Dr Sarah Ashton is the founder and director of SHIPS, Australias first psychology organisation dedicated to sexual-health treatment, and ISHPA, a research and training institute advancing sexual-health psychology. She has practised for over 17 years, delivers training and lectures nationally, and has authored pioneering academic work. She is based in Melbourne, Victoria.
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Description
When Trauma Affects Sex is brilliant - easy to read, relatable, and full of heart. Its one of those rare books that makes your heart thump with excitement because you cant wait to get into the therapy room to put it into practice. With wisdom and generosity, Sarah guides us into the neglected corners of trauma and sexuality work, offering practical strategies and inviting deep self-reflections that inspire both professional and personal growth.
This book will spark a quiet revolution in how we engage with sexuality in the therapy room.
-Dr Carol Sandiford PhD/MPsych (Ed&Dev) Lecturer, Deakin University Sex & Sexuality Unit, Psychologist, Board Approved Supervisor
Dr Ashtons book is an incredibly comprehensive and helpful resource for every clinician who works with sex and trauma. It provides a systematic overview of the landscape of trauma and holds out hope for the many trauma survivors who experience sexual difficulties, and the clinicians who walk with them. Ill be adding this to my bookshelf immediately. -Dr Ahona Guha, Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, Board Approved Supervisor, Author and Speaker
Sexual Symptoms as Trauma Responses radically redefines sexual "problems" as the bodys intelligent attempts to cope with unresolved trauma. Dr. Sarah Ashton bridges neuroscience, attachment theory, and somatic healing to reveal how symptoms like numbness, anxiety, and avoidance are protective adaptations-not personal failures. Grounded in compassion and clinical depth, this book offers a path from sexual disconnection to integration, safety, and aliveness. -Jessica Fern, therapist, author of Polysecure and Polywise
As a clinician with over 30 years of experience, I found this book to be an outstanding and much-needed contribution to our field. In this well-researched, comprehensive, and insightful work, Sarah sheds light on the often-overlooked intersections of sexuality and trauma. With clarity and compassion, she demonstrates the importance of a trauma-informed lens when supporting people with sexual difficulties. Seamlessly interweaving case examples with theory, Sarah brings complex frameworks to life and provides practical tools that clinicians can immediately integrate into their work. This is the book Ive been waiting for. -Dr Anita Elias – Head of the Sexual Medicine and Therapy Clinic, Monash Health; Senior Lecturer, Dept of O&G, Monash University; Malvern Psychotherapy Centre