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This book powerfully achieves its aim of normalising and demystifying sexual attraction. The first ten chapters explore how the erotic dynamic is understood and worked with by practitioners of very different modalities, including a chapter each on family and couple work. The following five chapters have a research focus and report on qualitative studies into the therapist's experience of sexual feelings in the room. I felt the book worked very well as a whole and its spirit of integration meant that the reader is included in a respectful, thoughtful conversation between diverse colleagues. Being clear and well written this book is likely to be a useful resource for training, but I think the depth of the issues discussed means that it will be most valued by experienced therapists. It will appeal particularly to practitioners who enjoy understanding modalities other than their own.
Almost all chapters are rich in clinical material. The editor has ensured that contributors include ‘close grained’ clinical vignettes as well as very clear bullet points outlining how they aim to respond to erotic energy in the therapy room. All the writers subscribe to the view that sexual feelings are inevitable in the therapy relationship and that to try to deny them is harmful to the work. There is however variety of opinion on how to manage these feelings with some writers arguing that disclosure of the therapist's feelings of attraction could on occasions be appropriate.
The clinical chapters range from cognitive-behavioural therapy to psychoanalysis. A particularly clear discussion of the topic is offered by a relational psychoanalyst and a very creative integrative chapter uses Clarkson's five-mode approach to explore sexual attraction within her familiar headings. The writer offering a phenomenological perspective reminds us that “sexual feelings are a constant horizon to our existence.” (, p. 69) and offers a rich exploration of the embodied dyad in the room. I found the chapter on