Today in Recovery
Action Steps for Clients:
Find a licensed therapist or counselor who has training in “moral incongruence.” Although therapists can always learn from their clients, it’s best to work with someone who truly understands these intricate . . .
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Until recently, I wasn’t familiar with the term moral incongruence, but I’ve had clients through the years describe the effects of growing up in ultra-conservative families usually within strict religious communities that labeled pornography as sinful. As a liberal Jewish therapist, these stories always surprise me, but I continue to learn about the suffering associated with such complicated . . .
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Don’t pathologize fantasy. Be curious, non-judgmental and open-hearted. Allow fantasy to be a teacher and simply a part of who you are. Give yourself the opportunity to consider fantasy . . .
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Fantasy is defined as imagination, especially when extravagant and unrestrained (www.dictionary.com), and it can also be a liberating exploration of your wants and desires, both sexual or romantic. Is it possible that fantasy gets a bad rap? Can your imagination, even if extravagant or unrestrained be useful and safe? The answer is . . .
Continue reading...Face it. It’s been a few hundred years since Puritanical beliefs thrived in early America when sex for pleasure was seen as morally wrong. Yet, religious dogma continues to exist in our society today, and some faith communities still contribute to confusion and shame based on rigid, outdated rules . . .
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In Part One we learned about a teenager named Charlie whose relationship with porn became his secret life. Now let’s take a look at a few action steps that Charlie might consider to develop a more satisfying and pleasurable sex life.
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Charlie was the oldest of three children raised in a middle-class suburb of Boston by well-meaning, hard-working parents. Because his family lived paycheck to paycheck, Charlie was often left on his own after school before his parents arrived home by 6. He was . . .
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