Healthier Scotland. Scottish Government

I was attracted to this field because I think sexual relationships are fascinating and they are all different, between different people so every patient, every couple I see is entirely unique.

If people are worried or embarrassed about consulting a Sex Therapist, I would say, we have heard most of these things before and I think I stopped being shocked a long time ago. If I am working at the sexual problems clinic I will see a variety of patients. I see quite a lot of patients, who are concerned about their gender, patients who are wishing to change from male to female or vice-versa.

We also see couples where perhaps he has problems with his erection, she’s gone off sex because it is no fun anymore and I may see someone who possibly has been traumatised in childhood and is having difficulties as a result.

Confidentiality is essential in the work that I do as a Sex Therapist, the notes for patients who attend my clinic at the Royal are kept completely separate from the main medical records, so they never actually leave our department. We will only contact the patient’s G.P. if the patient is happy with that, though mostly they have come via the G.P. so they are already aware, but it is actually in a very discreet part of the hospital and we have a very quiet separate waiting area. So people don’t need to worry that they’ll bump into lots of other people at the time.