ABSTRACT
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common age-related sexual disorder affecting up to 30 million men in the United States (Saigal, Wessells, Pace, Schonlau, & Wilt, 2006). It is related to a variety of organic risk factors and thus can be a harbinger of cardiovasculardisease in some men (Thompson et al., 2006). Additionally, ED is comorbid with psychogenic factors such as anxiety and relational conflict. Regardless of the etiology, ED adversely affects a man’s self-esteem, his quality of life, his partner’s enjoyment of sexual intimacy, and the overall interpersonal relationship (Chevret, Jaudinot, Sulllivan, Marrel, & Solesse de Gendre, 2004). The intersystems method, discussed throughout this text, is a comprehensive, intimacybased, and integrative approach to assessing and treating ED. It addresses the biopsychosocial issues of each partner, relational dynamics, environmental factors, and intergenerational etiologies. The desired outcome of the intersystemic approach is the restoration of sexual satisfaction for the couple, not just erectile capacity.
