‘Intiem Verlicht’ will contribute to sexual health
De Warmste Week (VRT) is focusing this year on initiatives that improve the lives of people with invisible illnesses. ‘Intiem Verlicht’ is a project by the VUB that aims to break the taboo around intimacy and sexuality among chronic pain patients. The initiative is led by pain expert Professor Lisa Goudman and Professor Maarten Moens, coordinator of the pain clinic at UZ Brussel, the hospital of the VUB.
What exactly does your project involve?
Lisa Goudman: “In our work, we mainly focus on people living with chronic pain. When we ask them what they find most important, the answer is always the same: ‘To be happy again.’ That simple wish got us thinking about how we could improve their quality of life. The first thing that often comes to mind is physical treatment, but in this case, we wanted to deliberately focus on the psychological side — in particular, intimacy and sexuality with their partner.
Sadly, this topic is still very much taboo. It’s rarely discussed, even with doctors, and as a result, it often gets overlooked. That’s how our project ‘Intiem Verlicht’ came about. From next year, we aim to organise a physical meeting space every two weeks, where people with chronic pain and their partners can talk openly about intimacy and sexuality — not only with others going through similar experiences, but also with sexologists, psychologists and relationship therapists. The goal is to open up the conversation and break the taboo.”
Maarten Moens: “In our day-to-day hospital practice, this is a subject that hardly ever comes up - not from doctors, nor from the patients themselves. And that’s a missed opportunity, because intimacy and sexuality are key elements of our overall health. By shining a light on this issue, we hope not only to help patients, but also their partners and close relatives, who play a crucial role in coping positively with an invisible condition like chronic pain. Within this framework, we want to offer everyone a space to share their experiences and ask for advice.”
“As a patient, you already need to be quite resilient to ask for help with this yourself and to trust your doctor enough to bring it up”
In what way do you sense that patients feel the need to talk about this?
Lisa: “From a survey we conducted among doctors, we learned that around sixty per cent rarely or never discuss sexual functioning with their patients. At the same time, thirty-five per cent believe it’s the patient’s responsibility to raise any sexual problems themselves. But as a patient, you already need to be quite resilient to ask for help with this and to trust your doctor enough to bring it up. In reality, it hardly ever happens. With this initiative, we want to offer a response to that gap.”
“Previously, we also developed a web application that offers support in learning to accept and cope with chronic pain more effectively. In the future, we’d like to add a few modules to that app, specifically aimed at the issues chronic pain patients face around intimacy and sexuality.”
Maarten: “The timing of our project is also significant. The current federal government plans to give legal recognition to clinical sexologists, as outlined in the coalition agreement. That shows sexual health is being taken seriously at policy level. The challenge now is to make sure that importance is actually felt by patients themselves. That’s where we want to make our contribution.”
“By focusing on relationships and connection with others, we want to help the patient feel like a ‘full’ partner again”
What could be improved in the treatment pathway for chronic pain patients?
Maarten: “We need to move away from oversimplifying the treatment process by relying solely on a pain score. Instead, we should adopt a broader, more holistic view of each patient. Chronic pain isn’t just about how intense the pain is — it’s also about how it’s experienced. And that includes the experience of intimacy and sexuality.
We see it as our responsibility to bring these two worlds together — through scientific research, as well as awareness and recognition — both nationally and internationally.”
Lisa: “When someone is living with chronic pain, it has a huge impact not just on the patient, but also on those around them. I’m thinking of children who have to take on household chores, or a partner whose relationship dynamic may completely change. Through our project, we want to help the patient feel like a ‘full’ partner again by working on their relationship and connection with others.”
Maarten: “By involving not only the patient, but also their environment and needs in the treatment process, you increase the chances of a positive health boost — both for the patient and for those close to them. After all, you always get further together than alone.”
Finally: when and where will the first meetings take place?
Lisa: “They’re set to begin in March 2026 and will initially be held in East Flanders. We also want to test the format of the sessions. One time we might invite a sexologist, another time partners who are willing to share their personal experiences with intimacy.
Based on direct feedback from participants, we’ll fine-tune the project and look to expand it across the country. The full schedule will be announced early next year, through pain support groups as well as social media — so that everyone who could benefit knows where to find us.”
The Stimulus Research Group at the VUB is both a research and training centre focused on neuromodulation — a technique that uses electrical currents or medication to influence nerve activity. The group conducts research into this method and provides education on the topic.
BIO
Prof. Dr Lisa Goudman (VUB) is an FWO postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the VUB and Florida Atlantic University. After studying physiotherapy, manual therapy, statistics, epidemiology and biostatistics, she obtained her PhD from the VUB in 2019. Her research focuses on chronic pain, neuromodulation and prediction models, with an emphasis on a broad, person-centred approach to care and evaluation.
BIO
Prof. Dr Maarten Moens (VUB/UZ Brussel) is a neurosurgeon, specialised in neuromodulation and active in the Neuro-Angiography department. He studied medicine at UHasselt and the VUB, and completed his neurosurgery training at UZ Brussel. In 2008, he obtained his PhD with research on functional neuroimaging in spinal surgery patients. His clinical work and expertise are rooted in years of experience in complex care and innovation within neurosurgery.
