What about sex and dating after a spinal cord injury? - Jennifer Piatt, PhD

So first of all, sex is important, dating is important, and the first thing I bring out is, “we need to talk about it.” We need to get past that, “oh my gosh, I want to talk about sex.” Yes, let’s talk about it, let’s figure it out; it’s an important part of being a human being. And so, some of the main barriers I’ve seen with sexuality, intimacy and dating is stepping back, looking psychologically what you’re going through, utilizing positive psychology and mindfulness, and looking at it from a positive perspective in what that individual wants. Positive psychology is looking at the positive attributes each one of us has. And mindfulness is really being mindful and living in the moment. Life is different now, it’s not good or bad, it’s different. There might be some different things to consider. And maybe not even thinking of them as obstacles, but let’s figure this out. I think open communication is key—if you find a partner or start dating. Being comfortable talking about what you need, what you want from a dating and intimacy perspective, I think is really important.