A Combined-Constructionist Therapeutic Approach to Couples Experiencing Erectile Dysfunction: Part II

This paper is Part II of an exploration of the treatment and conceptualization of Erectile Dysfunction (ED). In the past two decades, there has been a shift in the treatment of Erectile Dysfunction to more medically based approaches. Part I of the paper presented the role of biomedical and organic factors involved in ED. However, although important for the couple therapist to understand, by focusing only on the bio-medical aspects of ED, the couple may face new issues in their considerably different relationship with sex now a part of their lives. The current paper, while respectful of the medical model approach, emphasizes the overall quality of the couple relationship, presenting information on the psychological and systemic therapies and issues that may be related to Erectile Dysfunction, encouraging a combined-constructionist approach.