Comprehensive Handbook on Sex-Positive Human Sexuality Counseling

This groundbreaking handbook takes a sex-positive approach to human sexuality counseling, featuring 25 chapters written by experts in the field from the US. The authors avoid pathologizing or discriminating against non-heteronormative, non-reproduction-focused, or non-cisnormative sexual behaviors and expressions.

A Strengths-Based Approach

The handbook emphasizes a strengths-based, developmentally appropriate, psychoeducational, and sex-positive approach to counseling. The authors provide examples of evidence-based, sex-positive, and practical treatment planning and implementation.

Foundations of the Approach

The chapters address the foundations of this approach, including:

• Current issues in mental health and the difference between a sexual wellness and a medical framework
• The history of sex, including cultural taboos, the impact of religion, and cultural differences in sexual norms
• The politics of sex
• Ethics and professional pitfalls

Physiological and Psychological Aspects

The handbook explores the physiological and psychological aspects of human sexuality, including:

• The physiology of sex
• The role of the brain in sex and desire
• The role of orgasm
• Societal messages about sex and sexuality

Aspects of Attraction, Sexual Orientation, and Gender

The authors discuss aspects of attraction, sexual orientation, and gender, including:

• Gender diversity

Sexual Wellness and Agency

The handbook covers sexual wellness and agency, including:

• The benefits of masturbation
• The impact of chronic illness and pain on sexual attitudes and desire
• Working with individuals with sexually transmitted infections
• Assisting survivors of sexual harassment, assault, trauma, and trafficking
• Sexuality in later life, disability, race and ethnicity, and religion

Approaches to Sexual Divergence

The authors explore approaches to sexual divergence, including:

• Kink, swinging, BDSM, fetishes, and consensual objectification
• Sexual addiction and sexual divergence in relation to the paraphilic section of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Relationship Aspects and Sex Education

The handbook concludes with discussions on relationship aspects, including:

• Love, dating, hookup culture, and infidelity
• Sex education and counselor training

This comprehensive handbook is an invaluable resource for counseling and other specialists seeking a sex-positive approach to human sexuality counseling.

Published by the American Counseling Association, this 472-page hardcover book is available now. ISBN-10: 1556203985, ISBN-13: 978-1556203985.