Too Taboo?: Preliminary Explorations of Counselor Experiences of Client Sexuality

Abstract

For many years, researchers and clinicians have discussed the weakness in the counseling profession surrounding education and training specific to sexuality. Previous research has largely focused on quantitative approaches to explore why client sexuality is a source of discomfort for counselors. This study sought to explore the qualitative experience of two counselors to begin filling in the gaps left by similar quantitative research. Through narrative interviews, themes related to avoidance of and motivators for discussing sexuality with clients were identified. Results from this research can help influence counselors in practice, counselor educators and future areas of sexuality counseling research.

Development of the Comfort with Sexual Behaviors Scale

“…Miller & Byers, 2008;S. A. Miller & Byers, 2010;Mollen, Burnes, Lee, & Abbott, 2018;Southern & Cade, 2011;Wilson, 2019). Programs are not preparing clinicians adequately to discuss these basic sexual topics, preparing them even less to discuss more "controversial" behaviors such as recreational swinging, group sex, and consensual sexual fetishistic behaviors (Ford & Hendrick, 2003;Mollen et al, 2018).…”