Dr Catherine Hood

BA, BMBCh(Oxon), FECSM, MIP
Specialist in Psychosexual Medicine
EMDR practitioner

It's estimated that we in the UK have sex 900 million times each year. For many however, sex is not easy or straightforward. Individuals and couples can experience sexual problems for a variety of reasons both physical and psychological.

I have worked in the area of sexual medicine for 25 years. For the last 15 years I have focused on treating men and women with psychosexual problems both in the NHS and privately.

I am happy to work with individuals or couples of any gender or sexual orientation.

About Sexual Problems

Sexual difficulties are very common. It's estimated that 30 - 50 % of adults may be suffering sexual problems at any time. These problems may be temporary or longstanding. They may be linked to other health problems e.g cancer treatment or mental health issues, life stages e.g pregnancy or the menopause, or may appear to have come out of the blue.

Many are distressed by their situation. Sexual problems can impact on a person's relationships, confidence and broader self esteem and many will struggle to find experienced and specialised help.

Sexual problems can be significantly improved with a bio-psychosocial approach that involves identifying and addressing any physical causes as well as exploring the psychological and relationship factors at play.

Some people may have experienced past traumatic events that can impact on their sexual performance, or experienced extreme anxiety due to their sexual difficulty. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of therapy that can help reduce the distress of traumatic memories and their impact on sexual functioning.

Together these approach can address a broad range of sexual problems such as low libido, arousal difficulty, lack of orgasm, rapid and delayed ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, vaginismus, painful sex and fear of intimacy.

For more information, further enquiries and to book an appointment call 07939 360450

The Service

Problems Treated

I can help with a broad range of sexual problems including:

Vaginismus or difficulty with penetration

Sexual pain and vulvodynia

Low libido

Erectile dysfunction

Rapid and delayed ejaculation

Fear of intimacy

Problems with orgasm

Sexual trauma

Performance anxiety

If you can't see your problem in this list or are uncertain then please contact me for clarification.

The Approach

I use my medical and psychological knowledge to assess an individual's problem and situation; identifying and addressing any physical problems as well as supporting individuals and couples with psychological, relationship and social factors.

I use a variety of brief interpretive and behavioural techniques to help improve sexual function.

I also offer EMDR therapy to address sexual trauma or anxiety related to the sexual difficulty.

How it works

I accept self referrals as well as referrals from General Practice.

If you wish to self refer, I offer a 15 minute pre-assessment call to briefly understand your problem and check that this is the most appropriate service for you.

The first formal appointment is an assessment when I will work with you to help understand and clarify your problem and develop a treatment plan. This is a 60 minute session.

Follow up sessions are 50 minutes long and usually spaced every 4 weeks.

Most sexual problems can be significantly improved within 1 to 6 sessions. I will always review and discuss progress with you after 6 sessions to check that any more sessions are desired and helpful.

EMDR often requires weekly or fortnightly sessions. Each session is 60 minutes.

Clinic Times

Appointments are available on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 7am - 8pm.

Appointments are virtual and conducted via Zoom or Teams.

Costs

Pre-assessment phone call - Free

Initial appointment/assessment - £175

Follow up appointments - £130 per session

EMDR - £85 per session

Each session is paid on receipt of invoice.

If you have any questions about payment or affordability then please do contact me.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations with less than 48 hours notice or non-attendance without pre-notification, will result in the missed session being charged at full rate.

Enquiries

To book an appointment or make an enquiry send a message via the website below or contact me via email or mobile.

Email: enquiries@drchood.co.uk

Telephone: 07939 360450

Send A Message

Dr Catherine Hood BA,BMCh(Oxon), FECSM, MIP, EMDR practitioner

I have worked in the field of sexual health for over twenty five years and am an expert in psychosexual medicine. For the NHS, I am a senior doctor at the Sexual Problems Clinic, St Pancras Hospital, London, part of Camden and Islington NHS Trust. I am a member of the Institute of Psychosexual Medicine and a fellow of the European Committee of Sexual Medicine. I am one of only a few psychosexual doctors who is trained in EMDR.

I qualified in medicine from the University of Oxford and subsequently lectured at the Oxford Medical School in Communication Skills, based in Ethox, the Oxford Centre for Ethics and Communication in Healthcare.

I have given frequent lectures on sexual health, ethics and doctor-patient communication in the UK and abroad. I am an experience broadcaster on sexual health matters. I presented the popular series ‘A Girl’s Guide to 21st Century Sex’ but have also frequently given frequent live sexual health advice to viewers and contributing to documentaries for BBC1, Channel 4, BBC3, MTV and FIVE. For eleven years I wrote a weekly column on sex and relationships in the Sunday Mirror and continue to contribute to many UK publications.