Description:
Although Jennifer Berman, M.D., and Laura Berman, Ph.D., readily agree that "the most important sex organ in the human body is the brain," the last thing they want anyone to believe is that all female sexual problems are mental--quite the contrary. Findings gathered from their own research and clinical practice show that, like men, women often undergo physical changes and challenges that lead to sexual dysfunction; in fact, nearly half of all women in the U.S. experience sexual problems at some point during their lifetime. Through their frank but personable discussion about the female sexual response, sisters Jennifer (a urologist) and Laura (a sex therapist) virtually open their clinic doors to readers; they share client stories, fully describe their clinical patient-assessment process, provide an updated anatomy lesson, and offer practical suggestions for enhancing sexual pleasure. As founders and co-directors of the Women's Sexual Health Clinic at Boston University Medical Center, the Bermans have treated a variety of ailments, including loss of libido (due to medical factors, emotional issues, or menopause) and arousal and pain disorders. They address it here in plain, understandable words designed to empower women with better information about their bodies and the many factors that can affect sexual well-being. In a way, the book reads almost like a diary of their practice, bolstered by the occasional critical essay (such as chapter 2, "The History of Female Sexuality," or chapter 6, "Sexuality Through the Life Cycle"). For Women Only is a sensitive, sensible, and timely take on a previously "pooh-poohed" subject--with encouraging conclusions that are long overdue. --Liane Thomas
| 
