Description:

Couples’ expectations about the role of sexuality in intimate relationships have changed dramatically over the past 40 years. We will explore the main ideas of the romantic ideal: how we want our partner to fulfill our needs for connection, belonging and continuity, as well as give the sense of transcendence, mystery and passion. Examining the cultural values of love and respect, freedom and responsibility, and interdependence vs. autonomy, we will map a culturally relevant approach to work with the dilemmas of desire in couples. We also will probe the difference between clearly assigned gender role repartition and the post-feminist egalitarian model.

Educational Objectives:

1. To describe underlying cultural dynamics that may underlie a couple’s erotic impasse.
2. Given erotic and emotional stalemates in a couple, describe three ways to help them become more flexible.

*Sessions may be edited for content and to preserve confidentiality*