Reflecting on the episode of Laura Berman's TV series Sexual Healing that we watched in class, I am curious about the long-term effectiveness of her treatment. The episode follows three couples participating in a week long retreat to Dr. Berman's sex therapy clinic that includes individual, couple, and group therapy sessions. Although I liked Dr. Berman's approach and style, I wonder about her interventions. The homework that she assigned to each of the couples seemed to focus strictly on the exploration of new sexual scripts (visiting sex toy shops, giving the couples sex game kits, etcetera). The couples did go to restaurants, but seeing as how they were staying in a hotel for the retreat wouldn't they have had to do that anyhow? Therefore, those "dates" can't really count as interventions. The rock climbing date was inventive, although that couple seemed to need more communication skills training, rather than trust-building exercises. I would have liked to have seen more of the in-session work with these couples.
What I liked about this episode was that it followed the treatment of three couples presenting with very different sexual difficulties. And, Dr. Berman's approach to all three seemed very similar (if not, entirely the same), which tells us that her treatment approach is applicable to the process (not the content) of the presenting complaint. I also liked being able to view the couples adherence to the homework. Therapists rarely, if ever, get to witness what occurs outside of session, so this was very interesting to watch. I wonder if Dr. Berman reviewed those videos before her sessions with the couples the next day, or if they were strictly for the TV series. I also wonder how these encounters would appear differently if the couple weren't aware of being videotaped. I am not condoning videotaping a couple without their consent! I am just curious how social desirability factored into their adherence, or lack-thereof, to the homework assignments.
Like I mentioned before, I would be interested in a follow-up with the couples, maybe a year or so after their treatment. My prediction would be that Tom and Debra are experiencing renewed sexual satisfaction at a one-year follow-up; Shawn and Kerrie continue to struggle with their satisfaction of their sex life; and Brandon and Sabrina...well, I can't comment because I recall a spoiler-alert that announced they have since broken-up.
