Helen Singer Kaplan

Almost two decades ago, Dr. Helen Kaplan was the first to identify the disorders of sexual desire as distinct entities, thus showing the way to more effective treatment of all the sexual disorders. Now, in this new volume, drawing upon her systematic recording of the treatment experience and outcome of over 6,000 patients whom she has treated - and by recognizing and studying not just the successes but the treatment failures as well - Dr. Kaplan has brought the art and science of sex therapy to new levels of clarity and effectiveness. In The Sexual Desire Disorders, Dr. Kaplan applies her comprehensive, integrated, psychodynamically oriented approach to arrive at an individualized treatment attuned to the specific diagnosis and unique circumstances of each patient. In addition, the author examines psychiatric disorders that can lead to loss of sexual desire, as well as organic causes, including medical conditions, drugs, and aging. Throughout the volume, more than 30 case studies illuminate the varied clinical approaches to the various disorders of sexual desire. The Sexual Desire Disorders provides a remarkable synthesis of trailblazing theory, painstaking research, and highly focused clinical treatment that will make this volume an indispensable guide for many years to come.

The authors integrate biological and anthropological findings with real-life stories of individuals to address the conundrums that surround male-female behavior and relationships. Drawing on the latest research in evolutionary biology, they trace the multifaceted gender gap to the basic, defining difference between males and females: that one makes sperm, the other, eggs. They show how that distinction explains why women and men differ in essential ways, exploring such questions as: Why are men more attracted than women to pornography, group sex, and one-night stands? Why are women the "gatekeepers" of sex? Why do women have orgasms?