LoveSex and Relationships

Book excerpt: LoveSex and Relationships introduces a pleasure-focused rather than reproductive model of sex, exploring how our brains, minds, bodies and emotions interact to create our experience of sexuality. This book challenges the cultural commodification of sex and sexuality, and it encourages the reader to experience ‘being sexual’ rather than ‘doing sex’ or ‘looking sexy’. This is crucial to our development of sexual selfesteem, particularly in the digital era of pornography, dating and hookup apps. Bringing the material of the first edition up to date, chapters include anatomical diagrams and social commentary with a focus on trauma and Polyvagal Theory. Diversity and cultural changes are also addressed, including a more expansive understanding of gender identity, and greater awareness of the impact of power and rank in sexual relationships. Lastly, each chapter features a new partnered exercise alongside every solo exercise from the first edition. The book’s accessible language makes it a valuable resource for sex and relationship therapists and trainees, general mental health and sex/relationship professionals, and clients themselves.