Therapists' Sexual Feelings and Fantasies Research, Practice, Ethics, and Forensics

The psychotherapy profession has always struggled to deal openly with therapists' sexual feelings. Between the often unavoidable fact of sexual attraction, and the potential crossing of boundaries and sexual relationships with clients, there exists a wide range of assumptions, beliefs, feelings, and daydreams that often are suppressed and unspoken—sometimes with devastating consequences.

This candid, practical book addresses three distinct areas related to therapists’ sexual feelings: sexual attractions to clients (including sexual fantasies, dreams, and arousal); the violation of sexual boundaries with clients (including consensual therapist-patient sexual involvement); and forensic issues, including therapists who testify in cases where therapist-patient sex is at issue. The authors offer an extensive review of widespread and changing approaches to this topic in the history of psychotherapy, alongside a comprehensive look at current standards and research findings. They also provide important information for fact and expert witnesses, examining the evolving ethical and legal standards surrounding sexual relationships between therapists and clients, and discuss how to respond to clients to report having been sexually involved with a prior therapist. Incisive reflection questions encourage readers to recognize and respond appropriately to their own feelings in the therapy room.

Dedication
Acknowledgments
Introduction: The Elephant in the Therapy Office 
PART I. A POSITIVE APPROACH TO THERAPISTS' SEXUAL FEELINGS AND FANTASIES
Chapter 1. A Positive, Open, and Honest Approach to Therapists' Sexual Feelings 
Chapter 2. Influential Therapists Who Have Engaged in Sex with Clients, And Why It Matters: The Importance of Sociohistorical Context 
Chapter 3. Therapists' Sexual Fantasies
Chapter 4. Exploring Power, Sex, Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Race in Therapists’ Sexual Feelings and Fantasies 

PART II. THERAPIST-PATIENT SEXUAL INVOLVEMENT
Chapter 5. How Therapist-Patient Sex Harms Patients: A Review of the Research and Other Sources of Information 
Chapter 6. Therapist Vulnerabilities 

PART III. FORENSIC COMPETENCE
Chapter 7. Reactions, Biases, and the Basics of Participating in Forensic Work Involving Therapists-Patient Sex 
Chapter 8. The Therapist as Witness: Indispensable First Steps When Working With Attorneys 
Chapter 9. Conducting a Forensic Psychological Assessment and Preparing a Report
Chapter 10. Testifying Effectively: Navigating Humility, Responsibility, and Both Cognitive and Emotional Bias

PART IV. INFORMED CONSENT RESOURCES
Resource A. Informed Consent for Forensic Assessment (With Special Attention to Issues of Therapist-Patient Sexual Involvement)
Resource B. Informed Consent Issues for Providing Therapy to Patients Who Have Been Sexually Involved with a Prior Therapist

PART V. RESOURCES FOR REVIEWING TREATMENT PLANS, NOTES, AND CHARTS
Resource C. Points to Consider When Reviewing the Treatment Plan of a Patient with A History of Sexual Involvement with a Previous Therapist
Resource D. Guidelines for Reviewing a Prior Therapist's Treatment Notes and Chart Materials

PART VI. RESOURCES ON PREPARING FOR DEPOSITION AND CROSS EXAMINATION
Resource E. Ten Questions to Help Therapists Prepare for Deposition and Cross-Examination
Resource F. Cross-Examination Questions for Therapists Who Testify About a Patient's Sexual Involvement with a Therapist

PART VII. RESOURCE FOR SUBPOENAS AND COMPELLED TESTIMONY
Resource G. Strategies for Private Practitioners Coping with Subpoenas or Compelled Testimony for Client/Patient Records or Test Data or Test Materials

References
Index
About the Authors

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