LOL! I bet you didn't think I was going to answer this question!
Actually, many people ask sex therapists what their motivation is. I have always
found this question to be a bit odd. When someone says they are an oncologist,
we rarely think "I wonder if she's got some sick thing about cancer?"
Being in the sex field is truly not all that different from being in any other.
Most of us didn't dream of being sexologists when we grew up (though my high
school yearbook does say "Future Sex Therapist"). It was simply
something we stumbled into, found interesting, and stayed with.
We don't look, act, talk, or behave all that differently from people in other
professions. In fact, I don't think we even have relationships all that
different from others. What is different is that, as a group, we tend
to be more open about sexuality. You can't help it. If you spend years studying
sexuality and spend half your day writing and talking about it, some things
don't seem all that taboo anymore.
I am reminded of a discussion I had with a famous sex therapist while I was
still an undergrad considering going into this field. I asked him if there were
any downsides to being in this profession. He replied, "Yes. Pathological
desensitization. The complete inability to know what appropriate dinner table
conversation is."
Why do I do this? I find sexuality an endless source of fascination. I have
studied it, taught it, and researched it. The fact that this horrified others
did amuse me, but after several years, I also realized that even those who
thought it odd always had a secret question they wanted the answer to (as long
as no one knew they were asking!) When you realize that you have an advanced
knowledge about something that could help others, it seems natural to want to
share it. In particular, I have found the Internet to be the perfect way to
reach a huge audience and help them lead happier, healthier lives.
Do I know everything or think I must be the world's best lover? Of course not!
But almost every day I think how lucky I am to actually be paid for doing this!
