EP05 Topical Panel 05 - Sexuality - Albert Ellis, PhD; Otto Kernberg, MD; Michele Weiner-Davis, MSW; Jeffrey Zeig, PhD
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- Not yet rated
- Topic Areas:
- Topical Panels | Sex and Sexuality | Psychotherapy | Communication | Couples Therapy | Gender | Gender Dynamics
- Categories:
- Evolution of Psychotherapy | Evolution of Psychotherapy 2005 | Pioneers in Couples and Family Therapy
- Faculty:
- Albert Ellis, PhD | Otto Kernberg, MD | Michele Weiner-Davis, LCSW | Jeffrey Zeig, PhD
- Duration:
- 57 Minutes
- Format:
- Audio Only
- Original Program Date:
- Dec 09, 2005
- License:
- Never Expires.
Description
Description:
Educational Objectives:
- To compare and contrast clinical and philosophical perspectives of experts.
*Sessions may be edited for content and to preserve confidentiality*
Outline:
Sexuality and Cultural Context
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Camillo Loriedo opens with a metaphor: sexuality is like Nutella—widely relevant and often misunderstood.
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Highlights changing norms: Viagra, fantasy, and relationship dynamics.
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Invites Albert Ellis, noted sex therapist and philosopher, to share insights.
Albert Ellis’ Philosophy on Sex Therapy
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Emphasizes self-created emotional disturbance over external adversity in sexual issues.
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Debunks myths (e.g., orgasm as a must) and promotes flexibility in sexual expression.
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Advocates liberal, guilt-free sexuality in revised Sex Without Guilt.
Michele Weiner-Davis on Sexual Desire Discrepancies
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Addresses “sex-starved marriages” where one partner is indifferent to physical affection.
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Emphasizes risk of emotional disconnection, infidelity, and divorce.
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Cites Dr. Rosemary Basson's research: desire often follows physical stimulation.
Therapy and Relationship Dynamics
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Warns against waiting to address sexual issues in therapy.
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Shares client example: lack of sex interpreted as lack of love.
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Notes cultural stigma around men discussing low desire.
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Teases her upcoming book, The Sex-Starved Wife.
Sexual Desire and Aging
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Jeffrey discusses evolving desire and sexual function over the life cycle.
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Suggests breaking low desire into components (lust, attraction, attachment).
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Notes anxiety’s role in dysfunction and references Helen Fisher’s neurobiological model.
Psychodynamic Views on Sexual Inhibition
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Otto links inhibition to guilt, aggression, and narcissistic pathology.
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Early prohibitions shape sexual repression.
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Repressed aggression can interfere with desire and excitement.
Personality Disorders and Desire
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Otto explains how borderline and narcissistic traits impact sexual behavior.
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Desire may be diverted from partner to others due to devaluation.
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Notes difficulty treating these disorders and cites Helen Singer Kaplan’s influence.
Sexual Desire Across the Life Cycle
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Jeffrey: men = more spontaneous desire; women = more responsive.
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Desire patterns evolve with age; men experience more decline.
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Otto: women’s capacity remains stable; men face cultural pressure to hide decline.
Intimacy vs. Sexuality in Gender Dynamics
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Otto: men begin with sexuality, learn intimacy; women start with intimacy, learn sexuality.
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Late-life dynamics often reverse: men seek connection, women seek autonomy.
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Calls for nuanced therapeutic understanding of these shifts.
Closing Reflections
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Panelists reflect on the richness of the discussion and express gratitude.
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Emphasis on continuing open, informed conversations about sex and relationships.
Credits
Faculty
Albert Ellis, PhD Related Seminars and Products
Albert Ellis, PhD, was an American psychologist who in 1955 developed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). He held M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in clinical psychology from Columbia University and American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). He also founded and was the President of the New York City-based Albert Ellis Institute for decades.
He is generally considered to be one of the originators of the cognitive revolutionary paradigm shift in psychotherapy and one of the founders of cognitive-behavioral therapies.[2]
Based on a 1982 professional survey of US and Canadian psychologists, he was considered as the second most influential psychotherapist in history (Carl Rogers ranked first in the survey; Sigmund Freud was ranked third).[3][4] Psychology Today noted, "No individual—not even Freud himself—has had a greater impact on modern psychotherapy."[5]
Otto Kernberg, MD Related Seminars and Products
Otto Kernberg, MD, is a psychoanalyst and professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College. He is most widely known for his psychoanalytic theories on borderline personality organization and narcissistic pathology. Director of the Personality Disorders Institute at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, Westchester Division, and Professor of Psychiatry at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Dr. Kernberg is a Past-President of the International Psychoanalytic Association. He is also Training and Supervising Analyst of the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research. Dr. Kernberg is the author of twelve books and co-author of twelve others. His most recent books are Psychotherapy for Borderline Personality: Focusing on Object Relations and Handbook of Dynamic Psychotherapy for Higher Level Personality Pathology.
Michele Weiner-Davis, LCSW Related Seminars and Products
Michele Weiner-Davis, LCSW is the Founder of The Divorce Busting Center in Boulder, Colorado. She is a popular TEDx speaker and the author of eight books including, Healing From Infidelity, and the bestselling Divorce Busting and The Sex-Starved Marriage. She is the recipient of several prestigious awards including the Outstanding Contribution to Marriage and Family Therapy Award from AAMFT.
Jeffrey Zeig, PhD Related Seminars and Products
Jeffrey K. Zeig, PhD, is the Founder and Director of the Milton H. Erickson Foundation and is president of Zeig, Tucker & Theisen, Inc., publishers in the behavioral sciences. He has edited, co-edited, authored or coauthored more than 20 books on psychotherapy that appear in twelve foreign languages. Dr. Zeig is a psychologist and marriage and family therapist in private practice in Phoenix, Arizona.