China's Pioneering Sex Therapist Highlights Education and Communication Gaps in Intimacy Struggles

Behind many sexual difficulties lie questions that extend far beyond the confines of the bedroom. After years of assisting clients in navigating issues of intimacy and relationships, one of China’s pioneering sex therapists has observed how gaps in education and communication shape individuals’ most private struggles.

Originally from Taiwan, Tong Songzhen began her career as a nurse before attaining a doctorate in sexology from Shu-Te University. Since 2016, she has established sex therapy practices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.

Tong shared with the SCMP that most of her clients are between the ages of 30 and 50, with men comprising about 80 per cent of her clientele. While male clients often seek help for sexual dysfunction, women typically experience greater insecurity in intimate relationships.

Her clientele has included two PhD holders who lacked fundamental sexual knowledge and mistakenly believed that pregnancy could result merely from sharing a bed. She also worked with an 80-year-old man who, after enduring the effects of a stroke for two decades, sought to rekindle physical intimacy with his partner.

“Sex is never solely about sexual organs. It encompasses an entire system that involves the body, psychology, and social relationships,” she emphasised.