Wendy Maltz Explained

Wendy Maltz
Birth Name:Wendy Lee Becker
Birth Date:12 January 1950
Birth Place:Washington, D.C.
Nationality:American
Occupation:Sex therapist, psychotherapist, author, educator
Website:http://www.healthysex.com

Wendy Maltz (born January 12, 1950) is an American sex therapist, psychotherapist, author, educator, and clinical social worker. She is an expert on the sexual repercussions of sexual abuse, understanding women's sexual fantasies, treating pornography-related problems, and promoting healthy sexuality. She has taught at the University of Oregon and, up until her retirement in 2016 from providing counseling services, was co-director with her husband, Larry Maltz, of Maltz Counseling Associates therapy practice in Eugene, Oregon.[1]

Personal life and education

Maltz graduated from the University of Colorado-Boulder with a bachelor of arts degree in Psychology. She also has a master's degree in social welfare from the University of California at Berkeley. She has been married to Larry Maltz, a sex and relationship therapist, since 1978. They live and work in Eugene, Oregon and have two grown children.[1]

Career

On October 25, 2014, Maltz received the Carnes Award from the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health for her "outstanding work in the field of sexual addiction."[2]

Maltz began her career as a therapist providing sexuality education in schools, counseling survivors of sexual abuse, and conducting sexual enrichment programs for pre-orgasmic women. Maltz was influenced by advancements in women's rights and sexual freedoms. In an article in Contemporary Sexuality, she explained, "I'm passionate about empowering women and men to overcome silence and unnecessary shame about sexual concerns."

Maltz has developed models for understanding healthy sexuality. These include the CERTS Conditions for Healthy Sexuality (consent, equality, respect, trust, and safety) model first described in Maltz, Wendy and Beverly Holman. Incest and Sexuality: A Guide to Understanding and Healing. Lanham: Lexington Books (1991) and The Maltz Hierarchy for Sexual Interaction. (Maltz, 1995).[3]

Her work has been included and/or discussed in sexuality textbooks, including: Carroll, Janell, Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity (2013) Cengage Learning: Belmont, CA; Kleinplatz, Peggy, New Directions in Sex Therapy (2012) Taylor & Francis Publishers: New York, NY; Wilmer, Graham, et al. Understanding and Treating the Life-Long Consequences of Childhood Sexual Abuse (2012) The Lantern Project, UK; Long, Lynn, Burnett, Judith & Thomas, Valerie, Sexuality Counseling: An Integrative Approach (2005) Pearson, Merrill, Prentice Hall Publishers: Upper Saddle River, NJ; Crooks, Robert & Karla Baur, Our Sexuality (5th edition, 1993) Benjamin Cummings Publishing: Redwood City, CA, pp. 498–501; Crooks, Robert & Karla Baur, Our Sexuality (11th edition, 2011) Cengage Learning: Belmont, CA; and; and, Katz, Lori S., Treating Military Sexual Trauma (2015) Springer Publishing, New York, NY.

Her books have been reviewed in Sexual and Relationship Therapy,[4] Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention,[5] Journal of Poetry Therapy,[6] The Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality,[7] Annals of Behavioral Sciences and Medical Education,[8] and Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.[9]

Maltz has been a keynote presenter, speaker and workshop presenter at psychology and sexuality conferences in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. She presented a keynote address at the 2009 Utah Coalition Against Pornography on pornography problems and healthy sexuality that was made available online by UCAP in 2015. Maltz presented a keynote entitled, "Let's Talk About Sex: Sexual Nature, Harm and Healing", as well as an advanced workshop on "Healing Unwanted Sexual Fantasies" at the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health 2015 annual conference in Philadelphia, PA.

Sexual abuse recovery

During her four-decade career, Maltz has written numerous books, chapters and articles on sexuality and sexual recovery topics (see Bibliography). Her first book, Incest and Sexuality: A Guide to Understanding and Healing (coauthored with Beverly Holman, 1987), was the first book to address the sexual problems caused by incest and remains a professional classic.[1] It was followed by her most popular book, The Sexual Healing Journey: A Guide for Survivors of Sexual Abuse,[1] which was also called a "classic" in Psychology Today.[10]

An article in the Pandora's Box Newsletter (March 2013) included a detailed description and illustration of the "Drawing on Body" exercise.[11]

In the fall of 2015, Maltz, along with Intervision Media Services, made both of her sexual healing videos, "Partners in Healing: Couples Overcoming the Sexual Repercussions of Incest," and "Relearning Touch: Healing Techniques for Couples" available for viewing at her HealthySex.com website.

