The Pros and Cons of short term Psychosexual therapy
Introduction
In order to look at the pros and cons of short term psychosexual therapy consideration must be given as to what is meant by “short term”.
Short term psychosexual therapy can span from anything between two to twenty two weeks and would be determined by the setting and condition or dysfunction being presented.
Throughout this project I will be looking at the work of Masters and Johnson, (1970) Kaplan (1974) and Schnarch (2009). I will then look at the pros and cons of these modalities. I will also look at the pros and cons in settings such as Relate and the NHS. I will also incorporate the effectiveness or not of short term psychosexual therapy in relation to particular dysfunctions.
My journey of discovery into this topic began with the pioneers of short term therapy, Masters and Johnson (1970). It appears that previously to their intervention psychosexual issues were addressed by long term psychoanalytic approaches that lasted for years and psychosexual issues were believed to be related to deep seated childhood experiences.
Masters and Johnson (1970) developed the “new “approach to sex therapy which was brief, problem focussed, behavioural and directive. This form of therapy was very revolutionary. Masters and Johnson devised a form of rapid, treatment psychotherapy that lasted for two weeks. It always involved a couple, rather than just an individual who would work with a male-female therapist team. The success rate of this approach, documented by Masters and Johnson was more than 80%.
Their book Human sexual Inadequacy had a huge impact at the time and remains one the most influential text in the psychological treatment of sexual problems.
The sensate focus technique was developed by Masters and Johnson (1970) and can be used to improve a couple or individual’s sexual behaviour through a series of tasks the couple conduct at home to improve their intimacy....