It is more or less uniformly accepted that a mental health practitioner who has sexual relations with his or her patient is engaging in a gross breach of ethics and harming the patient. Indeed, such prohibited sexual conduct has increasingly given rise to civil suits for malpractice and even criminal prosecutions.

Nonetheless, such behavior is apparently very widespread, despite virtually universal disapproval and the severe sanctions which frequently attach to it. As a result, increasing attention is being paid not only to the practitioners who actually stray but also to the battle against temptation waged by those who do not. All of this has given rise to an increasing volume of literature.

Sexual Feelings in Psychotherapy is premised upon the commendable idea that it is not sufficient merely to condemn prohibited sexual behavior by therapists but that, in addition, serious efforts must be made to train people in the field to deal with sexual feelings toward their patients to enable them to avoid acting those