Welcome to Better Sex. Today we are covering an important and pervasive topic. We're going to talk about female sexual pain, a woman's sexual pain. Way too many people struggle with painful conditions and most of them don't know what to do about it. Some people don't realize that sex should never hurt and other people, even though they realize sex should hurt, just have nowhere to go. The doctors aren't helpful, they're not finding providers that know anything about this, it seems mysterious, there's not any visible obvious problem, and so they're struggling. And they're struggling in their relationship too because it causes a lot of strain. If sex is not enjoyable people often start avoiding it or they're arguing about it or they're confused and hurt, but it just it goes downhill fast. Maegan Megginson joins me today and she really specializes her practice on working with clients with sexual pain. She works with both individuals and couples. She's a marriage and family therapist and a certified sex therapist. What are the types of sexual pain? We go into detail about the two main categories of sexual pain, external and internal. We cover how you can differentiate these kinds of pain, how to talk to your healthcare provider about the pain, and we offer resources for you to learn more about your individual sexual pain experience. There are what are the kinds of issues people face? Sex should never be painful. And many people don't understand this, because they have either experienced pain from the start or they have gone to their healthcare professional who has not provided an accurate diagnosis or effective treatment protocol. Maegan states, "I can't think of one client I've had who has not had at least one shameful experience when seeing a doctor." We give tips and tools for going to your appointments prepared and informed, to help you get the help you need and deserve. What are the conditions that caused the pain? Sexual pain is a symptom of a condition or experience which is completely treatable. And many women can experience healing and progress from Day 1. What are the treatment options and how broad are the effects? We talk about treatment options and how you can find a good, sexual-informed provider to help you if you are experiencing sexual pain. Pain as a "Player" It's important to find someone or a team of supporters because sexual pain can have a dramatic impact on your relationship. The sexual struggles will eventually lead to emotional challenges. Maegan and I both agree the pain can become "a player" in the relationship, an "elephant in the room" which nobody understands. You are not broken It's important for people to understand what's going on and to start to get relief and help immediately. You are not broken or defective and relief is available. Background and Links Maegan Megginson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist. She is the owner and clinical director of The Center for Couples & Sex Therapy in Portland, Oregon. Maegan specializes in working with women and their partners who are suffering from sexual pain. She understands the complexities of these conditions and is passionate about helping clients heal from the traumatic impact of sexual pain. Website - http://ccstpdx.com/ Facebook - https://facebook.com/Couplesandsextherapy/ The Vulvar Clinic at OHSU - https://ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/women/services/gynecology-and-obstetrics/services/vulvar-health-program/vulvar-services.cfm Resources • https://www.amazon.com/When-Sex-Hurts-Womans-Banishing-ebook/dp/B004JN0FCW • https://www.amazon.com/Come-You-Are-Surprising-Transform-ebook/dp/B00LD1ORBI/ • https://www.amazon.com/Emotionally-Focused-Couple-Therapy-Dummies-ebook/dp/B00ET1ULIM/ More info: Web - https://www.bettersexpodcast.com/ Sex Health Quiz - http://sexhealthquiz.com/ If you’re enjoying the podcast and want to be a part of making sure it continues in the future, consider being a patron. With a small monthly pledge, you can support the costs of putting this show together. For as little as $2 per month, you can get advance access to each episode. For just a bit more, you will receive an advance copy of a chapter of my new book. And for $10 per month, you get all that plus an invitation to an online Q&A chat with me once a quarter. Learn more at https://www.patreon.com/bettersexpodcast Better Sex with Jessa Zimmerman https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/better-sex/Want to learn more about my sponsored charity? Charity: Water is committed to providing clean water to every human on the planet, 100% of your contribution will be used directly for water projects around the globe. You can learn more at https://www.bettersexpodcast.com/water.More info and resources:Secret Podcast for the Higher Desire Partner: https://www.intimacywithease.com/hdppodcastSecret Podcast for the Lower Desire Partner: https://www.intimacywithease.com/ldppodcastHow Big a Problem is Your Sex Life? Quiz – https://www.sexlifequiz.comThe Course – https://www.intimacywithease.comThe Book – https://www.sexwithoutstress.comPodcast Website – https://www.intimacywithease.comAccess the Free webinar: Intimacy Made Easy: 3 Secrets to Bridging Libido Differences: https://intimacywithease.com/masterclass

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