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Positive sexuality

“Sex is not a lifestyle issue; it is a quality of life issue” R Stevenson, Canadian Journal of Psychiatry October 2004. . Positive sexuality. Ivan Trofimoff SAFE Network Auckland, New Zealand . Positive psychology.

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Positive sexuality

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  1. “Sex is not a lifestyle issue; it is a quality of life issue” R Stevenson, Canadian Journal of Psychiatry October 2004. Positive sexuality Ivan Trofimoff SAFE Network Auckland, New Zealand

  2. Positive psychology • A recent branch of psychology whose purpose was summed up in 1998 by Martin Seligman and MihalyCsikszentmihalyi: "We believe that a psychology of positive human functioning will arise, which achieves a scientific understanding and effective interventions to build thriving individuals, families, and communities." Positive psychologists seek "to find and nurture genius and talent" and "to make normal life more fulfilling", rather than merely treating mental illness. Positive psychology is primarily concerned with using the psychological theory, research and intervention techniques to understand the positive, adaptive, creative and emotionally fulfilling aspects of human behavior.

  3. Positive sexuality concepts • Sex Positive • Strengths based • Solution focused • Not punitive • Using therapist qualities such as empathy warmth and aceptance of the individual but NOT of any sexual offending (Therapeutic Alliance) • Not to avoid pleasure but maintaining or increasing it in healthy and legal ways • Reducing risk by improving the quality of sexual outlets • Education: i. e. Second life sex ed • Reintegrative

  4. The World Health Organization's (WHO) • WHO’s definition of sexual health includes "a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being related to sexuality..." requiring a "...positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination, and violence" and that "the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected, and fulfilled." (2002)

  5. The World Association for Sexual Health Formerly (WAS) • Publishers of International Journal of Sexual Health • Introduced the World Sexual Health Day (4 September) • http://www.worldsexualhealth.org/ • Millennium Declaration (PDF) • Achieve Recognition of Sexual Pleasure as a Component of Well-being (ch.8)

  6. “Experiential” “Scientific” DSM-I to 5 ICD-10 Medicalization of sexuality Contraception’s sexual freedom Cures for some STI’s Tendency for less influence from religions • Kama Sutra • AnangaRanga • Tantric Sex • Greek and roman philosophers • Middle Ages: Age of chivalry • Renaissance • New Age concepts

  7. Concepts of sexual health • Psychoanalysis: healthy libido as Eros life drive(vs repression and tanatos death drive) balance between Id/Ego/Super Ego) • E Fromm: The art of loving. Types of love: love of self, motherly/fatherly love, fraternal love, transcendental love (of higher powers), erotic or romantic love.

  8. Doctor knows best Do not assume your doctor, psychologist or other specialists know everything to know about sexual issues. This is a specialized area.

  9. Concepts of sexual health • Masters and Johnson: Started exploring “the pleasure bond” (1974) sensate focus (communication) and then pathology. • CBT: Positive learnt behaviours and healthy sexual schemas. • Existential: integration of concepts of sexual identity, pleasure, finality, solitude, liberty, corporality, action.

  10. Concepts of sexual health • Systemic: David Schnarch (Sexual crucible, passionate marriage, resurrecting love) • Concepts of individuation, intimacy “Sexual problems are normal and so are their impacts”, “Every couple has sexual problems at some point” • The focus is on quality rather than quality.

  11. Sexoanalysis: • A therapeutic sexological model • A theory of sexual development • A method of understanding the sexual unconscious, sexual fantasies and clinical applications for: • Uncovering sexual conflicts and unconscious anxieties that trigger the sexual symptoms • Focus on sexual health • If you had a different fantasy, or change an element of one of your fantasies, what would it look like?

  12. Center for Positive Sexuality • “For quite some time, research and information about sex and sexuality have focused on the negative aspects -- disease, unwanted pregnancy, various dysfunctions, etc. Although these are important areas to study and teach, it has been too long since sex and sexuality have been viewed from a positive perspective; a perspective of health, happiness, and fulfilment.” • “Our mission is to provide comprehensive, sex-positive education and information about marginalized sexual orientations, presentations, and identities through presentations, materials, and information about current research and resources for you and your community.”

