Ginger Manley is a nurse psychotherapist and sex therapist who has over 25 years experience practicing and teaching in the field of sexual health. Her specialties include sexual addiction, sexual trauma, sexual dysfunction, and sexual boundary issues in health care practitioners. She retired from private practice in 2005. She presently is an Associate in Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at Vanderbilt University Medical School, working in the Vanderbilt Comprehensive Assessment Program for professionals. She is board certified as a Psychiatric / Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist and is a Certified Diplomate of Sex Therapy.
Recent Stories
Assisted Loving: Communication key to better love life
Dear Ginger, I'm in my seventies, and for the first time in my life, I have a partner with whom I am truly in love.
Assisted Loving: New research on long-term hormone use
I read your column last month on sex and hormones (Mature Lifestyles, March 2012) and then I saw on Dr. Oz where he had all these experts talking about the same topic. It sounds like there is some new information. What do you think about it?
Assisted Loving: Current research on long-term hormone use
Dear Ginger Could you please write about long-term hormone use and sexuality? I really appreciate all you are doing to keep us “oldies” informed on these subjects. Ellen
Assisted Loving: Tackling depression is a matter of the heart
Dear Ginger, Can you give me some suggestions about anti-depressant medications and sexuality? Almost everything I have tried seems to interfere with my sex life, but my doctor says I need to stay on the medicine. Having sexual side effects from my medicines is enough to make me depressed even if I weren’t already feeling that way. George
Assisted Loving: New Beginnings
Dear Ginger, I am in my 80s, and I've just celebrated my first year wedding anniversary. We were both happily married for many decades before our spouses died, and neither of us ever thought we would marry again ...
Assisted Loving: Guess who's coming to Christmas dinner?
Dear Ginger, My brother's son is gay, and he's bringing his new husband to Christmas dinner at my house this year. I don't mind him being gay, but I wish he would visit alone. I think the young children in our families will be confused, and I don't know what to say.
Assisted Loving: How to Approach Sexual Matters with Spouse with Early Stage Dementia
Dear Ginger: I read the letter from the woman whose husband has Parkinson's and could relate somewhat. My wife is in the early stage of dementia - the doctors have not yet said it is Alzheimer's but it probably is - and I know we are headed down a road that has no return trip.
Assisted Loving: Lack of Attention Causing Lack of Attraction
Dear Ginger, I am a little embarrassed to be writing this, but here goes. My husband sometimes just acts spacey. I don’t mean he has dementia—he is really a very bright man who has a responsible job—but there are times when he just doesn’t seem to hear me or to even know I’m in the same room. I must admit, this is not new behavior for him—he has been somewhat like this all through our marriage of 40+ years—but it seems to be getting worse, and I don’t know how to handle it any more. The reason I am writing you is because I don’t feel very attracted to him when he is doing this, and since it sometimes is hard to get turned on anyway at our age, I am beginning to wonder if there is any hope for the future of our sexual relationship. Thanks for any help you can offer. Marlene
Assisted Loving: Personalized Treatment for ED & PE
Dear Ginger: What are these male sexual health clinics that I see advertised in the sports pages of the newspaper? Is this where I should go if I’m having trouble with ED? What happens there? Does insurance cover this? -Charley
