I’m proud that I took the time to educate myself on this subject...

Posted with permission:

“Last week, a female Muslim client came to me with questions about her sexuality. In passing, she mentioned having undergone female circumcision (FGM) and thought she had lost her outer labia (labia majora). Thanks to my education on the topic—understanding the various types of FGM, its practice in Singapore, and its intended purpose—I was able to quickly explain the procedure she likely underwent. I could see her visibly relax as I reassured her, helping her feel confident and assured that she is capable of sexual pleasure.

I’m proud that I took the time to educate myself on this subject, knowing it could come up with a client. This experience reinforced how crucial it is for us, as mental health practitioners, to be well-informed on a wide range of topics so we don’t place the emotional burden of educating us onto the client. It’s vital that we are prepared for potential scenarios, so we can provide the clarity and confidence our clients deserve.

As practitioners, we must prioritize continuing education and supervision to best support our clients. This is a reminder of the essential role that informed, empathetic practice plays in the healing journey.

For fellow mental health practitioners looking to expand their knowledge, I invite you to sign up for my Professional Certificate in Sexuality Education. Let’s empower ourselves to better serve those who trust us with their most intimate concerns.” – Relationship Counselor and Clinical Sexologist Dr Martha Tara Lee of ErosCoaching.com (16 Jan 2025)

Join our Professional Certificate in Sexuality Education here.

About Dr. Martha Tara Lee

Dr. Martha Tara Lee has been a passionate advocate for positive sexuality since 2007. With a Doctorate in Human Sexuality and a Masters in Counseling, she launched Eros Coaching in 2009 to help individuals and couples lead self-actualised and pleasurable lives. Her expertise includes working with couples who have unconsummated marriage, individuals with sexual inhibitions and discrepancies in sexual desire, men with erection and ejaculation concerns, and members of the LGBTQIA+ and kink communities. Dr. Lee welcomes all sexual orientations and is available for online and face-to-face consultations. Martha speaks English and Mandarin.

She is the only certified sexuality educator by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) in the region (as of 2011) and is also an AASECT certified sexuality educator supervisor (as of 2018). She strives to provide fun, educational, and sex-positive events and is often cited in the media including Huffington Post, Newsweek, South China Morning Post, and more. She is the appointed Resident Sexologist for Singapore Cancer Society, Of Noah.sg, OfZoey.sg, and Virtus Fertility Centre. She is the host of radio show Eros Evolution for OMTimes Radio. In recognition of her work, she was named one of ‘Top 50 Inspiring Women under 40’ by Her World in July 2010, and one of ‘Top 100 Inspiring Women’ by CozyCot in March 2011. She is the author of Love, Sex and Everything In-Between (2013), Orgasmic Yoga: Masturbation, Meditation and Everything In-Between (2015), From Princess to Queen: Heartbreaks, Heartgasms and Everything In-Between (2017), and {Un}Inhihibited (2019).