80% of women have sexual health concerns, but only 20% of women will bring it up to their provider. At true., our providers want to empower women to take control, communicate effectively, and embrace what feels natural and right. Sexual health is an important aspect of your overall well-being and deserves a safe space for open dialogue and resources. This month on Let’s Chat, Dr. Bitner and Dr. Egan empower women to set meaningful intimacy goals, overcome barriers to satisfaction, and prioritize sexual wellness with confidence.

Understanding Sexual Health

Sexual health is more than just intimacy—it’s about self-expression, confidence, and living a life that aligns with your physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. Many factors shape our sexual well-being, including an individual’s upbringing, mental health, metabolic health, relationships, and personal habits. Feelings of shame or comparison often hold women back from open conversations about their needs and desires. Whether you’re struggling with body image, rediscovering intimacy after cancer, or working through deeply ingrained beliefs, your sexual health is an essential part of your overall wellness.

Setting Sexual Health Goals at true. 

At true., we use W*A*I Pointes® to help women achieve their goals, addressing ten key areas of health that influence each other. Sexual health is one essential area that true. encourages women to think deeply about. Through open dialog, true. patients can create tangible goals to reach a place where they are at ease with sexual expression and identity. Our overall well-being can only flourish if we have the confidence and ability to enjoy intimacy and pleasure in its spiritual, physical, emotional, and psychological aspects. 

Our Picture Of Self (POS) model helps women visualize their desires by prompting them to think about where they are now, where they want to be in the future, and identify what barriers stand between the gap. Begin to assess your current level of satisfaction with this scale of 1-3:

3- comfortable and confident in your sexual health

2- moderate challenges but not significantly impacting your quality of life.

1- Distress that affects your mood, relationships, or self-worth

Everyone’s standards and desires are different. Evaluating your sexual health should not include any pressure about having a certain amount of sex or that you need to try something new. The POS model allows women to reflect on and learn what’s right for their personal experience. Consider how often you want to be intimate, your feelings about sex, and your self-image. Here are a few prompts to help you think deeply about where you are on your sexual health journey:

• How do you picture yourself feeling satisfied with the quality of your sex life?
• How do you feel when sexual satisfaction is reached in terms of expression, communication, pleasure, and intimacy?
• Describe how it feels to have what feels natural and correct for you, physically, emotionally, and psychologically.

For more insight into understanding female sexuality, Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski shares the science of women’s sexual desire and empowers women to embrace their unique identities and sexuality. 

The Sex Deck

true. created The Sex Deck to help women identify and facilitate open conversation about their sexual health and low desire. The deck contains cards describing interpersonal, psychological, and physical factors that may affect your desire and intimacy. It also contains potential causes and treatment options. Low libido, arousal, orgasms, hormonal changes, medications, and long-distance relationships can be factors that can prevent you from being fully satisfied. The Sex Deck helps women identify and articulate potential fears or worries that may otherwise be hard to express or identify. This tool allows individuals to feel confident and satisfied with their sex lives by beginning the conversation, pointing to the next steps, and empowering both women and men to invest in their sexuality. 

Enhance Your Sex Life

MILLI is a vaginal dilator for women who experience pain during sex from a tight pelvic floor. A tense pelvic floor can make penetration feel restrictive and painful. MILLI is inserted into the vagina and gently expands to stretch, massage, and relax tight vaginal muscles. Even using Milli for 10 minutes can encourage relaxation and help the muscles become more flexible. 

OHNUT is designed to help women with a history of painful sex feel at ease and have peace of mind during intercourse. The silicon rings allow partners to choose different depths of penetration that make them comfortable. This tool can help women be intimate with their partners by setting physical boundaries and easing fear or worry. 

Vibrators can help women explore their anatomy and discover areas that bring pleasure, achieve an orgasm, and increase arousal during foreplay. Vibrators come in a variety of styles, with settings that can offer adjustable vibration levels or suction features. The goal of vibrators and other toys is to help individuals have ease during intimacy. They encourage partners to approach sexual intimacy with a curious and playful mindset.

Sexual Health That Reflects You

At true., we support women with resources, solutions, and open dialogue to empower them to take control of their sexual wellness. Whether you’re struggling with self-image, body changes, or life’s chaos, you can still find pleasure and intimacy. Let’s break the silence around sexual health and take the first step toward discovering your X-Factor!

Five Questions for Your HCP

1. What is my phase of ovarian function? 
2. Are you comfortable with talking about sexual health? What is your training?
3. Can I get a referral to a pelvic floor therapist?
4. Is my vaginal dryness due to a medical problem?
5. Are any of my medications causing sexual side effects?

Five Takeaway Tips

1. Tell yourself, “I am worthy.”
2. Take some time to reflect on what you want.
3. Educate yourself on your body.
4. Check out the Sex Deck to figure out why your desire is lower than you want.
5. Be proactive about seeking out solutions. Solutions could include working with a mental health therapist or pelvic floor therapist, drinking less alcohol, getting obesity medication care, changing medication, or starting MHT.

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