The urologist looked startled. Silence vacillated in the consulting room for a few torturing minutes. My client, a man in his thirties who has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy and mild intellectual disability, was watching us trying to hide his anxious anticipation behind his smile. I had just asked the urologist to review a sexual … [Read more…]
It’s my first couple session with Robert and Tom. Robert glares at me angrily and I watch Tom who fixes a fearful gaze on Robert. Tom is not breathing and the tension is tangible. Robert wants Tom to change and after years of trying – the last four of their eighteen years together to be … [Read more…]
The Jewish festival of Chanukah each year in December reminds Jews of a time when Antiochus, a Syrian king, tried to force the Jewish people to worship Greek gods. A statue of Antiochus was erected in the Jewish temple and Jews were ordered to bow down before him. As the Ten Commandments forbid Jews to … [Read more…]
During a couples therapy session and unexpectedly, Sue gets up and hits her partner Rob in the face. How should we, as couples therapists respond? Many couples therapists state categorically “I don’t work with domestic violence”. The usual justification given is that if there were some degree of intimidation in the therapy room or spouses … [Read more…]
The psychosexual elements of our work as psychosexual and relationship therapists can seem, at times, to be very straightforward and even risk becoming formulaic. We regularly use homework CBT exercises, relationship rekindling, communication work etc. More often than not, though, I find myself engrossed and excited by the way our clients bring out, not just the … [Read more…]
Many mornings I wake up and, though for increasingly less time, am still transported back into my real body, where I sit up, stretch, plan my clothes, the calls I must make, the day’s activities. Then full wakefulness kicks in and I realise that I am trapped in an alien body, which has taken over … [Read more…]
7.30 a.m. – Monday morning, a cup of coffee waits for me on the bedside table (one sugar, no milk, in case you are wondering)… Snippets of thoughts are still with me from the night before when I was talking to a Humanistic Psychology Practitioner. “You are a sex therapist? We don’t really need any, … [Read more…]
We are delighted to launch a blog section to our web site. Directors, faculty and supervisors alongside graduates and trainees will be invited to contribute to this page. We hope to post relevant and interesting topics which people can comment upon. Judi Keshet-Orr Founder & Course Director