International Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis - E-Lib FK UWKS

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International Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis. Edited by G. D. Burrows, R. O. Stanley, P. B. Bloom
Copyright # 2001 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
ISBNs: 0-471-97009-3 Hardback); 0-470-84640-2 Electronic)
Hypnotic Interventions in the
Treatment of Sexual
Dysfunctions
ROBB O. STANLEYand GRAHAM D. BURROWS
University of Melbourne, Australia
The treatment of male and female sexual dysfunctions is a multistage process
with each stage important in determining the ®nal success of therapy. Therapy
proper starts with diagnosis and evaluation of the aetiology of the disorder,
which is usually complex. The need for an effective evaluation of medical,
psychiatric, psychological, social and cultural in¯uences is an essential element
of proper therapy. Subsequent stages of therapy may use a variety of strategies.
The treatment of sexual dysfunction can take a psychodynamic psychotherapy
approach, a brief focused eclectic psychotherapy approach, or a cognitivebehavioral
approach, and hypnotic assistance to each of these is advantageous.
The intention of this chapter is not to review these approaches extensively but
rather to consider how hypnosis may be effectively added to them to improve
ef®cacy.
Clinical dif®culties in sexual functioning can arise at any phase of the normal
sexual response and can come about from a wide variety of causes. The phases
represented in normal sexual response are respectively: sexual interest; sexual
arousal; sexual penetration; sexual orgasm, post-sexual resolution and post-sexual
feelings. At each phase of the emotional and physical response, male sexual
functioning may be hindered. Factors involved in the likely aetiology of the
respective disorders are dealt with later.
A thorough evaluation of the nature of the disorder and its aetiology bene®ts
from a multidisciplinary approach. With both male and female sexual dysfunction,
medical evaluation is an absolute requirement before psychological treatment is
commenced as interference with sexual functioning is an early symptom in a
number of medical illnesses. General as well as speci®c genital, urological and
neurological disease processes are investigated. Usage of illicit substances, legal
recreational drugs and prescribed medication requires clari®cation. The role of
psychiatric disorders and psychological dif®culties in the presentation are deter-
International Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis. Edited by G. D. Burrows, R. O. Stanley and P. B. Bloom
# 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd