New app Blueheart wants to democratise access to sex therapy
Let’s talk about sex (again), shall we? Sex has pretty much been a constant in our history. It has had a profound effect on the various cultures of our world since prehistoric times—its social and political impact have been unavoidable—and, obviously, we wouldn’t be here without the birds and the bees. But that doesn’t mean that sex doesn’t come with any taboos anymore. Most people still refuse to admit whether they would ever want to speak to a sex therapist.
On top of that, sex therapy remains unaffordable for most, uncomfortable for some, and there is little out there in terms of cheaper (and less awkward) digital offering. That’s where the new sex therapy app Blueheart comes in to help. The app has just raised £1 million of seed funding and won investors over by offering digital counselling to “improve the sex lives of 100 million people.” Yes, please!
Blueheart’s therapy is designed for people who either do not want to speak with a real sex therapist, or for those who simply can’t afford to pay for one of these over-expensive real-life sessions. On the app, sessions are done digitally using audio and written materials and are, for now, specifically for women in relationships experiencing low libido.
While body-positivity and the sex-positivity movement are both on the rise, along with our new wellness obsession and more and more people turning to indie erotic filmmaking platforms such as Else Cinema, the fact that sex therapy remains such a taboo aspect of what should be seen as completely normal considering the amount of time most people spend having sexual intercourse clearly highlights how much work needs to be done.
Speaking to Sifted, Blueheart’s co-founder and CEO Sachin Raoul said “We’re bringing something truly pioneering to the market and aiming to transform how we talk about and engage with the topic of sex in the process.” With the rise of platforms such as the sleep and meditation app Calm or the holistic healthcare service Healing Clouds, a digital approach to sex therapy had somehow not yet been done.
Don’t get me wrong, digital therapy represents, in my opinion, some problems that can’t be ignored. But when it comes to mental health and its undeniable link to someone’s own sexual pleasure, it’s taken us way too long to finally start opening up about it ‘being okay to not be okay’. Hopefully, Blueheart will mean that we won’t have to wait this long again to tackle stigmas about sexual issues.
By offering “thought sessions,” which focus on sexual fears and anxieties, “body sessions,” which centre around building a positive relationship with your body and “connection sessions,” which focus on how to communicate, Blueheart might be the first app to finally tackle stigmas surrounding sex and encourage more individuals to openly speak up about the fact that their sex life might not be going so well all the time.
Launched in beta phase last year, the app has already attracted several thousand users. Now, this new funding will be used to expand the therapy sessions Blueheart offers, advance therapeutic research as well as the app’s AI capabilities to ensure each user receives the best possible experience. So, what are you waiting for? Want to spill the beans in order to spice up your sex life? Start by taking Blueheart’s assessment.
