Menopause and Sexuality in Women: The Counselling Implications

Abstract

This paper explored menopause and sexuality in women and the counselling implications. Menopause is seen as the end of female menstruation and marks the end of a woman's ability to conceive children. While menopause itself is a normal life stage that does not cause health problems, the menopausal transition is marked by some physical, emotional and psychological symptoms caused mainly by hormonal imbalance. The causes, types and transitional phases of menopause were discussed.  It was noticed that menopause negatively affects the overall sexuality in the menopausal woman in that her sexual drive, desire, arousal and sexual activity declines. Dryness and thinning of the vagina which makes  penetration during sex painful was seen as a problem during this period.  It was also noted that some women pass this change in life without much stress while some encounter all  symptoms  and conditions. The overall conditions of the menopausal woman is challenging and therefore implicated for  Counselling.Some counselling interventions were outlined for helping women yet to reach menopause and the menopausal woman in particular get proper information about menopause, get adjusted and help herself during this period of change in life .Finally, it was concluded that  Counselling services are a  sine quo non   for the proper adjustment of  women who are yet to reach menopause, menopausal women, their husbands and entire family during this trying stage of life.

Keywords: Menopause, Sexuality, Women, Counselling.