Navigating Intimacy: An Introductory Guide to Couples and Sex Therapy

As a couples therapist, you know that issues inside the bedroom start outside the bedroom. It's rare for couples to experience sexual problems without also experiencing communication difficulties. Likewise, it's uncommon for couples who experience conflict and relationship dysfunction to not struggle with sexual intimacy as well. Why, then, are couples therapy and sex therapy taught separately? It's time for an approach that integrates couples therapy and sex therapy together--the way they are in real life. In Navigating Intimacy, you'll find the tools you need to help couples strengthen their emotional connection and resolve recurring conflicts while also helping them talk about and navigate sexual challenges. Grounded within the relationship principles of attachment theory, cognitive behavioral couples therapy (CBCT), the Gottman method, emotionally focused therapy (EFT), and Imago relationship therapy--along with critical theories in sex therapy--this book will allow you to: - Guide couples through conflict resolution, repair, and boundary setting - Foster both everyday communication and sexual communication skills - Identify sex-negative residue and shift couples to a more sex-positive framework - Manage differences in desire and arousal to create a deeper emotional connection - Work as a neutral party who supports the relationship - And more! Whether you're a seasoned couples therapist or are just starting on your path to specialization, let this book be your guide to navigating the nuance, complexity, and art of couples and sex therapy.