(223) MULTI-DISCIPLINE IN ACTION: TOWARDS THERAPEUTIC SUCCESS IN SEXUALITY CLINICAL PRACTICE
Authors: Basso V , Citrin E 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Introduction
Multidisciplinary interview of the patient or couple, allows a comprehensive approach to the client’s problem. Knowledge and interaction between professionals adapts and personalizes the treatment to the patient’s expectations. We describe the team approach in our practice, from psychology/sexology and sexual medicine point of view.

Objective
By implementing the biopsychosocial approach in the therapeutic frame we achieve, through a comprehensive history taking, a thorough and detailed analysis that gives us the basis to propose a treatment plan, both improving time and quality of the sessions.

Methods
We have been taking into our private practice this model during the past 2 years, we systematically interview our clients as a team, psychologist-sexologist and sexual medicine physician. The client’s problem is addressed in a trans-disciplinary session, explaining the problem and its predisposing, precipitating and maintaining factors in a 40-minute interview.

Results
As an example of our practice, we present the clinical case of Roberto, 64 yo married male, who first attended by himself to the clinic. He complained of erectile dysfunction that became worse for the past 2 years. Married to Raquel 61 years ago 16 years ago “I am in love with my wife” He was diagnosed 14 years prior to the first visit with an atypical inflammatory demyelinating syndrome, that reverted overtime. As a sequelae he has loss of sensitivity and strength that determined a job change due and early retirement. He shares that he even had to relearn how to walk again. This severely affected his selfesteem and selfconcept. “I no longer see myself as a man, I see myself as a thing.” “I’m afraid” of losing my erection. He says he hasn’t masturbated since puberty. He has been a smoker since age 14, 20 cigarettes a day. At the end of the first session after several questions regarding his actual conditions of living he recounted that, due to health problems his mother-in-law moved with them 2 years ago. She is an older woman who requires special care and demands attention, Roberto feels he has no privacy in his house, they also had to adjust the diet to the mother-in-law’s medical diseases and this frustrates him. The timing matches with the worsened of the erection issue. We ask to meet the couple and provided them with tools to work on intimacy, eroticism, sensory focus, also we prescribed tadalafil 5 mg on a daily basis. We asked Roberto to mention to his wife his difficulties with the new living arrangement regarding his feelings and needs for intimacy with her. After 3-4 sessions it was possible for the couple to develop strategies to regain intimacy and their pleasurable sexual life. The medication also helped Roberto to feel stronger erections and that reassured him in his masculinity.

Conclusions
We are convinced that the simultaneous approach from the visions of psychosexology and sexual medicine allows us to enhance the strategies of the sessions, provide tools adjusted to each case and offer tailored solutions limited to the time and resources of each particular patient.

Disclosure
No.