Abstract Literature Review References

As a professional in the workforce, it's important to recognize when you are doing a good job but also when things can be done better. Having the capacity for self practice and self reflection goes a long way into developing professional skills that will make you learn and grow. Reflective practice involves reflecting on one's actions and learning from them by reframing the way problems are solved (Admin, n.d; Healy & Murphy, 2023). Self-reflection facilitates change through learning, leading to both personal and professional growth (Rigg & Trehan, 2008). More and more, these self reflective practices have become useful in professions such as: teaching, management and psychological counseling amongst many others.  For mental health professionals, this self reflecting practices have become useful when faced with a moment like, what to say to a client in response to a given question or how to interpret a client's resistance to an intervention (Lilienfeld & Basterfield, 2020). In the category of counseling and therapy, one of the specialties most in need of utilizing the benefits of self-reflective practices is sex therapy. This profession involves working closely with individuals and couples to help with their sexual and intimate difficulties, such as performance anxiety or intimacy issues (Sex Therapist, n.d.). Working so closely and intimately with a patient requires a level of trust, respect, and empathy to make the client comfortable enough to share their troubles. However, there must also be a level of self-reflection from both sides.  Self-reflection and self-practice enable therapists to gain a deeper understanding of their clients by using empathy to better grasp their situations and emotions (Barnet-Levy et al., 2003). They gain an inner sense of how a client might feel or think when facing the need to make changes in their lives or dealing with difficult situations. (Barnet-Levy et al., 2003). By connecting and empathizing with the client's emotions through self-reflection, the therapist can develop a better understanding of the client's pain, difficulty in making changes, and nature of their decisions, bringing a more nuanced sensitivity to the client's ongoing experiences (Greenberg & Goldman, 1988). This ability to attune to the client's experience through self-reflection makes the therapeutic experience more flexible and tailored to accommodate each unique context.  Using frameworks like Gibbs Reflective Cycle (Lilienfeld & Basterfield, 2020) or the Appreciative Change Management Approach (Dixon et al., 2016), the process of self-reflection can be accomplished in a smoother, more step-by-step way. However, these approaches are very different and can be used depending on the career path being taken. Gibbs (1988) proposed a six-stage process of reflective practice, involving describing a clinical interaction, examining thoughts and feelings, evaluating what went well and what didn't, analyzing the interaction, drawing conclusions on what could have been done differently, and formulating an action plan for similar situations. The Appreciative Change Management Approach, on the other hand, follows steps to appreciate, imagine, design, and act (Dixon et al., 2016). This approach may be better suited for sex therapy because it focuses on understanding strengths, talents, and limitations to foster a culture of appreciation, which can be particularly beneficial in a field where empathy, understanding, and innovative solutions are essential for addressing intimate and sensitive issues. Self-reflection can be used actively in therapy with a client, as well as to improve oneself. Providing the client with a more empathetic and personalized experience through active listening establishes a better therapist-client connection. However, sometimes a therapist's own views and opinions can get in the way. Therapists should be there to help patients live meaningful lives (Metz, 2016). Through self-reflection, a professional can view problems and situations from different perspectives, gaining new understanding of a specific situation that may not come instantly (Dixon et al., 2016). This is why it is important to take time for self-reflection alone to better accommodate ideas and have the best potential for growth from a difficult situation.  Understanding the significance of self-reflection is important when developing skills for professional development. Becoming a psychologist involves acquiring both interpersonal skills and technical skills for investigation. These two aspects are very important in any career path toward becoming a psychologist, yet the balance between them varies depending on the specific path chosen. Each career path within psychology requires a different emphasis on professional skills based on its unique demands (Psychology Careers Guide, n.d.). Considering that psychology has many different career paths, it's important to note that different professions within the psychological field will involve varying amounts of interpersonal and technical skills. When delving into the realm of sex therapy, it becomes evident that clients prioritize certain skills in their therapists, such as active listening, empathetic response, and the creation of a sex-positive and non-judgmental environment (Hirschman, 2023; Landes et al., 2013). These skills are not only crucial for fostering trust but also for facilitating open and honest discussions about sensitive topics. However, acquiring and honing these skills requires a deliberate and systematic approach, which is where reflective practices play a pivotal role. By engaging in reflective practices, therapists can gain deeper insights into their interactions with clients, identify areas for improvement, and refine their therapeutic approach accordingly. In this context, the Appreciative Change Management Approach emerges as a valuable tool for therapists seeking to