Treating Sexual Shame: A New Map for Overcoming Dysfunction, Abuse, and Addiction [Hardcover]

Anne Stirling Hastings (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0765701030 | ISBN-13: 978-0765701039 | Publication Date: January 1, 1998

In therapy, as in the world at large, sexuality is different from other issues because of the culturally imposed secrecy and shame that inhibit open, non-defended talk about it. Anne Stirling Hastings, Ph.D., who specializes in treating the overlapping sexual problems of abuse, addiction, and dysfunction, encourages clinicians to recognize and overcome their own shame as a precondition to eliciting and advancing their clients' awareness.

Editorial Reviews

Review

It is so refreshing to read a book about healing and sexuality without needing to change the gender of the people in the case examples or experience myself and my clients as invisible. For Dr. Hastings, heterosexual herself, healthy human sexuality clearly and overtly includes gay and lesbian relationship. Treating Sexual Shame brings new light and perspectives to sex and sexuality that will inform and benefit any therapist and all clients, gay and heterosexual alike. (Randy Fitzgerald, M.S. )

Anne Stirling Hastings is one of those clinicians who have truly increased our understanding of sexuality. Her books, both popular and clinical, have helped many. This one, on treating sexual shame, will be a landmark. (Patrick J. Carnes, Ph.D. )

About the Author

Anne Stirling Hastings, Ph.D., specializes in sexual healing in her private practice of individual, couple, and group psychotherapy. She lives outside Seattle and on the island of Kauai. Dr. Hastings has written about sexual addiction, sexual attraction to children, satisfying sexuality for couples, and the contribution of culture to sexual distress. This is her fifth book.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 332 pages
• Publisher: Jason Aronson, Inc. (January 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765701030
• ISBN-13: 978-0765701039
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #378,821 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Relevent for therapists dealing with any aspect of sexuality, November 16, 1998

By 

Bill Herring, LCSW (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Treating Sexual Shame: A New Map for Overcoming Dysfunction, Abuse, and Addiction (Hardcover)

This is a useful book in the evolving dialogue that reflects the level of wisdom emerging in the field of sexuality recovery. Hastings addresses the overlapping fields of sex therapy, sex abuse recovery, and sex addiction recovery, noting how therapists in one field may have only passing knowledge of the others. Hastings continues her championing of liberation from shame as the key to growth in all of these related areas. As she succinctly writes, "shame needs to be elicited so that it can be discharged", and examples of this approach are abundant. She makes good sense in describing the unhealthy culture in which our repressions and addictions take root. "Healing sexuality is far more than healing sexual problems", and the author gives numerous examples of distorted thinking and goals in sexual expression. Helpful analysis of flirting and jealousy highlight the maturity of Hastings' approach. Sometimes this book seems directed for clients, other times for therapists. The specific chapters detailing clinical issues (countertransference, arousal in the therapeutic setting, limit setting, therapist self-exploration and healing, for example) make this a particularly useful book for all counselors. There are quite a few case vignettes and examples of therapist questions to use with clients. A solid and admirable work that will benefit many therapists and the clients they serve.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but subjective and anecdotal, September 12, 2000

By 

D. P. Birkett (Suffern, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Treating Sexual Shame: A New Map for Overcoming Dysfunction, Abuse, and Addiction (Hardcover)

Well written and readable with good case vignettes and courageous use of the writer's autobiography. It is apparently directed at other therapists but offers some embarassingly (now why did I pick that word?)elementary information about such matters as anatomy, so that at times she seems to be addressing a general readership. She is uncritical about some of her sources eg "Acupuncture directly works on the energy channels" and disdains statistical evidence. There is an index and references but no attempt to completely review the literature and other viewpoints are dismissed without full evaluation. On the whole I would recommend it to anyone working in the field but would want a neophyte to read a few other rhings.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Too Basic and Too Politically Correct, July 2, 2001

By 

Paul Fucich (Palmdale, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Treating Sexual Shame: A New Map for Overcoming Dysfunction, Abuse, and Addiction (Hardcover)

I was expecting a book that would be more detailed. I was hoping to find new information on a highly overlooked subject. Instead what I found was a book written for a certain audience. I could not help but feel that this audience, is the very same audience, that enjoys the agendas that are shoved down our throats by marketing departments and television program directors.

This is a topic (shame research) that is becoming important within the psychological community for good reason. Shame, we are discovering, is playing a much larger part in our lives than we had currently estimated.

I was hoping this text would have some examples of the latest findings within the field of shame research, but I was disappointed.

I do not consider this author an authority. I consider this author a writer of popular culture.... I found many of her comments to be shame-based. Particularly the comments that reflect current sexual counseling techniques, practiced by specialists, like our author.

I would also like to mention that this book contains little regarding treatment. I feel this is a good thing considering the lack of real knowledge on the subject written.

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