Kenneth S. Pope

Sexual attraction to a patient is an all but universal experience in therapy . . . and one that is an all but universally avoided topic of discussion among therapists. Sexual Intimacy Between Therapists and Patients faces this complex and painful issue squarely. The authors--themselves experienced clinicians and researchers--draw together clinical studies, first-hand accounts, national surveys, legislation and case law, ethical standards, popular literature, and their own carefully gathered evidence, in order to provide all of the information currently available on patient-therapist intimacy. In this book, Pope and Bouhoutsos outline the varieties of sexual abuse and describe the "at-risk" patient as well as the "at-risk" therapist. They offer guidance on how to treat a patient who has been sexually abused by a former therapist. And they cover the broader social dimensions of the issue, including recommending changes in the education of health professionals and the role played by the legal system.