Watch Sexual Healing

Name: Sexual Healing
Genre: Documentary & Biography, Faith & Spirituality
Released: 2006-07-21
Cast: Laura Berman

TV-MA
2006
1 Season
7.3 (41)

Sexual Healing is a candid, empathetic, yet fearless series broadcasted on Showtime in 2006. It remarkably straddles the intersection of reality television, therapeutic intervention, and documentary investigation – all bundled into an intriguing package that delves into the complexities of human relationships, intimacy, and of course, sex. The peculiar narrative of the program revolves around bringing to light how sexual dysfunctions can interfere with people's relationships and personal lives, a topic often ignored or dismissed by mainstream society.

In contrast to the usual media tropes and trends, Sexual Healing neither glamorizes sex nor uses it to score cheap viewer hits. Instead, it sensitively teases out the serious issues underneath the surface, intertwining empathy, professionalism, and sometimes humor to tell compelling, real-life stories of couples seeking help for their sexual struggles. In turn, it reflects a unique perspective that combines the depth of therapy with the accessibility of television.

The series is led by Dr. Laura Berman, a prominent sex therapist, educator, author, and a TV/radio host. The show leverages her rich expertise, professionalism and empathetic approach, thus becoming a compelling vehicle for viewers seeking a non-judgmental, informed understanding of sexuality and relationships. She makes it a point to never shy away from difficult or sensitive conversations, delicately yet firmly guiding her clients towards confronting, understanding, and easing their sexual tensions and dysfunctions.

Every episode of Sexual Healing follows a particular couple as they journey through their self-discovery, working through their issues under the guidance of Dr. Berman. As they engage in therapy sessions, couples reveal their deepest fears, insecurities, frustrations, and disappointments about their sex lives. Each dyad's progress is observed over several sequential therapy sessions, ranging from partner communication exercises to physiological and psychological assessments, exploring various dimensions of sexuality, including physical, emotional, and relational.

In episode to episode, the viewers can witness a diverse array of issues exposed – problems like lack of intimacy, low sex drive, performance anxiety, medical issues impacting sex life, unrealistic sexual expectations, infidelity, and body image issues. Underneath every sexual dysfunction, the deeper human stories of love, intimacy, vulnerability, and acceptance are efficiently discerned and emphasized, giving this show a heart beneath its provocative surface.

Though it would be inaccurate to claim that therapy guarantees instantaneous results or solutions, Sexual Healing does a commendable job of illustrating the progress couples make over short periods. It succinctly illustrates both the breakthroughs and backslides, portraying the intricate journey of couples in a way that feels genuine and relatable, making the show valuable not just as a source of entertainment but also as a platform for productive discourse on sexual health.

Sexual Healing can certainly be an eye-opener, echoing the philosophy that sexuality isn't just about physical mechanics, but a deep-rooted connectivity involving intimacy, trust, love, understanding, and communication. It introduces theoretical concepts and therapeutic interventions in a layman-accessible, engaging manner that encourages dialogue and self-knowledge without stigma, shame, or judgment.

Furthermore, Dr. Berman's natural onscreen presence and professional conduct guide the narrative in a reassuring manner, while dealing with an array of complex, often misunderstood, topics. Along with concentrating on the couples’ therapy, the series also features segments of Dr. Berman providing insight into common sexual problems, tips, and strategies, establishing an informative dialogue with the viewer and broadening the scope of the show beyond its case-by-case format.

It is necessary to add a small disclaimer: Sexual Healing, though undoubtedly educational, approaches the blunt realities of life with an unapologetic honesty that might not be everyone's cup of tea. Some themes and visuals may be uncomfortable for a more conservative viewer. However, if you're willing to look beyond the discomfort, this is a valuable series that can broaden your horizons about sexual health and relationships.

Sexual Healing encourages an open, frank, and meaningful conversation about sex and sexual health issues, which have historically been stigmatized or marginalized. It’s thereby a significant step toward destigmatizing conversations about sexual wellness, making it a commendable piece of television worth watching.

Sexual Healing is a series that is currently running and has 1 seasons (9 episodes). The series first aired on July 21, 2006.

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Seasons

9. Episode 9

September 22, 2006

Richard and Mary have been married for 29 years and still have sex two times a day. Mary wants the quality of sex to improve and would like her husband to spend more time being intimate without having sex. Richard believes that sex is a physical act that is best performed when disconnected from feelings of love; Mike and Michelle live in Philadelphia and have been married for five years. Two years ago, they nearly divorced after Michelle had an affair with another man. Ever since the affair, Mike has not been able to let go of his anger and pain; Bobby and Rachel are a young couple who've been together for a year. Rachel has a much higher sex drive than Bobby, and she wishes he would initiate sex more often. While Bobby loves Rachel deeply and is often very affectionate, he also tends to withdraw from her physically and emotionally.

