Assessment and Treatment of Sexual Concerns, Book Review Example

The intention of this report is to provide a book review of You Can Be Your Own Sex Therapist: A Systematized Behavioral Approach to Enhancing Your Sensual Pleasures, Improving Your Sexual Enjoymentby Carole Altman. The author is a renowned sex therapist who has more than 25 years’ worth of experience in the field. In this book, she shares the therapy methods that have been used successfully with the general populace in a manner that will enable individuals to improve their sex lives on their own. The book is intended for an audience who are interested in trying sex therapy but are hesitant to physically go into an office and make an appointment with one. Although it is apparent that the book is based on the author’s academic findings, she writes in a simplistic tone so that readers of all vocations and levels will be able to connect with her written work.

The book appears to be comprehensive and cover a variety of sexual functions and dysfunctions. One of the man methods emphasized by Altman is the creation of a sexual contract so that couples are aware of the sexual practices that are acceptable and would be considered to make both partners feel comfortable. These contracts can be utilized by individuals who are not experiencing problems in their relationships, but may feel worried that an action by their partner will be beyond their desires. In addition, there is a comprehensive section regarding problems that frequently interfere with a relationship such as the inability for some females to experience an orgasm and impotence. The last section of the book deals with techniques that couples could use in order to spice up their sex lives.

This book would be useful for therapists as a general reference, but it does not appear to have the depth that many therapists would want for their daily use. However, there is a lot of useful advice in the book, which is a reliable source, due to the author’s expertise in the field. Carole Altman currently holds a PhD and her book has received the “Best Book in the Medical Field Award” by the American Medical Writers Association (Altman, n.d.). In the book, she supports her claims by providing biological and psychological evidence in a manner that helps those with limited prior knowledge gain an understanding of processes such as male ejaculation and the female orgasm. Individuals who have reviewed this book claim that it is a valuable resource because the same treatment advice offered by Altman would cost an individual or a couple more than $3,000 in a therapist’s office (Amazon, n.d.). Therefore, book reviewers believe that the information offered is effective in facilitating the treatment of a variety of patients.

The book is effective because Altman centers it on assuring that individuals can facilitate their own treatment. In fact, chapter 1 is entitled “Why Do-It-Yourself Sex Therapy Can Work for You”. Altman explains that “Sex therapy is so well-defined, so systemized, so simple to follow and so easy to effect that patients can work on their own, following step-by-step procedures” (Altman, 1997). By combining her knowledge of the field with words of encouragement to the reader, it appears that Altman has successfully helped many individuals achieve more fulfilled sex lives through the advice she has offered in her book.

References

Altman C. (n.d.). Dr. Carole Altman, PhD. Retrieved from http://www.chickrx.com/experts/carole-altman-phd

Altman C. (1997). You Can Be Your Own Sex Therapist : A Systematized Behavioral Approach to Enhancing Your Sensual Pleasures, Improving Your Sexual Enjoyment. Casper Publishing.

Amazon. (n.d.). Reviews for “You Can Be Your Own Sex Therapist : A Systematized Behavioral Approach to Enhancing Your Sensual Pleasures, Improving Your Sexual Enjoyment. Casper Publishing”. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Your-Own-Therapist/dp/0965752798?ie=UTF8&n=283155&ref_=dp_proddesc_0&s=books&show DetailProductDesc=1#iframe-wrapper