Reclaiming Desire: 4 Keys to Finding Your Lost Libido [Paperback]

Andrew Goldstein (Author), Marianne Brandon (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 9, 2009

- I'm so busy and tired, how can I find time for sex?

- How can I go from mommy one minute to passionate lover the next?

- What medicines or natural herbs can I take to improve my libido?

At some point in their lives, most women experience a decline in their sexual desire. Yet despite the vast number of books devoted to sex, surprisingly few focus on the problem of low libido. Fewer still offer any practical advice to the woman who has lost her sex drive and longs to find it again.

Finally available in paperback, Reclaiming Desire presents the holistic approach that gynecologist Andrew Goldstein and clinical psychologist Marianne Brandon—co-founders of the Sexual Wellness Center in Annapolis, Maryland—use to successfully treat women with low libido. Capitalizing on their combined medical and psychological expertise, they reveal how a complex set of physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual factors—as well as specific life-changing events such as marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, divorce, and menopause—can affect female sex drive. Reading this book, women will come to understand that low libido isn't “all in their heads”—or all in their bodies, for that matter. The problem is real and it’s diverse—but it’s curable.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Low libido is the most common sexual disorder in American women, affecting an estimated 22 to 43 percent of the female population. And, according to authors Goldstein (a gynecologist) and Brandon (a clinical psychologist), the problem is more complex than most therapists realize. "A decline in sexual desire seldom has a single cause," they argue. "The collection of factors that influences a woman’s sex drive is as unique as the woman herself." Drawing upon their experience at the Sexual Wellness Center in Annapolis, Maryland, an institution that they founded, the authors advocate a holistic treatment that addresses four spheres of a woman’s life: physical health, emotional resilience, intellectual fulfillment and spiritual contentment. Their book covers all the possible factors: weight, diet, exercise, medical conditions, sleep patterns, testosterone, estrogen, dopamine, emotional arousal, stress, sexual trauma and life passages such as motherhood, menopause and divorce. Understanding the mind-body connection can increase sexual pleasure, they emphasize, and the acceptance of some basics?sexual pleasure fluctuates throughout life; a woman’s experience often doesn’t match society’s "ideal"—can smooth the road to change. Personal stories from the authors’ patients demonstrate the problem’s complexity and help make the book more a practical, open-ended discussion about women’s sexual desire than a definitive medical manual.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

ANDREW GOLDSTEIN, MD, and MARIANNE BRANDON, PHD, specialize in treating women’s sexual health problems. Dr. Goldstein divides his time between Annapolis, Maryland, and New York City. Dr. Brandon resides in Annapolis.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books (June 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1605298263
• ISBN-13: 978-1605298269
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #192,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

109 of 111 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The best self-help book ever June 24, 2004

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I bought this book based on the Amazon reviews and I'm glad I did. This book is for everyone; I am most certainly not the average victim of low libido - I'm 24 years old, no children, and in a committed loving relationship. It cleared up so many things for me; so much so that my therapist is buying it to recommend to his other patients. I have since recommended it to all of my girlfriends, even the ones who feel they have no libido problems. Besides getting me to feel more open discussing some of the problems that were weighing heavily on me, I learned some simple relaxation tips to keep me 'in the moment' and focused on the experience, not the grocery list that I used to make in my mind. I could go on and on, but just trust me. It's worth buying.

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read! May 16, 2004

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Reclaiming Desire is a must read for any woman who finds that her sex drive is not what it should be or what she wants it to be, and is willing to take steps to fix it. According to the authors there is no "quick fix" for low libido. Instead, the authors lay out a comprehensive plan for improving sex drive that makes sense and actially works! Their plan starts out with a self test that helps you identify why your sex drive is decreased. Then they explain how to fix it. For example, some women may find that they need to take hormones like testosterone or dopamine, while other women may need help with emotional or relationship problems. They also give a lot of useful information about some popular aphrodisiacs like ginko and ginseng, and talk about sexual desire at different stages of life (after giving birth, menopause, etc). There are lots of useful bullet points that summarize each chapter. One of the best parts of this book are the stories from actual patients that were treated by the authors. All in all this is good reading and lots of help for those of us whose sex drive is not what it once was.

59 of 63 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book Written on Women's Desire Problems July 12, 2004

By A. Zoldbrod

Format:Hardcover

Reclaiming Desire is a gift to women who have lost their libido. Doctors Goldstein and Brandon have created a beautifully-written, comprehensive, empowering and compassionate book, and one I recommend wholeheartedly to my patients. It deals with women's low sexual desire in unusual depth, and in a remarkably balanced way---encompassing the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual aspects of womens' sexuality.If you still love your partner and your relationship and you still want to bond, but your sex drive has vanished, this is the best book you could ever read.

Reclaiming Desire is the thinking woman's antidote to helplessness. It gives you the guidemap to pinpoint what is wrong, the courage to take responsibility for your part, the voice of a wise, ingenious, loving guide to cheer you on, and all the strategies you will need to change your libido. The chapter on the "Miracle of Motherhood" is a masterpiece. It should be required reading for all parents-to-be, and the professionals who take care of them.

This is a fabulous book and a first-rate contribution to the literature on women and sexuality.

Aline Zoldbrod Ph.D.
AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and Diplomate in Sex Therapy,
Psychologist and Couples Therapist
Author, Sex Smart: How Your Childhood Shaped Your Sexual Life and What To Do About It, and co-author, Sex Talk: Uncensored Exercises for Exploring What Really Turns You On.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wish they had written this sooner! May 14, 2004

By clean_freak

Format:Hardcover

Dr. Goldstein changed my life and probably saved my marriage. This is not an overstatement.

After having two children in a relatively short span of time, my husband and I found less time for each other and, when we had time, I was utterly exhausted and disinterested. The advice that Dr. Goldstein and his partner offer in their practice, and what they tell you in this book, will definitely help you understand the root causes of some of these issues. Sometimes things are more complicated than they seem at first. But more importantly, this book will give you some concrete action items to help you make positive changes.

I was lucky in that my "issues" were among the most common out there and are very treatable. But that didn't make it any easier for me to cope with. I am fortunate to have found Dr. Goldstein and have been a patient of his. I have personally found Dr. Goldstein to be pragmatic and honest in his dealings with his patients. I appreciate that about him. His advice is straight-forward without being clinical or harsh. Above all, this is useful stuff that anyone can benefit from.

Talking about sex is sometimes awkward but Drs. Goldstein and Brandon talk to you like a real person in this book. Most importantly they give you real answers.

39 of 43 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Reclaiming the erotic in your relationship July 14, 2004

By Harold McFarland HALL OF FAMEVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Written for women, "Reclaiming Desire" explores why sexual desire fades and what can be done to bring it back. Authors Andrew Goldstein, M.D. and Marianne Brandon, Ph.D., the founders of the Sexual Wellness Center in Annapolis, Maryland, claim that there are four keys to reclaiming this desire. These keys are good physical health, being emotional resilient, being intellectually fulfilled, and having spiritual contentment.

We all go through various life changes, any one of which can affect the libido. The authors look at many of these changes and how they affect your sex drive as well as what can be done to reduce or eliminate that effect. Each of their four keys is examined in detail including not only how things like hormones, depression, anxiety, stress, menopause and other factors affect your drive but also exploring how to lessen those effects. They do a good job of exposing various myths and misconceptions as well as detailing what works and what does not. With today's focus on natural health options they even include information on how exercise and other natural options can be used.

Throughout the book two messages are clear - you are not alone and there is hope. "Reclaiming Desire" is highly recommended to any woman suffering from a declining libido who wants to reclaim that portion of their relationship as part of their life.