ABSTRACT
Emphasizing clients’ own words, knowledge, and narratives asks sex therapists to center the experience of erotically marginalized clients. Dialogic principles center client’s experiences and knowledge as an integral part of the therapeutic process. Narrative therapy provides a venue for erotically marginalized clients to redefine and understand themselves outside of the oppressive and constant stream of messages that come from mainstream society. Responsive listening sets the stage for clients to have the space that they need to understand their own complexities. The words that erotically marginalized clients use to describe themselves, their behaviors, their bodies, and their communities may also be specific and used in a way that is different than the therapist’s own experience. One way for a sex therapist to actively work on understanding erotically marginalized identities and the language and labels that clients might use is to participate in a Sexual Attitude Reassessment training.