enhance their skills in sex therapy. In Dixon et al. (2016) paper, they mention the concept of the Appreciative Change Management Approach, where you follow the steps to: appreciate, imagine, design, and act. The process of appreciating got its inspiration from appreciative inquiry and appreciative intelligence and it works by: focusing, understanding, and valuing one's own and others' strengths, talents, limitations, and self-worth. After appreciating, one must take the step to imagine, using reflective practices to reframe and manage what has been learned through documentation. Once the experience has been absorbed, the third step is to Design, which involves harnessing individual expertise and connecting innovative ideas to create collective wisdom. This requires critical and creative thinking, emotional literacy, and political acuity. Finally, action should be taken based on the collected knowledge acquired from the experience, considering that sometimes the best action might be to take no action at all (Dixon et al., 2016). References

In Germany, Berlin during the late 1960s a recognized sexologist, Helmut Kentler implemented an experiment that placed orphan children in the care of pedophile men. This experiment is known now as the “Kentler Experiment”. In 1967 Kentler published 10 thesis on emancipatory sexual education which consisted of the idea that children should be sexually stimulated from a young age in order to learn and develop correctly. He also believed that this practices would take away shame and taboo ideas from sexual acts. After establishing his ideas and position in regards to sexual education, he became a sought-after expert on youth welfare. With the help of the Berlin Senate Administration, Kentler began his experiment of placing psychosocially impaired children in foster homes with pedophile men. Kentler believed that by doing so, children would develop quite well. With the emotional care of these men who loved them, these children would grow to be good adults in society. Once every couple of months the children and their foster parent would drive to Kentler’s home where he asked questions in regards to their feelings about the lives they led in their foster home.  In 1988 Kentler reported his experiment was a complete success. Although it was much later in the early 2000s that the situation was investigated more in depth. The consequences the experiment had on the children were uncovered after many decided to testify. The children that had now become men, suffer from serious lifelong psychological trauma from their lives within these foster homes. When proof started to emerge, Kentler evaded all responsibility in regards to the damage he caused with the help of the German government. He’s still regarded as an influential figure on sexual health and education. This experiment goes against everything ethical standards represent when conducting reserch. There was no semblance of respect for the children's feelings as they were manipulated and taken advantage of by their caregivers. Kentler had a lack of competence as a professional since most of the claims he’d made, had no proper backing. At the midst of his experiment he concluded it had been a success and many of the children that participated in it, have suffered greatly from his actions. It’s also clear that Kentler’s connection to the Senate administration and other governments organizations, gave him the possibility to evade taking responsibility for his action. Even now, many of his documents and research are kept hidden. The approach Kentler had for the experiment was qualitative since he used the conversations he had with the children to determine the results of his study. Even though a qualitative approach would be good for a study regarding psychosocially impaired children and their development towards maturity; everything regarding Kentler’s study was atrocious and wrong. The intention of improving children's behaviors combined with a sexual explorative aproche is irrelevant and it would be best if they were studied separately. Nonetheless, if studies in either of these subjects were to be conducted, it would be better to have a combination of a qualitative and quantitative approach. A combination of these methodologies would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomena. References Ahrbeck, Bernd; Etschenberg, Karla; and Felder, Marion (2022) "Neo-Emancipatory Sex Education in Germany: Sexual Abuse and Gender Confusion," Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence: Vol. 7: Iss. 1, Article 2. https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/dignity/vol7/iss1/2/ Aviv, R. (2021). The German experiment that placed foster children with pedophiles. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/07/26/the-german-experiment-that-placed-foster-children-with-pedophiles Bachner, F. (2021, April 27). Missbrauchsopfer des Berliner Kentler-Experiments werden entscha digt. Der Tagespiegel. https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/einigung-nachmonatelangen-verhandlungen-missbrauchsopfer-des-berliner-kentler-experimentswerden-entschaedigt/27133286.html Baader, M. S., Oppermann, C., Schröder , J., & Schröer, W. (2020). Independent investigation into Helmut Kentler’s activities in the Berlin child and youth welfare services. Stiftung Universität Hildesheim 2003. https://hildok.bsz-bw.de/files/1109/Oppermann_Kentler-Englisch.pdf BPS Ethics Committee. (2021). Code of ethics and conduct. The British Psychological Society. https://www.bps.org.uk/guideline/code-ethics-and-conduct  Etschenberg, K. (2020). Helmut Kentlers Erbe und das besondere sexualpädagogische Konzept gegen den sexuellen Missbrauch von Kindern. http://www.ketschenberg.de/resources/KENTLERS+Erbe.pdf Howitt, D., & Cramer, D. (2020). Research methods in psychology. Pearson.  Rogers, S. W., & Willig, C. (2017). The sage handbook of qualitative research in psychology. SAGE.