Both Jeremy and Melanie were advised to abstain from intercourse, and contentrate instead on petting and cuddling. They were given homework assignments between therapy sessions. After a while, Melanie was asked to masturbate Jeremy to a climax outside her body.

Once he had become used to this, Jeremy was told to imagine intercourse while Melanie masturbated him. It was then suggested that Melanie could masturbate him to a high state of arousal,and then to mount him so that she was on top, and to bring him to a climax within her vagina.

Jeremy was encouraged at all times to imagine scenes from sex he had had with Melanie before they were engaged and to re-visit, in his mind, sexual scenarios where he had felt more liberated (eg the back of his car), and then by gradual steps, to intercourse in the flat and bed that they had bought together. In this way Jeremy began to bridge the gap between sex as it had always been, which was 'normal' and sex with his wife-to-be which was 'special', and perhaps impossible to achieve.

In addition, the therapist helped them to think of other ways in which they could have physical fun, and help each other to let go. Jeremy had never learnt to swim - so Melanie was given the task of teaching him. They also began to go dancing together.

Gradually, they began to have intercourse on a more regular basis, with Jeremy able to climax. Though he still needed more stimulation than before, Melanie was happy to do this. Jeremy had always given her a satisfying climax, and once he had become able to ejaculate inside her she was willing to do whatever was needed to help him.