In 2021 HarperCollinsMéxico published a Spanish-language edition of The Sexual Healing Journey, El viaje para sanar la sexualidad: Una guía para sobrevivientes de abuso sexual.

In 2022 Horusz, an imprint of Angyali Menedek, published a Hungarian edition of The Sexual Healing Journey, A Szexuális Gyógyulás Útján.

Pornography recovery

During the mid-2000s, with the growing proliferation of high-speed Internet pornography, Maltz began seeing increasing numbers of people in her therapy practice who were suffering from pornography-related problems. This occurrence led her to research and study how accessible, on-demand pornography was impacting sexuality and relationships, and what interventions were helpful to individuals and couples if they were experiencing negative consequences from using pornography. Maltz and her husband, Larry Maltz, coauthored a sexual recovery book entitled, The Porn Trap: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Problems Caused by Pornography, which describes serious porn-related problems, such as pornography addiction and intimate relationship concerns, and provides strategies and techniques for effectively addressing them. In a 2009 article in The Daily Beast/Newsweek discussing potential negative effects of heavy porn use, Maltz recommends that pornography, like cigarettes, be subject to regulation and warning labels. "I often feel like doctors must have in the 1950s," she said, "seeing firsthand the devastating consequences of cigarette smoking while living in a society that continues to glamorize use, ignore research, overlook consequences and resist regulation."

In 2014 a Chinese translation of The Porn Trap was published by Law Press of China, and a Polish translation by Media Rodzina.

According to DSM-5, DSM-5-TR, ICD-10, and ICD-11, sex or pornography addictions are not recognized diagnoses and the compulsive sexual behaviour disorder is not an addiction.[12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

Media

Maltz has been written about in publications such as Salon, Self, Therapy Today, Psychology Today, The Daily Beast/Newsweek,[22] [23] Mother Jones, Natural News, Times of India, New York Times, The Oregonian, The Register-Guard, Examiner, Bottomline Health,[24] WebMD,[25] Alternet,[26] Metro,[27] The Daily Emerald,[28] [29] St. George Utah News,[30] The Atlantic,[31] CBC News,[32] Refinery29,[33] Irish Times,[34] and O: The Oprah Magazine.[35]

She has been written about in sexual recovery publications, including Pandora's Project Newsletter,[36] Porn Addict Hubby,[37] and Cybersolutions Today.[38]

Maltz has also been interviewed on television and radio programs, and podcasts, discussing sexual healing from sexual abuse,[39] [40] [41] [42] sexual fantasies,[43] porn addiction recovery,[44] [45] [46] and sexual love poetry.[47] [48]

Singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette features Maltz in her "Conversation with Alanis" podcast series, Episode No. 5, with Maltz discussing a variety of intimacy topics, including sex, love, porn issues, fantasies, and sexual healing.[49]

Quotes

"Sexual abuse is not only an attack on one's body, but also an attack on one's sexuality."[50] [51]

"Sexual healing is an empowering process in which you reclaim your sexuality as both positive and pleasurable. It involves using special healing strategies and techniques to actively change sexual attitudes and behaviors that resulted from the abuse."[52]

"Healthy sex is something everyone deserves and can achieve." [53]

"Carpets can 'get laid' and bugs can 'have sex,' but 'making love' is something uniquely human. It's worth opening our hearts to the experience."[54]

"Love is stronger than abuse." [55]

"Sex is momentary, and sex is transcendent. That's the paradox. The most intense physical sharing we experience with another person is gone in a matter of minutes. And yet, it connects us with a larger energy, a life force. Real, authentic intimacy leaves behind an inner glow that warms every aspect of our lives. Sex reminds us of our limitations and our expansiveness as humans. We are alone, and we are together."[56]

