Contemporary Sex Therapy

Contemporary Sex Therapy explores modern sexuality, its expression and problems, and some of the uniquely twenty-first century issues facing sex therapists and society as a whole. Seeking solutions to these and other common sexual and relationship problems, the book provides a practical, sensitive and modern approach, which tackles the complexities of contemporary relationships, identity, love and sex.A comprehensive, stepped approach to psychosexual therapy is offered, demonstrating how to tackle blocks to sex and intimacy as well as providing an understanding of how and why they develop. Loss of desire, sexual pain and erectile and orgasm difficulties are seen within the context of modern life and relationship dynamics, so that comprehensive and realistic solutions are more readily enabled. The book looks at significant issues such as sexual consent, sexual and gender identity, sexual trauma and culture, as well as the more recent challenges of porn-related sexual dependency, chemsex, female genital cutting and technology. Throughout, the emphasis is on recognising and meeting the specific obstacles and needs of a wide diversity of relationships and experiences, providing a vast toolbox to appropriately address contemporary sexual issues.Established sex therapists, as well as students, will benefit from the book’s modern approach which focuses on each partner’s experience, avoiding outcome and response anxiety entirely and appreciating the range of pressures experienced by modern couples. Relationship therapists and couples themselves will also be motivated by new ideas and explanations, which often challenge existing intuitive understanding to produce nuanced and effective solutions to improve sex and intimacy.

"This book is an incredibly helpful addition to our knowledge of the practice of psychosexual and relationship therapy. Cate takes us on a journey through a comprehensive history of the profession, the complexity of DSM and the dangers this holds in pathologising clients, to the day to day problems that the client brings to our room. The assessment session is particularly helpful for those starting in the profession, as well as those looking to refresh their knowledge. A warm, empathetic and educational read which I recommend."Jo Coker, Psychologist, Accredited Psychosexual Therapist/Supervisor and COSRT Professional Standards Manager "Cate Campbell’s new book firmly brings sex therapy practice into the 21st century. Students, sex therapists and experienced practitioners alike will find food for thought, as she encourages the therapist to assume a reflexive stance to their own practice. Cate uses her experience as a practitioner and lecturer to take an overall view of what the therapist needs as a secure base in order to develop their own, highly individual, practice. She addresses many important issues, which a sex therapist cannot afford to ignore, such as consent, trauma, culture, identity and gender, together with chemsex and FGM. Each chapter has a useful list of references, giving the therapist a starting point to undergo their own research. As a tutor and practitioner I would recommend this book not only to psychosexual therapists but to all practitioners in the counselling and psychotherapy field."Michèle Logue, Foundation for Counselling and Relationships Studies, University Centre Doncaster "I can’t imagine what Masters and Johnson would have made of the very modern chemsex phenomenon, but I doubt they could have summarised it and put it into sexual therapy contexts as compassionately as Cate Campbell has, or with as much cultural competency. The modern convergence of technology with sexual subcultures, drug proliferation and pornography heralds a whole new era in sexual behaviour and therapy, that might leave many sex therapists feeling overwhelmed or out of touch. Cate explains that this needn’t be the case, addressing the chemsex subject with a competent and much needed compassion." David Stuart, Social Worker and first to name and identify the chemsex phenomenon

Cate Campbell is a relationship and psychosexual therapist and lecturer with the Foundation for Counselling & Relationship Studies, and provides training for a number of organisations including Relate and the College of Sexual & Relationship Therapists.