8. Episode 8

September 15, 2006

Amelia and Wendy have been a couple for almost 3 years and they hope to get married and have kids someday. However, financial issues and Wendy's diminishing interest in sex have driven a wedge into their relationship. While Amelia has a high sex drive, Wendy is more concerned with emotional intimacy and has lost interest in the physical act of sex; Dan and Leslie live in San Francisco and have been married for two years. When they first met four years ago, Dan aggressively pursued Leslie for many months before Leslie finally fell for him. But Leslie's self-esteem was bruised when Dan stopped making romantic overtures ' and rarely initiated sex 'after winning her heart; Bruce and Michele have been married for seven years. Communication problems and unresolved tensions have built up over the past two years, causing sex and intimacy to dwindle to next to nothing.

7. Episode 7

September 8, 2006

Robert and Jeremy, a gay couple from Portland, have been in a tumultuous relationship for three years, and are trying to stay together after breaking up twice. While Jeremy struggles with anger issues, Robert has trouble opening up for fear of getting hurt; Three years into their relationship, Justin and Hilary come to the Berman Center to improve the quality of their sex life. Both are having trouble articulating their sexual needs and desires, and they want their sexual encounters to feel less mechanical; Cher and Lee have been together for two years. Cher's mood swings and Lee's possessiveness have been causing issues in their relationship.

6. Episode 6

August 25, 2006

Erin and Sarah have been a couple for nearly four years, but they have always struggled with intimacy in their relationship. While they used to have an active sex life, Erin feels that Sarah can't ?make love? and that she has never been able to be emotionally intimate; Both successful professionals, Marcus and Tamica are very much in love after two years of marriage, although Marcus is concerned that the decreasing frequency of sex could be a sign of bigger problems in their relationship; Together off and on for seven years, Skot and Katherine want to make their relationship work, but arguments and problems in their sex life keep driving them apart. Growing up, Skot did not have a positive model for how to be in a relationship, and he has a hard time expressing love and communicating what he needs.

5. Episode 5

August 18, 2006

Juan and Georgeana (Geo) have been a couple for four years, but their relationship changed dramatically when Juan, an ex-marine, returned from a tour of duty in Iraq two years ago; Together since they were teenagers, James and Nakia live in Chicago and have been married for eight years. Their relationship has been on the rocks ever since James had an affair with another woman four years ago; Gina and Lee are married with two young children. They used to have a very fulfilling and passionate sex life, but Gina's libido dropped substantially after she had her second child 11 months ago. Now, they fight and argue constantly and Gina's disinterest in sex has left Lee feeling like there's something wrong with him.

4. Episode 4

August 11, 2006

Michael and Jennifer, a young Christian couple, had sex early in their relationship, but then for religious reasons decided to abstain from sex for one and half years until they got married. Now married just over a year, Michael recently found out that Jennifer has never had an orgasm with him and has been faking orgasms. Jennifer finds it hard to take control or tell Michael about her sexual fantasies for fear that he will reject her or find her 'dirty'; Fernando and Lorena have been together since she was 17 and he was 24 and they have a five year-old son. Lorena was raised to believe that sex before marriage was wrong, but when she got pregnant, she accepted responsibility and left college to raise her child with Fernando. Five years later, their relationship is on the brink of collapse; David and Jannette have known each other since they were kids, and have been in love since they can remember. But when they fight, they fight ugly - and there's rarely a moment when they are not fighting these days.

3. Episode 3

August 4, 2006

Carlos and his wife Kelli have been together for 12 years and have three young children. They both have full time jobs (Kelli is a nuclear chemist) and with all their responsibilities at work and at home, they rarely find time for each other; Melanie and Brian recently got married, but then had their marriage annulled because of jealousy and anger issues and hurdles they faced in the bedroom. Melanie has extreme body image issues, and has never allowed Brian to see her nude or touch her breasts; Dan and Christie have a volatile relationship and an overactive sex life. They have gone so far as to have sex 30 times in a weekend. They have been together for two years and were even engaged at one time, until their inability to resolve their differences forced them to call off the marriage.

2. Episode 2

July 28, 2006

David and Evelyn came to the Berman Center in hopes of saving their twenty-three year marriage. For the past 18 years, much of their physical and emotional energy has gone into caring for their three children, two of whom are severely developmentally disabled. David and Evelyn have both had affairs, and Evelyn's infidelity led to the birth of their third child, who ironically does not suffer any physical or mental handicaps; Terel and Michael have been together for a year and a half, but sex has always been a problem for them due to Michael's premature ejaculation. Dr. Berman helps them see that this problem stems from deeper issues within each of them.

1. Episode 1

July 21, 2006

Tom and Debra are a bi-racial married couple with two kids. They haven't had sex more than a few times in the last four years. Tom adores his wife, but longs for more intimacy in his marriage; Brandon and Sabrina have been together for two years. They are not married, but are living together. They are very much in love, but ever since Sabrina had gastric-bypass surgery and lost 100 pounds, they are having sex far less frequently than before; Shawn and Kerrie have been married for 10 years and have two daughters. Their sex life has become very dull and mechanical, and they feel this is starting to impact other areas of their relationship.

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Where to Watch Sexual Healing

Sexual Healing is available for streaming on the Showtime website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Sexual Healing on demand at Amazon.