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Hani . Miletski . Member Spotlight: Meet Wendy Maltz of Eugene, Ore. . Contemporary Sexuality . May 2010 . 44 . 5 . 7 .
  2. Web site: Wendy Receives the SASH Carnes Award . Healthy Sex . October 29, 2014 .
  3. Maltz, Wendy. (1995). The Maltz Hierarchy of Sexual Interaction. Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity 2, no. 1: 5–18.
  4. Book Reviews . Rosenbaum . Talli Y. . The Sexual Healing Journey . Sexual and Relationship Therapy . 27 . 3 . 298-299 . October 11, 2012 . 10.1080/14681994.2012.734607.
  5. Edger . Kailla . Review of The Porn Trap . Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity: The Journal of Prevention & Treatment . 15 . 3 . 269-270 . 2008 . 10.1080/10720160802289173.
  6. Grayson . Deborah Eve . Book Review: Intimate Kisses: The Poetry of Sexual Pleasure. Edited by Wendy Maltz. Novato, CA: New World Library. (ISBN 1-57731-133-7), 224 pp., $18.00, hardcover . Journal of Poetry Therapy . 14 . 241–243 . June 2001 . 10.1023/A:1017549729815.
  7. Owens . Annette . Book Review: Private Thoughts. Exploring the Power of Women’s Fantasies By Wendy Maltz and Suzie Boss. New World Library; ISBN: 1-57731-146-9; US $ 14 . The Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality . 4 . October 6, 2001 . https://web.archive.org/web/20030623115913/http://www.ejhs.org/volume4/book16.htm . 2003-06-23.
  8. Web site: Annals Past Table of Contents . ABSAME Online . Vol 14, No. 2 Fall 2008 ... Review of: The Porn Trap: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Problems Caused by Pornography by Wendy Maltz and Larry Maltz (2008) — Amy Ellwood . https://web.archive.org/web/20140808043854/http://www.absame.org/dcms/annals/pastTOC . 2014-08-08.
  9. Shaw . Jeanne . A Review of The Porn Trap: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Problems Caused by Pornography By Wendy and Larry Maltz. New York: Harper Collins, 2008. 288 pages, $24.95. (hardcover) . Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy . 35 . 3 . 246-249 . May 2009 . 10.1080/00926230902835309#.Ufs6DFM1CHk.
  10. McCall, Catherine. "Healing the Sexual Wounds of Sexual Abuse Survivors". Psychology Today. Retrieved March 26, 2013 http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/overcoming-child-abuse/201208/healing-the-sexual-wounds-sexual-abuse-survivors
  11. http://pandys.org/newsletters/Newslettermar2013.pdf Pandora’s Box Newsletter. March 2013
  12. Web site: Compulsive sexual behavior disorder . 2022-03-25 . World Health Organization (ICD-11).
  13. Web site: David J. . Ley . Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder in ICD-11 . Psychology Today . 24 January 2018 . 27 March 2021.
  14. Sassover . Eli . Weinstein . Aviv . Should compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) be considered as a behavioral addiction? A debate paper presenting the opposing view . Journal of Behavioral Addictions . Akademiai Kiado Zrt. . 29 September 2020 . 11 . 2 . 166–179 . 2062-5871 . 10.1556/2006.2020.00055 . 32997646 . 9295215 . 222167039 .
  15. Web site: a verified Counsellor or Therapist . Do I have compulsive sexual behaviour? . Counselling Directory . 18 January 2021 . 26 March 2022 . "Materials related to the ICD-11 make very clear that CSBD is not intended to be interchangeable with 'sex addiction', but rather is a substantially different diagnostic framework." ICD-11. World Health Organisation..
  16. Book: Neves, Silva . Compulsive Sexual Behaviours: A Psycho-Sexual Treatment Guide for Clinicians . Taylor & Francis . 2021 . 978-1-000-38710-0 . 26 March 2022 . 14 . ... materials in ICD-11 make very clear that CSBD is not intended to be interchangeable with sex addiction, but rather is a substantially different diagnostic framework.
  17. Weir. Kirsten . Is pornography addictive? . dead. Monitor on Psychology . April 2014 . 45 . 4 . 46 . 1529-4978 . 612512821 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140405232028/http://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/04/pornography.aspx . 2014-04-05.
