Human sexuality has long been one of the most complicated topics in the field of psychology, a point where biology, emotion, and action converge in a way that always appears to elude easy explanation. The challenge faced by psychologists Mike Abrams and Marija Milisavljević Grdinić is to navigate this complex terrain as well as possible, combining science and practice in a helpful guidebook entitled Sexuality: Development, Cases, and Treatment, a result that is both highly informed and very human.
In contrast to most other writing on sex, rather than commencing from some set of moral, cultural, or social issues, the writing here firmly grounds sex from an empirical, research-based perspective. Rather than setting a moral stance on sex or attempting to define it, the contributors set out to analyze sex as a fundamental building block of human development. The authors integrate levels of psychological, biological, and evolutionary knowledge to offer sex as a volitional, functional, cognitive system. The work contains well over 900 cited research entries, encapsulating thirty-plus years of the author’s expertise as a practicing clinician and educator. The text is surprisingly accessible, despite being embedded in research-intensive terminology.
The subject matter of the text is both a scientific inquiry into sexuality and a consideration of human nature. The discussion begins with an investigation of the relationship between human attraction, instincts, and survival, while progressing on to cover the psychological level, definitions of intimacy, love, and commitment. The use of case studies within the text gives it a practical perspective on how human sex drives become apparent within a therapeutic setting.
The impact of Dr. Mike Abrams’ work is evident throughout. Known as a clinical psychologist, professor at New York University, as well as a fellow, supervisor, and member at the Albert Ellis Institute, Abrams has long been a prominent voice in the incorporation of both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and evolutionary psychology. He also authored three books in collaboration with Albert Ellis, namely The Art and Science of Rational Eating in 1992, How to Cope with a Fatal Illness in 1994, and Personality Theories: Critical Perspectives in 2008. He eventually pioneered his own form of therapy named Informed Cognitive Therapy (ICT), integrating ideas from evolutionary psychology and genetic behavior within CBT. In 2023, The New CBT: Clinical Evolutionary Psychology, a synthesis of his ideas, preceded his most recent text.
Marija Milisavljevic Grdinić brings a complementary set of skills, too, having a background in psychology, leadership, and research design. A published writer and educator on organizational behavior and data analysis, she also brings an analytic mind to the organizational structure of the text. Additionally, as a workshop leader and editor in scientific publishing, she has assisted in creating a text that is both systematic and accessible.
The strength of the book, in many ways, is that it resists easy summary. The authors’ view of sexuality is as a continually unfolding system. Additionally, authors understand that sexual conduct is as much driven by emotional and cognitive needs as it is by purely physiological demands. The authors’ approach enables them to treat complex areas, such as ‘identity,’ ‘orientation,’ and ‘attachment,’ without having to apply convenient social definitions. It’s worth noting, however, that a warning is in order here about the reader’s expectations.
This is, for example, not a pop psychology volume nor a first introduction to the subject. Nevertheless, it provides a level of expertise approaching scholarly levels. The text is accessible, though it requires a level of curiosity and interest on the part of the reader. The discussion from one topic to another flows logically from research to practice, always pointing towards a return to the question of human sexuality as it informs human experience. Sexuality: Development, Cases, & Treatment is a resource well worth having on the shelves of departments of psychology, as well as in the libraries of researchers, practitioners, and scholars interested in one of the most significant aspects of human experience.
