Sexuality and Addiction: Making Connections, Enhancing Recovery

by Raven L. Badger, Douglas Braun-Harvey

Overview

This book provides an understanding of how sexuality and addiction are intertwined, helping those who counsel substance abusers and individuals who have experienced negative sexual messages or experiences to improve their sexual health and enjoyment.

This book presents a broad overview of sexual health issues that documents the links between sexuality and substance abuse, and describes how counselors can help individuals who have been impacted by negative sexual experiences can find a way out of the pain that leads them to addiction or back to substance abuse. Using the sexual health model as a framework for discussion, author Raven L. James, PhD, explains how sexual health and substance abuse are often connected, provides examples of real-life experiences, and identifies issues to consider in adopting healthier attitudes and sexual behaviors as well as effective methods for achieving them.

Each chapter provides focused content followed by an explanation of the subject's connection to substance abuse. Tips for counselors, sample lesson plans and ideas, tangible tools to use in sexual health groups, and related resources area also included. Whether the reader is personally afflicted, a helper, or a loved one, the information in Sexuality and Addiction: Making Connections, Enhancing Recovery will provide a new perspective on how to help clients improve their sexual self-esteem, find ways to improve sexual relationships with themselves and others, and most of all, to restore hope for sexual health in recovery.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313396359
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	07/06/2012
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Raven L. James, PhD, is a sexologist, researcher, consultant, and assistant professor in addiction studies at Governors State University, University Park, IL.

Table of Contents

Foreword Douglas Braun-Harvey ix

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xvii

Introduction xix

1 Models of Sexual Health and Sexual Self-Esteem 1

2 Sex Talk 17

3 Sexual Identity for Geeks 35

4 The "Blue-Light" Special 65

5 Taking Care of Business and Safer Sex 91

6 Sensitive Issues and Challenges 115

7 Body Beautiful 137

8 Self-Love and Dreams 157

9 Good Sex! 173

10 Getting to Know You 189

11 Oh God! 203

12 Completing the Journey 211

Appendix A Sexual History Intake Questions Sensitive to Sexual Diversity 217

Appendix B Sexuality Comfort Self-Assessment 221

Appendix C Values Clarification 225

Sources 227

Index 245

Editorial Reviews

The book is well referenced and uses frequent case examples; each chapter outlines structured group treatment activities based on the author's years of experience working with addicts. Summing Up: Recommended.” —Choice

From the Publisher