Abstract
This paper begins by highlighting the degree to which the discussion of sexuality and its relationship to therapeutic practice has been absent, both from our literature and from our training programs. The paper then goes on to suggest that this “silence” may be attributable to a number of factors in the field, these being the way in which sexuality is understood in the wider cultural field, the history of sexual misconduct in psychotherapy generally, the place of sexuality in the founding of Gestalt, and the impact of shame in the experience of individuals. The paper then goes on to suggest a range of outcomes and learning conditions for a Gestalt therapy training program that might contribute to sexuality again becoming a vital component in the training and work of the Gestalt psychotherapist.