  13. Positive Masculinity • Masculine roles are changing • Masculine positive role models • Sharing of sexual initiative • Sharing responsibilities of home • Less tendency of sexual orientation rigidity • Less masculine dominated workplaces

  14. Where is the proud hunter? Where are the rites of passage? What are the roles of men today?

  15. Stages of life CG Jung

  16. The Hero’s Journey

  17. The union of the opposites: Syzygy, Anthropos

  18. The Lover archetype Awakening the Heroes within by Carol Pearson • Call: Infatuation, Seduction, yearning, falling in love (with a person, an idea, a cause, work) • Level one: Following your bliss, what you love • Level two: Bonding with and making commitments to whom and what you love • Level three: Radical self-acceptance giving birth to the Self and Connecting the personal with the transpersonal, the individual with the collective • Shadow: Jealousy, envy, obsessive fixation on a love object or relationship, sexual addiction, Don Juanism, promiscuity, obsession with sex or pornography or (conversely) with puritanism

  19. Lavoisier 1760 • “Nothing is lost, nothing is created everything is transformed” • Energy cannot be stopped but can be redirected

  20. Harmful or Unwanted Sexuality Overall Sexuality Healthy Sexuality

  21. Lovemaps • Developmental representation or template in the mind and the brain depicting the idealized lover and the idealized program of sexual and erotic activity projected in imagery or actually engaged in with that lover. • Typically formed between the ages of 2 to 8

  22. Sexual Fluidity Sexual Dreams Biological factors Personality Psychopathology Sexual Trauma Good/Bad Better/Worst Sex Concept of Gender Sexual Fantasies Current Sexuality Life Experiences Dating history Sexual Experiences Masculinity/Femininity Cultural Values Sex Education Periods of sexual abstinence

  23. A study of 800 men and women from 61 to 91years old revealed that most are still interested in sex, that they enjoy it and most said that they enjoy it even more. “Our sex is much more relaxed, I know my body better, and we know each other better. Sex is unhurried and the best in our lives.” (B Starr and M Weinter) And it goes on and on…

  24. “You may not be able to have sex three times in an hour, but you will be better equipped to do it once and make it last an hour. So much for the myth of sexual decline.” P. Feming, Sex After Forty newsletter. http://www.greatsexafter40.com/ How can there be a plus side to aging?

  25. The medical and pharmaceutical industries comes to the rescue! or…do they? • Pills • Injections • Intra urethral • Hormones • Surgery • Implants • Nasal sprays • Vacuum pumps • Attacking other medical causes

  26. Medical treatment when necessary Incorporating bio-psycho-social-spiritual-existential model Sex therapy (individual and/or couple) Integrated Approach

  27. Some Positive Sexuality books/authors • 101 nights of Grrreatsex • The pleasure mechanics • Anne Hooper • Every Woman’s guide to sexual fulfillment • The best sex you’ll ever have • The erotic mind • Ecstasy is Necessary • The ethical slut • The Magic of Sex • The Illustrated Manual of Sex therapy • Guide to love and sex • Practical Encyclopedia of Sex and Health • King, Warrior, Magician, Lover • Awakening The Heroes Within • Heroes Within • The Sexual Crucible • Resurrecting Sex • Passionate Marriage • Sexoalanyse

  28. More positive trends also in sexual offender treatment • Marshall: A Positive/Motivational Strength-based Approach To Sexual Offender Treatment. • Tony Ward: The Good Lives Model of Offender Rehabilitation

  29. Dr Ron Stevenson “Sex is a fundamental quality of life issue. Sexual problems are extremely prevalent among the general population and even more so among persons with psychiatric or medical illness.”

  30. Comments and Questions Thank you ivant@safenetwork.org.nz SAFE Network, Auckland, NZ

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