Susie Bright on “The Paradox of the Sex Advice Shrink”
January 8th, 2006 by Melissa Gira
Susie Bright notes that:
…experienced psychologists face a dilemma when they publish a popular self-help book. They know from their private practice, that you can’t help people by feeding them cute slogans or sound bites. It doesn’t work. As a therapist, your role is to elicit, not to dictate. Your client has to come to the “A-Ha!” experience on their own, in order for changes to really take place. So how does a doctor then switch hats and write a book where he tells people what to do? Is he selling out, or reaching an audience who would never go to the shrink’s office anyway?
Which makes one wonder, who’s really fulfilled by sex guides like that, the painfully simplistic sort that seem to dominate talk shows and the sterile shelves of chain booksellers, the ones promising heaven by promoting paint-by-numbers “great sex”? (As if there’s just one kind…)
Maybe, though, the more pertinent question is: why would anyone believe that a product alone will enhance their sexual education?
Back to Susie, in her response to Dr. Petra Boynton’s 2006 Sex Predictions (warning: prepare to be depressed, or rallied to arms):
When I wrote my first book about creating your own sexual philosophy, there was part of me that felt guilty to even write it… I wanted to say, “Here’s the basic idea, you’ll love doing it yourself,” rather than, “I am such a hot babe— aren’t you dying to know my secrets?” Screw sex secrets! Why do you have to buy anything to have a wonderful erotic life? You don’t. There’s part of me that wishes I didn’t make my living this way… I don’t want to be associated with the Madison Ave. SexPhony Brigade.
For the record, Sexerati is damned thankful that any smart sex educators can making a living at promoting erotic (r)evolution, fierce rays of hope all in an often otherwise dreary sex world.
You can listen to Susie tangle with all of this, and with guest Ian Kerner (remember, She Comes First?), on Episode 91 of In Bed with Susie Bright. (And ask for one her “Golden Tickets” and listen for free; just email Susie to get hooked in.)
BONUS TRACK
“2006 Sex Predictions I Wish Wouldn’t Come True” as re-posted at Huffington Post with a bit different demographic commenting on their own sex resolutions..
Image: The Pulp Zone