  18. Book: Glyn Hudson . Allez . Sexual Diversity and Sexual Offending: Research, Assessment, and Clinical Treatment in Psychosexual Therapy. https://books.google.com/books?id=MXnAAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA161 . 4 June 2014 . Karnac Books . 978-1-78181-368-3 . 161 . Chapter Ten. The pleasure, the power, and the perils of Internet pornography . 27 April 2019.
  19. Book: American Psychiatric Association . Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR(tm)) . American Psychiatric Association Publishing . G - Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series . 2022 . 978-0-89042-576-3 . Conditions for Further Study . 916 . Excessive use of the Internet not involving playing of online games (e.g., excessive use of social media, such as Facebook; viewing pornography online) is not considered analogous to Internet gaming disorder, and future research on other excessive uses of the Internet would need to follow similar guidelines as suggested herein. Excessive gambling online may qualify for a separate diagnosis of gambling disorder..
  20. Book: American Psychiatric Association . Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR(tm)) . American Psychiatric Association Publishing . G - Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series . 2022 . 978-0-89042-576-3 . Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders . 543 . In addition to the substance-related disorders, this chapter also includes gambling disorder, reflecting evidence that gambling behaviors activate reward systems similar to those activated by drugs of abuse and that produce some behavioral symptoms that appear comparable to those produced by the substance use disorders. Other excessive behavioral patterns, such as Internet gaming (see “Conditions for Further Study”), have also been described, but the research on these and other behavioral syndromes is less clear. Thus, groups of repetitive behaviors, sometimes termed behavioral addictions (with subcategories such as “sex addiction,” “exercise addiction,” and “shopping addiction”), are not included because there is insufficient peer-reviewed evidence to establish the diagnostic criteria and course descriptions needed to identify these behaviors as mental disorders..
  21. Book: Martinez-Gilliard, Erin . Sex, Social Justice, and Intimacy in Mental Health Practice: Incorporating Sexual Health in Approaches to Wellness . Taylor & Francis . 2023 . 978-1-000-84578-5 . 5 March 2023 . unpaginated . 'Sex addiction' is also referred to as a diagnosis or presenting problem. Sex addiction is not a diagnosis in the DSM-5-TR and is identified as Compulsive Sexual Behavior in the ICD-11 rather than an issue of addiction..
  22. http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/05/20/rx-vs-xxx.html "Rx vs. XXX." The Daily Beast/Newsweek. May 19, 2009
  23. Dailey, Kate."For Survivors of Sexual Assault, New TSA Screenings Represent a Threat." The Daily Beast/Newsweek. November 10, 2010 http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/11/17/tsa-screenings-worry-sexual-assault-survivors.html
  24. "Sexual Abuse Can Affect Your Physical Health, Too." Bottomline Health. December 1, 2011.http://www.bottomlinepublications.com/content/article/health-a-healing/sexual-abuse-can-affect-your-physical-health-too
  25. Heubeck, Elizabeth. "Sharing Your Sex Fantasies With your Partner: Sizzler or Fizzler?." WebMD. Feb.7, 2007 http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/features/sharing-your-sex-fantasies
  26. Maltz, Wendy and Boss, Susie. "9 Reasons Sex Fantasies Are Good For You." Alternet. April 10, 2010.http://www.alternet.org/story/146452/9_reasons_sex_fantasies_are_good_for_you,
  27. Castillo, Michelle. "The Porn Problem: Too Much of a Good Thing May Be Bad For You." Metro. October 9, 2012. http://www.metro.us/newyork/lifestyle/2012/10/09/the-porn-problem-too-much-of-a-good-thing-may-be-bad-for-you/
  28. Marrone, Katherine. "Sex: Excessive Pornographic Exposure Can Screw You in the Sack." The Daily Emerald. June 6, 2012.http://dailyemerald.com/2013/06/06/sex-the-dark-side-of-pornography/
  29. Owens, Tanner. "Don't Let Porn Show You How It's Done." The Daily Emerald. October 10, 2014
  30. Steuer, Geoff. "Relationship Connection: Raising Children in a Pornified Culture." St. George Utah News. May 14, 2013.http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2013/05/14/relationship-connection-raising-children-in-a-pornified-culture/
