Wheelchair users might feel that they will never have intimacy or sex with a partner again. Sexual rehabilitation is just as important as physical rehabilitation. For a person newly affected by a spinal cord injury (SCI), life is all about surviving the current crisis. As the initial trauma eases and...

Many wheelchair users wonder if they’ll be able to have sex after a spinal cord injury – and there’s a belief that people with disabilities are asexual. This notion couldn’t be more wrong. It appears that within our society there is a misconception that any form of disability is synonymous...

A relationship changes when a partner sustains a spinal cord injury (SCI), but with effective communication, it can be as strong as ever Couples often experience a change in roles after one partner has experienced an SCI. This can be emotionally challenging. It is quite common to experience a sense...

Many people are dissatisfied with their body – and this can affect sexual relationships. A healthy body image can be even more difficult for people with a spinal cord injury (SCI) Many people have a difficult relationship with their body and their body image – how they feel about their...

It is important not to allow a spinal cord injury (SCI) to prevent a healthy sexual relationship Sexuality, at its core, refers to a relationship between two people. This means that both parties bring something to the partnership. Focusing on one side of the relationship can never give a full...

For an SCI individual, the myths about sex can be particularly worrying. Counselling psychologist MARTELEZE VAN GRAAN sets out to dispel them Sexual rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injuries involves educating and empowering them to have a fulfilling and satisfying sexual experience – and each person’s experience is unique....

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can disrupt an individual’s sex life, but with rehab and an informed approach, the obstacles can be overcome Sexuality, in general, describes how a person goes about expressing himself or herself as a sexual being. Sexuality and sexual expression are an integral part of a person’s...

Among other considerations, people with spinal cord injury have questions about one of our most important human behaviours – sex! Spinal cord injury almost inevitably affects sexual behaviour, because sexual response often depends on “messages” travelling via the spinal cord, and SCI can block those messages. But although SCI presents...

Sex online? There’s a wealth of useful information available – at the click of a mouse Here are some social media and reputable websites, which are good sources of information: Dating Paraplegics: The Ultimate Guide (Streetsie.com/dating-paraplegics-guide) This website is a great read for anyone dating a wheelchair user. Here are...

The best things don’t always happen spontaneously – most events need planning, reservations, parking and access. But that doesn’t rule out a date night! I asked newly married Nonhlanhla Bakasa to tell me what she and her husband Clinton do for “togetherness fun”. Nonhlanhla is an adrenaline junkie and nothing...