In the field of therapy one of the common goals is to alleviate suffering and work towards increased happiness. Happiness in and of itself requires further definition. Those in the field of positive psychology define it in 3 ways, ” we work under the assumption that happiness is a scientifically unwieldy term and that its serious study involves dissolving the term into at least three distinct and better defined routes to happiness : a) positive emotion and pleasure ( the pleasurable life) ; b) engagement ( the engaged life) ; and c) meaning ( the meaningful life).
The research suggests that the happiest people are those that have all three elements in their lives. The study mentioned above goes on to say that those individuals who focus the most on creating a meaningful and engaging life are the happiest. Of course this is research, which implies certain limitations, so I might argue that the pleasurable life, positive emotion and pleasure, are equally significant in the creation of happiness.
In my work at the Center I spend a great deal of time helping women explore and create more pleasure in their lives; whether through bettering their relationships or improving their sex lives or both. Increasing sexual pleasure for women is not always an easy thing to do. Many women with sexual dysfunction only associate sex with obligation, discomfort or pain. One of the most fun and rewarding aspects of my job is to break those negative cycles and replace them with positive pleasurable ones.