title: Sexual dysfunction and interpersonal stress: the significance of the presenting complaint in seeking and engaging help.
abstract: This paper examines the extent to which sexual problems featured in one year's applications to a specialist marital agency and the degree of match between client and agency in the way these problems were understood. Sexual dysfunction is seen as having a functional aspect, capable of drawing attention to sensitive areas in marriage and yet of deflecting away from them when attention begins to constitute a threat. The nature of the threat is examined from a psychodynamic perspective in relation to a case example, and implications are drawn for the therapist in managing both the presenting symptom and the transference.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008388:Marital Therapy / Q000379:methods; D009769:Object Attachment; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D014167:Transference, Psychology