Supporting Clients with Low Sexual Desire
Why Addressing Low Sexual Desire Matters
This professional training by Dr Charmaine Borg was designed for therapists and clinicians who wanted to better support clients experiencing low sexual desire. The workshop focused on CBT informed approaches, current research in sexual health, and practical strategies that can be applied within real clinical settings to strengthen therapeutic outcomes.
Concerns related to sexual desire were presented as some of the most common yet often overlooked topics in clinical, medical, and therapeutic practice. Low sexual desire was discussed as an experience that can influence personal wellbeing, relationship satisfaction, and overall mental health, particularly when it is not openly addressed within professional support.
Dr Charmaine Borg explored the profound effects of sexual arousal on overall wellbeing, highlighting how it positively influenced sleep, pain perception, and the quality of sexual and romantic relationships. Drawing on a series of experimental studies, she explained the bidirectional relationship between sex, including wanting, desire, and pleasure, and experiences such as self repugnance, disgust, and negative emotional responses towards the self, others, or cues associated with perceived transgressions of personal or societal norms. This helped participants develop a clearer understanding of how emotional and physiological mechanisms interact within sexual functioning.
The seminar also examined research on reclaiming pleasure in sexual experiences, with particular attention to the interaction between psychological barriers and physiological responses. It addressed the factors that can gradually reduce sexual satisfaction over time, especially within long term relationships, and offered clinically relevant insights into how couples may reignite intimacy and connection. By challenging common misconceptions about sexuality and relationships that may hinder fulfilment, Dr Borg presented practical and evidence based strategies aimed at enhancing sexual pleasure and strengthening relational closeness. Through the integration of scientific knowledge and real clinical applications, the seminar provided attendees with a deeper understanding of the complexity of sexuality, the challenges associated with sexual difficulties such as prolonged ejaculation, premature ejaculation, low sexual interest, and restrictive sexual beliefs, as well as practical approaches to cultivating more satisfying and enriching sexual and romantic relationships, particularly for long term couples navigating changes in intimacy and desire over time.
Participants gained:
- An in depth understanding of the clinical mechanisms underlying sexual desire and arousal
- Insights into the bidirectional relationship between disgust and sexual pleasure
- CBT informed approaches that can be used to address sexual dissatisfaction and intimacy related barriers in clinical practice
- Evidence based strategies aimed at supporting the restoration of sexual intimacy, particularly within long term relationships
- Greater awareness of common myths surrounding sexuality and relationships and how these may negatively influence client experiences
- Practical therapeutic interventions for common sexual difficulties, including low sexual desire and premature ejaculation
The workshop included:
- A 6.5 hour CPD training session delivered by Dr Charmaine Borg
- A dedicated question and answer segment that allowed for clinical reflection and discussion
- A networking standing breakfast
- Scheduled coffee breaks
- Lunch for all attending participants
The workshop was ideal for professionals working in:
- Psychology and counselling, including individual, couples, and family therapy
- Psychiatry and mental health nursing
- General practice, urology, and gynaecology
- Social work and community mental health services
- Pelvic health physiotherapy, sexual health education, and midwifery
- Students and trainees in psychology, counselling, psychiatry, or sexual health related fields
A CPD Certificate of Attendance was issued to participants who attended the training.
Dar il-Ħanin Samaritan, Santa Venera, Malta. Click here for the Location on Google Maps.
Friday, 17th October 2025, from 08:30 AM to 4:30 PM (6.5 CPD Hours)
More Information
Dr Charmaine Borg
Dr. Charmaine Borg is a Clinical Psychologist, and Certified Clinical Psycho-Sexologist. She earned her master’s degree in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Women’s Mental Health from the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London. In 2013, she completed her PhD and founded the Sex Research Lab at the University of Groningen. There, she actively explores how ‘default’ disgust affects sexual arousal and intimacy.
Research Insights: Desire, Disgust, and Arousal
Currently, her work focuses on how sexual arousal can improve sleep, reduce pain, and support clients with sexual dysfunction. Her research appears in leading international publications, including Forbes, Scientific American, and Time.
In addition to her academic contributions, Dr. Borg was accredited as a psycho-sexologist in 2015. She serves on the Executive Board of the European Federation of Sexology and the European Sexual Medicine Research Network. She also contributes to the Sexual Accreditation Committee (MJCSM, ECPS).
Dr Borg’s work bridges cutting-edge research with real-world clinical applications, offering professionals practical, evidence-based strategies to address sexual health and relational well-being.
A list of her research and work:
Karagöz, M.A., Gül, A., Borg, C. et al. Influence of COVID-19 pandemic on sexuality: a cross-sectional study among couples in Turkey. Int J Impot Res 33, 815–823 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-020-00378-4
de Jong, P. J., van Overveld, M., & Borg, C. (2013). Giving In to Arousal or Staying Stuck in Disgust? Disgust-Based Mechanisms in Sex and Sexual Dysfunction. The Journal of Sex Research, 50(3–4), 247–262. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2012.746280
Charmaine Borg, Peter J. de Jong, Willibrord Weijmar Schultz, Vaginismus and Dyspareunia: Relationship with General and Sex‐Related Moral Standards, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Volume 8, Issue 1, January 2011, Pages 223–231, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.02080.x
Bosman RC, Borg C, de Jong PJ (2016) Optimising Extinction of Conditioned Disgust. PLOS ONE 11(2): e0148626. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148626
Willingness Team – a team of over 65 professionals who come together to create innovative services and ideas, such as Sex Clinic Malta and Dating101 workshops. Willingness Team offers support through the Trauma Clinic, which provides evidence-based psychological therapies from experienced professionals in the field of Trauma. It caters to clients who experience difficulties related to PTSD and complex Trauma.