Gale Holtz Golden: In the Grip of Desire: A Therapist at Work with Sexual Secrets

Googling the phrase ‘2009 sex scandals’ results in over 116,000,000 hits. The corresponding links are filled with stories of a Hollywood star dying from autoerotic asphyxiation, a South Carolina politician engaging in an international extramarital affair, a Kentucky college basketball coach having illicit sex at a restaurant table, and school teachers having sex with their middle school students. The media and our society quickly label these people as “sexual deviants”, “adulterers”, and “pedophiles”. The reality is that these behaviors are multifaceted and stem from complex issues that should not be so easily judged. Compelling sexual behaviors (CSB) often co-exist with a myriad of other issues ranging from mental illness, substance use, and a history of physical or sexual abuse. …