{"id":12300,"date":"2016-05-21T12:57:00","date_gmt":"2010-05-21T12:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.accessrx.com\/blog\/?p=101"},"modified":"2025-02-15T00:35:39","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T17:35:39","slug":"interview-with-sex-therapist-dr-dana-tautfest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/expert-interviews-and-podcasts\/interview-with-sex-therapist-dr-dana-tautfest\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Sex Therapist Dr. Dana Tautfest"},"content":{"rendered":"

This interview is one in a series of expert interviews on the eDrugstore.com blog. We add new interviews on a regular basis. Please see our complete list of insightful interviews<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1. If there is one piece to the puzzle missing most often in your clients\u2019 lives, what does it tend to be? How might someone \u201cfix\u201d that missing link?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, no there is generally not one missing piece, however enticing that idea might be. More often, the puzzle of having a satisfying life has many pieces to it, some more or less significant than others. It is generally the case that people do tend to seek treatment at a particular time, for a particular reason. Sometimes there\u2019s been that \u201cstraw which broke the camel\u2019s back.\u201d However, when examined from a variety of different angles, we can usually see contributing factors that have been in development for a while, shaping the person\u2019s experience of life events. <\/p>\n

No two people experience things the same, we\u2019re all different and unique. Looking at our lives, or our questions taking three specific factors into consideration can be useful. Medically speaking, what\u2019s going on from a health and biology perspective? How are the person\u2019s relationships functioning? Psychologically (emotionally) what is the person experiencing? The answers to these questions shed a lot of light and facilitate goal setting and treatment planning.<\/p>\n

2. If you gave a two-minute \u201celevator pitch\u201d counseling session to someone who needed encouragement during a hard time in life, what would you say?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is hope! Sometimes you have to work to find it, but it\u2019s out there. Take an honest look at yourself and find someone you can trust to help you. There are people around you who can relate to what you\u2019re experiencing and who will be willing and able to help you. Sometimes the process of getting better has periods within it of feeling worse. This will pass and growth, knowledge and personal change emerge. \u201cNormal people\u201d face challenges and have struggles in life \u2013 and that includes you! Try not to fear it and go into it with as open a mind as you can manage. You will learn things about yourself and the world around you and you will have a better life.<\/p>\n

3. How can a person\u2019s mental state affect the rest of their lives (i.e., their health, sex life, work ethic)?<\/strong><\/p>\n

How we think and feel about ourselves impacts everything we do or say. Difficulties such as low self esteem, body image, motivation and lethargy clearly impact all facets of our lives including health, sexuality, work and relational functioning. For example, I regularly see people in my office who are struggling with no sex drive, or lack of libido. Often a clear history will reveal a job loss, financial or marital stresses, illness or co-existing depression or anxiety. We wonder why this person might not be feeling sexy! I cannot say it strongly enough, how we think and feel about ourselves impacts everything we do or say!<\/p>\n

4. Is it possible for couples to work on themselves as individuals simultaneously with working on their relationship as a couple, or should they focus on one aspect at a time?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, it is absolutely possible for couples to work on themselves as individuals while working on their relationship. In fact it is sometimes necessary for real progress to occur. However, most times it makes sense for this work to be done with different therapists. Having clear boundaries and maintaining appropriate confidentiality is priority. I sometimes get requests to fill both roles, but generally speaking, I refer. <\/strong><\/p>\n

5. Is a person who has suffered a great trauma or has experienced bouts of depression ever really \u201ccured\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n

How might they go about maintaining a healthy, positive state of mind? This is an interesting question. The dictionary says that to cure or be cured is to be \u201crestored to health.\u201d \u201cHealth,\u201d is a relative term. With good and sufficient treatment, most people get better. Getting adequate treatment is key. Sometimes the treatment can be short, sometimes it\u2019s not. Measuring progress is important and it\u2019s not always based on how a person\u2019s feeling in the moment. A person who\u2019s experienced a significant trauma early in life and receives sound treatment can benefit and be symptom free for years and still later encounter difficulty that requires additional treatment. \u201cMaintaining a healthy positive state of mind,\u201d may mean remaining open to periodic check-ups. Clearly it doesn\u2019t mean a person\u2019s failed or is unhealthy by continuing to pay attention to his or her needs for assistance.<\/p>\n

About Dr. Dana Tautfest:<\/strong>\u00a0 www.therapists.psychologytoday.com\/Dana.Tautfest<\/p>\n

A licensed psychologist in Troy, Michigan, Dr. Tautfest works with adults in individual and couples psychotherapy. She earned her doctorate at George Washington University in Washington DC and completed her predoc internship at the University of Michigan. In addition to three years of post-graduate training focused on intensive individual and group psychotherapy, Dr. Tautfest has completed an additional certification as an AASECT sex therapist. Her practice comprises both traditional psychotherapy as well as sex therapy. She sees treatment as a venue for assisting people in the development of more productive, fulfilling and satisfying lives.<\/p>\n

Read more of our expert interviews:<\/strong>
\nBetty Dodson, Renowned Sexologist, Author, Feminist, Educator<\/a>
\n<\/a>Dean Osborne, Human Nature of Cheating<\/a>
\n<\/a>Dr. MP Wylie, Relationship Advisor<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This interview is one in a series of expert interviews on the eDrugstore.com blog. We add new interviews on a regular basis. Please see our complete list of insightful interviews. 1. If there is one piece to the puzzle missing most often in your clients\u2019 lives, what does it tend to be? How might someone […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_autoblog_aioseo_focus_keyphrase":"","_autoblog_aioseo_title":"","_autoblog_aioseo_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-expert-interviews-and-podcasts"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t