That’s What HE Said

I’m proud of our Vaginismus Forum. Vaginismus can be a heartbreaking condition to deal with and the shame around it adds some real salt to the wound.  So the fact that we have a place where people can go where vaginismus language is understood, it’s a drink of water in a desert of silence. Recently, …

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Out of the Box

Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist and one of the most influential thinkers in the field of psychology today. Among his contributions to the field is the formulation of what are called ‘defense mechanisms’.  In lay terms, defense mechanisms are internal “security guards” inside of us whose goal is to protect us from experiencing pain and …

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Vaginismus: It’s Okay to Feel Angry

I have found something interesting while working with vaginismus patients. Many of them are angry. Most of them don’t seem angry when they first come in. They seem sad, hopeless, confused, and afraid. I most often have the urge to put my arms around them and say “It’ll be okay. I promise you.” But oftentimes …

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Coming Soon Live: Blogcast on Vaginismus

How do we combat an issue that nobody talks about? First step: We talk about it! Vaginismus is a condition where a woman can’t get a penis (finger, or tampon) into her vagina and is one of those issues that often lives in silence and shame.  Around here, vaginismus is household term, but in society it’s …

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The Vibrator and the Vaginismus Patient

Vibrators come in many shapes and sizes Vibrators for women come in many shapes and sizes. Many of our vaginismus patients have never seen or touched a vibrator, as it is very common for them to feel anxiety when thinking about using a vibrator for the first time. Most vibrators for women are designed to …

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Pregnancy and Vaginismus

Women with un-treated vaginismus wonder if it is possible for them to get pregnant if they are unable to have intercourse. If they do get pregnant, they then wonder if natural childbirth will cure their pre-existing vaginismus by stretching the vaginal opening. The truth is that some women with primary vaginismus have been able to conceive …

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Is it Vulvodynia or Vaginismus?

When a woman goes to her doctor for sexual pain or the inability to have any form of penetration, they are often diagnosed with vulvodynia and not vaginismus. This is such an important subject that I would like to share with you some of the posts, as well as my responses, from our Vaginismus Forum on this topic. …

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The GYN Exam: Fear of the Dreaded Speculum

GYN exams are an important part of a woman’s comprehensive health care. ALL women, regardless of their sexual orientation or their level of sexual activity, should have regular GYN exams. GYN exams allow women to maintain an up-to-date knowledge of their reproductive health, to become familiar with what is normal for their body and in …

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