ABSTRACT
This chapter on Portugal presents an interesting example of what happens when sex therapy is imported from one culture to another. Soares and Nobre describe the “tidal wave of modernization” that swept across Portugal following the military coup in 1974. In the aftermath, the first psychology departments in Portuguese universities and in psychiatric hospitals were established, paving the way for the development of clinical sexology. The early pioneers of sex therapy and sex research in Portugal had strong ties to England, and in essence we see a British-inspired model of cognitive-behavioral sex therapy transplanted to the rich and diverse culture of Portugal. Several case examples illustrate the complexity of sexuality in Portugal, a country that is a blend of Arab, Jewish, Christian, and European infl uences. It is not hard to imagine that this scenario of importing and adapting sex therapy techniques to suit particular cultures will repeat itself in years to come as sex therapy makes inroads around the world.
