COUPLES with relationship issues can get some sound advice from the pages of a book written by a Nelson Mandela Bay sexologist and Weekend Post relationship columnist Leandie Buys. For the past three years Buys has run a successful practice in Cape Road and recently released her debut book, Seisoene van Seks.

It contains personal stories of Buys’s patients, whose names have been changed to protect their identity. The cases can help others who have faced similar issues as each is followed with an analysis by Buys.

The book has been printed in Afrikaans but an English version will be available at the end of January next year.

Each story is likely to resonate with someone, whether it’s a person struggling with infertility, or someone struggling to understand their partner.

“All couples will feel a connection to at least one story in the book,” said Buys. “This is why I think it will be so effective for the public.”

Some of the topics dealt with include erectile dysfunction, how couples can build on having a stronger relationship after the birth of a child and many other insightful case studies.

Buys takes a holistic approach to counselling by including all the factors that affect sexual health, be it environment, relationships, mental health, physical health and emotional health.

Buys, who obtained a Masters degree in Health Sciences (Sexual Health) from the University of Sydney, Australia in 2006, said the concept of the book had been in her mind for a long time.

“Although I knew what I wanted to write about, I did not know how to go about getting it on paper,” she said. She was eventually approached by Naledi Publishers, after someone heard her on a radio talk show.

“People need to know that they are not alone. There are other people in this world who have the same concerns (about relationships and sex).” Buys said people often compared themselves to others. Thoughts like: “Everybody else is having great sex – what’s wrong with me?” were commonplace.

“I hope that if people read these stories it will help take the edge off the anxiety they are feeling about being ‘abnormal’, and give them the courage to seek therapy where the problem can be resolved.

“My goal is to open a sexual health centre where everything will be under one roof,” said Buys, who is planning another book, this time on “how to talk about sex with your kids”.

FIVE lucky readers each stand a chance to win a copy of Leandie Buys’s new book, Seisoene van Seks. To enter, SMS the word LEANDIE to 40881. The SMS line is open from today until noon on Tuesday, with the winners being notified on the same day. SMS’s are charged at R3 each and errors are billed. Free minutes do not apply.