changes in libido over time are normal, but if you're finding that yours or your partner's are feeling disruptive to your relationship, please take the time to have a loving, strategizing conversation about it with your spouse, read up on the subject, and if necessary reach out for help.
Check out my course!
A Religious Families Guide to Healthy Holy Sex Education: Sacred Not Secret
Elisheva Liss, LMFT is a psychotherapist in private practice. Her book, Find Your Horizon of Healthy Thinking, is available on Amazon.com. She can be reached for sessions or speaking engagements at speaktosomeone@gmail.com More of her content can be found at ElishevaLiss.com