Sensate Focus is the foundational sex therapy touching exercises developed by Masters and Johnson to assist individuals and couples in resolving sexual dysfunctions and cultivating greater intimacy and connection with self and partner. What has been lacking in the literature is a detailed description of exactly how the hierarchy of suggestions are constructed and why the conceptualization of Sensate Focus mindful and somatic touch and the practitioner’s explanation to clients/patients may impact the course of sexuality counseling/sex therapy.

Description: This webinar will begin with presentation of the updated Sensate Focus instructions for clients/patients which moderates the performance pressure of touching for pleasure, overviews the strategies involved in the creation of the touching hierarchy and identifies common problems with the touching “homework” (especially client compliance), offering solid suggestions for intervention.

There are eleven common problems that emerge in the use of Sensate Focus:

1. Avoidance of any touching
2. Delaying the touching
3. Feeling ticklish
4. Feeling nothing
5. Confusion about concepts and/or suggestions
6. Disliking the touching (boring, constraining, nonspontaneous)
7. Partner pressure and power struggles
8. Going further than suggested
9. Sexual frustration
10. Consistently doing more than suggested
11. Emerging indications of sexual trauma.

This six-hour presentation will update you regarding the conceptualization of Sensate Focus, demystify the creation of a touching hierarchy and examine each of the eleven common problems encountered in the use of Sensate Focus. Each of the common problems will be examined in detail, including how and when they are most likely to surface, and how to manage each of them with the use of supportive therapy, explanations of the concepts underlying each of the difficulties, paradoxical injunctions, and modifications of the Sensate Focus suggestions. Distinction is made between the anticipated encountering of one or several of these problems during the usual course of Sensate Focus, particularly at the beginning of sex therapy, and the persistence of these concerns beyond the initial sets of instructions. The latter may be indicative of the need for other types of interventions either before or during sex therapy and Sensate Focus.

This highly practical program includes case illustration as well as video demonstrations of both Sensate Focus instructions and the handling of common problems.

Earn 6 CE Credits. AASECT CE Approved.