Christina Richards & Meg-John Barker 
Sexuality and Gender for Mental Health Professionals 
A Practical Guide

Questions of sexuality and gender affect everyone and therefore have an inevitable relevance in the consulting room. Yet with interpretations and manifestations of both varying greatly from person to person, understanding the inherent complexities of sexuality and gender can be a daunting task for the health professional. Breaking down these complexities this practical guide familiarises the reader with all of the common and many of the less common sexualities, genders and relationship forms, and explains experiences and issues relating to each. The book contains:

 

-Explanations of various forms of sexuality, gender and relationship structures

-Common concerns relating to specific groups

-Key practises relating to specific groups

-The treatment of specific groups in contemporary Western society

-Details of some rules and ideals that are commonly found within specific groups

-Suggestions for professional practice with these groups

 

Ideal for all members of the multidisciplinary team, this accessible book is relevant to practitioners across theoretical backgrounds. Whether you are a trainee or qualified psychotherapist, counsellor, nurse, medic, psychiatrist, social worker or applied psychologist, this is a vital text for your professional practice.


CHRISTINA RICHARDS is Senior Specialist Psychology Associate at the West London Mental Health NHS Trust (Charing Cross) Gender Identity Clinic.

MEG BARKER is a senior lecturer in psychology at the Open University and a sex and relationship therapist.

 

Table of Content

Introduction

PART ONE: GENDER PRACTICES AND IDENTITIES

Transgender (Trans) – Living a different gender from that assigned at birth

Intersex / Diversity of Sexual Development (DSD)

Cisgender – Living in the gender assigned at birth

Further Genders

PART TWO: SEXUALITY: PRACTICES AND IDENTITIES

Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, and Sadomasochism (BDSM) / Kink

Asexuality

Bisexuality

Lesbian and Gay sexuality

Heterosexuality

Cross-dressing

Further Sexualities

PART THREE: RELATIONSHIP STRUCTURES

Monogamy

Non-monogamy

About the author

Meg-John Barker is the author of a number of popular books on sex, gender, and relationships, including Queer: A Graphic History, Gender: A Graphic Guide, How To Understand Your Gender, Life Isn’t Binary, Enjoy Sex (How, When, and IF You Want To), Rewriting the Rules, The Psychology of Sex,  and The Secrets of Enduring Love. They have also written a number of books for scholars and counsellors on these topics, drawing on their own research and therapeutic practice. Websites: rewriting-the-rules.com,  megjohnandjustin.com. Twitter: @megjohnbarker, Instagram: @meg_john_barker.