Description
406: Revisiting Low Sex/No Sex Marriages
Clifford Penner, Ph.D.
Penners & Associates
200 East Del Mar Blvd., Ste. 126
Pasadena, CA 91105
Joyce Penner, M.N., R.N.
Penners & Associates
200 East Del Mar Blvd., Ste. 126
Pasadena, CA 91105
Summary
During the past decade, the subjectivity and concrete stipulations of frequency that defined a sexless marriage have been evaluated and redefined. It has become clear that frequency and behaviors that promote and maintain intimate sexual connection will vary from couple to couple and throughout the life cycle. Thus, this workshop will give participants tools to assess each client couple’s unique patterns to apply most effectively the Penners’ observations of the three basic categories for low sex/sexless marriages: one or both spouses may have brought issues from their history; there may be health or hormonal difficulties; the couple’s home life patterns or relationship issues may have caused their sex life to die gradually or precipitously. Both may have pulled away from sexual intimacy, but more commonly, one feels deprived and the other experiences pressure. The causes will be extensively explored with specific recommendations for hope and change that emphasize the importance of addressing this as a couple issue.
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
• Describe behaviors that define sexual intimacy to interact effectively with couples who are experiencing low sex/no sex marriages
• Identify signs and symptoms of sexual avoidance that are impacting the marital relationship and develop an understanding and empathy for the spouse with low desire, the spouse with higher desire, and the impact on their marriage
• Develop an effective treatment plan for licensed mental health professionals consistent with the causes and goals of the low sex/no sex client couple