  31. Abel, Isaac. "Coming Out as a Porn Addict." The Atlantic. June 26, 2013.https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/06/coming-out-as-a-porn-addict/277106/.
  32. Web site: Schwartz, Daniel. "Pornography, Kids, and Sex Education: What to Do?" CBC News. November 17, 2014..
  33. News: Clark-Flory, Tracy. "What Sex After Sexual Assault is Really Like." Refinery 29. February 2, 2015.. The Irish Times.
  34. News: Murphy, Trish. "Tell Me About It. My life is slipping away from me due to my porn habit. November 25, 2015.. The Irish Times.
  35. Web site: The Reality of Fantasy." October 2015, p. 127.
  36. Maltz, Wendy. "Healing Exercise: A Relearning Touch Exercise." Pandora Project Newsletter. March 2013. http://pandys.org/newsletters/Newslettermar2013.pdf
  37. "Relationship Rescue for Wives and Girlfriends of Internet Pornography Addicts." Porn Hubby. 2008. http://www.pornaddicthubby.com/The-Porn-Trap.html
  38. Mulligan, Christopher. "Interview with Wendy Maltz LCSW: The Impact of Cyber Porn on Teens." Cybersolutions Today. February 9, 2012. http://cybersolutionstoday.blogspot.com/2012/02/interview-with-wendy-maltz-lcsw-impact.html
  39. August, Chip. "Wendy Maltz: Sexual Healing." Sex, Love and Intimacy Podcast. (SLI 027, Nov 28, 2007).
  40. Strgar, Wendy. "Healing From Sexual Abuse with Wendy Maltz, LCSW, DST." Good Clean Love Daily/Lunch with the Loveologist. (1483327, Jun 13, 2012).
  41. Web site: Sattin, Neil. "Deeper Intimacy Through Sexual Healing with Wendy Maltz." Relationship Alive! podcast. October 20, 2015.. October 20, 2015.
  42. Web site: Congdon, Luis. "Sexual Healing: An Interview with Wendy Maltz. Lasting Love Connection podcast. June 2015. June 5, 2015.
  43. Dillon, Ilene. "50 Shades of Insight: Women's Sexual Fantasies: An Interview with Wendy Maltz author of Private Thoughts." The Emotional Pro/Full Power Living/BlogTalkRadio. (fpl September 5, 2013).
  44. Cooper, Deborah. "Relationship Problems Caused by Sexual Imagery: An Interview with Wendy Maltz." Date Smarter, Not Harder, The Relationship Talk Show. (03-20-2010).
  45. Wilson, Gary. "Gary Interviews Wendy Maltz, coauthor of The Porn Trap." Your Brain in the Cybersex Jungle/Your Brain on Porn. (Show #6, Oct 23, 2012).
  46. Wilson, Gary. "Gary Interviews Therapist Wendy Maltz." Your Brain in the Cybersex Jungle/Your Brain on Porn. (Show #11, November 12, 2012).
  47. [Jean Feraca|Feraca, Jean]
  48. Gentille, Francesca. "The Soul of Sexual Poetry with Wendy Maltz." Sex: Tantra & Kama Sutra Podcast. (Episode 40, STKS O40, 2007).
  49. Web site: Podcast Episode 5: Conversation with Wendy Maltz – Alanis Morissette. Alanis Morissette. February 10, 2016. en-US. February 8, 2016.
  50. Ellwood, Amy. "Review of: The Porn Trap: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Problems Caused by Pornography by Wendy Maltz and Larry Maltz." Annals of Behavioral Science and Medical Education. Vol. 14. No. 2 Fall 2008.http://www.absame.org/pubs/annals/pubcont.htm
  51. "Sexual Abuse Can Affect Your Physical Health, Too." Bottom Line Health. December 1, 2011. http://www.bottomlinepublications.com/content/article/health-a-healing/sexual-abuse-can-affect-your-physical-health-too/print?tmpl=component
  52. Maltz, Wendy. "Sexual Healing from Sexual Abuse: Advice for Adult Survivors." Survivor Safe Haven. May 14, 1999. http://www.survivorsafehaven.org/sexaftersexualabuse.html
  53. Maltz, Wendy. "Article on The Sexual Healing Journey." Eugene Register-Guard. June 28, 1991. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19910628&id=KVVWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-esDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4136,6649170
  54. Seligmann, Ari. "Love Between the Sheets: An Interview with Wendy Maltz." Eugene Weekly. February 2, 2000.
  55. Maltz, Wendy. "Healing the Sexual Wounds of Sexual Abuse Survivors." Psychology Today. August 2012.http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/overcoming-child-abuse/201208/healing-the-sexual-wounds-sexual-abuse-survivors
  56. Maltz, Wendy. "Introduction to Passionate Hearts: The Poetry of Sexual Love.." Novato: New World Library. 2006.

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