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Sex Therapy for Couples

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Handbook of Family and Marital Therapy

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Abstract

Therapy for sexual dysfunctions or dissatisfactions has existed at least since the advent of psychoanalysis. Traditionally, lengthy treatment and broad-based personality change were seen as prerequisites for reversal of these symptoms. More recently, in the 1950s and 1960s, briefer treatments that specifically addressed the target sexual complaints developed. Behavior therapy (see Annon, 1974; Wolpe, 1958), cognitive therapy, (e.g., Ellis, 1968) and family therapy (e.g., Sager, 1976) all made strides in this area, working sometimes with individuals and sometimes with couples, or indeed larger family units. Masters and Johnson’s publication in 1970 of Human Sexual Inadequacy sparked much wider acceptance of the value of dealing with both partners when sexual dysfunction or dissatisfaction is the complaint. This chapter gives an overview of the current status of therapy for couples1 with sexual problems, emphasizing the Masters and Johnson approach but also discussing contributions of other leading sex therapists as these vary from, and often deliberately modify, the Masters and Johnson model.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, 94305, USA

    Ruth E. Clifford

  2. Masters and Johnson Institute, 24 S. Kingshighway, St. Louis, Missouri, 63108, USA

    Robert C. Kolodny

Authors
  1. Ruth E. Clifford
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  2. Robert C. Kolodny
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. International Encyclopedia of Psychiatry, Psychology, Psychoanalysis, and Neurology, 10 West 66th Street Suite 6D, New York, New York, USA

    Benjamin B. Wolman Ph.D.

  2. Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Adelphi University, Garden City, New York, USA

    George Stricker Ph.D.  & Joseph W. Newirth Ph.D.  & 

  3. School of Professional Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA

    Harl H. Young

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© 1983 Plenum Press, New York

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Clifford, R.E., Kolodny, R.C. (1983). Sex Therapy for Couples. In: Wolman, B.B., Stricker, G., Framo, J., Newirth, J.W., Rosenbaum, M., Young, H.H. (eds) Handbook of Family and Marital Therapy. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4442-1_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4442-1_20

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-4444-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-4442-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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