The Inherent Sexuality of Being Human

Abstract

If the issues of healing touch and the ethicality of touching challenge the further development of somatic psychology and bodymind therapy, then the issue of sexuality—the inherent sexuality of our embodiment — is an even greater challenge. It can be anticipated that the discipline will curtail its own potential if its practitioners continue to insist that healing the bodymind is not an act of sexual healing. In this chapter, some attitudes toward sexuality are briefly reviewed, and how sexuality might best be defined and understood is then explored. Finally, a discussion of the definition of sexual health is offered, and the implication of these ideas for the future of psychological practice in general and specifically for the future of somatic approaches to healing the psyche is explored.