Welcome to Episode 486 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Juliane Maxwald who speaks to me about understanding our sexual symptoms as deeper unconscious communications.

In this episode, we talk about how sexual problems are rarely just about sex. In this day and age, people are always looking for a quick fix or a medical solution to their personal problems. Julianne beautifully explains that symptoms like low desire or trouble getting an erection are often our bodies telling us about deeper emotional needs, unresolved trauma, or hidden worries.

Juliane Maxwald, MA, LP, CST, is a licensed psychoanalyst, couples therapist and AASECT-certified sex therapist based in New York City. She has over fifteen years of experience working with individuals and couples across a wide range of concerns, including sexuality and intimacy, trauma, addiction and compulsive behaviors, mood and anxiety disorders, and relational and family-of-origin dynamics.

Her work is grounded in contemporary psychoanalysis and informed by trauma theory, somatic awareness, and relational, sex-positive frameworks. Juliane specializes in helping people move beyond symptom-focused treatment—whether the symptom shows up as sexual difficulty, burnout, overwork, emotional numbing, or relational conflict—and toward a deeper understanding of the unconscious patterns shaping their lives.

In this episode, you will hear:

· Reconceptualizing Sexual Dysfunction as Emotional Communication

· The Risk of Excessive Medicalization of Personal Issues

· Getting to Know the Unconscious Messages Behind Low Desire

· Anxiety about performance and the need for approval

· Using Relaxation Techniques Such as Beach Showers

· How Repetition Compulsion Relates to Past Trauma

· Examining the Underlying Factors of Compulsive Sexual Behaviors

· Unpacking the Hidden Themes in Pornography Usage

· Sexual Behavior That Is Out of Control as a Way to Control Emotions

· Getting over sexual shame with curiosity and kindness

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EP486 - Beyond Impulse: Understanding Out-of-Control Sexual Behaviors