Annehmen und Loslassen – Akzeptanz- und Zugeständnis-Sexualtherapie mit Paaren.

This paper describes an approach to sexual therapy for sexual dysfunctions and sexual relationship dysfunctions that was inspired first by the „Third Power of Psychology“, the Humanistic Psychology and Psychotherapy (HPT) and secondly by the „Third Wave of Psychotherapy“, here Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Accordingly, the therapy focuses on the acceptance of problems and the concession that something is not right, instead of attempting to eliminate or correct dysfunction. Acceptance and Commitment Sexual Therapy (Akzeptanz- und Zugeständnis-Sexualtherapie, AZST) is based on the assumption that sexual dysfunctions and sexual relationship dysfunctions can be resolved once the pressure to correct (or „fix“) a dysfunction is eliminated. The approach draws on the broader understanding of sexual health derived from the principles of Ivan Bloch, in which socio-cultural norms, ideals and expectations relating to sexual activity form the background for the evaluation of sexual health. It is assumed that, on the macro level, sexual dysfunctions are not individual psychological symptoms but rather expressions of social normative sexual expectations which are internalized by the individual as potentially pathological. Specifically, that sexual interactions must result in „successful“ penis-vaginal penetration and rate as „bad sex“ when this goal is not achieved. Clinical observations show that sexual dysfunctions, on the micro level, are largely penetration dysfunctions which occur with internalized pressure to achieve penis-vaginal penetration. Acceptance and Commitment Sexual Therapy supports the couple in their recognition of socialy normative pathogenic sexual expectations, and in their refocusing on the communication function of sexuality. The paper gives a schematic overview of the principles and processes of Acceptance and Commitment Sexual Therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]