Strengthening Marriage through Sexual Fulfillment

Straight Talk About Strengthening Marriage Intimately

	Frequently Asked Questions
	Find answers to common questions about the book "And They Were Not Ashamed--Strengthening Marriage through Sexual Fulfillment," and the author, Laura M. Brotherson (compiled from media interviews, etc.)

	Questions Index
		Why I wrote this book
		What is CFLE


Subject:	Why I wrote this book
Question:	Why did you feel compelled to write this book?
Answer:	1. Sexual issues are a primary cause of divorce and dissatisfaction in marriage, yet are also the least acknowledged and addressed subject. 2. We needed an effective, gospel-centered self-help resource for couples, since most people are not willing to seek help on this delicate subject especially if they feel they have to wade through a bunch of smut. 3. We needed a resource with a female perspective to address the unique issues they struggle with, not only for them to feel that someone understands their struggles, but also for men to have a much-needed view into the mysteries of the female heart and mind. Women want to hear the solutions from a woman. 4. We needed a book that was significantly more comprehensive, in-depth and frank than what is currently available, yet still respectfully reverent. 5. We needed a book that would affirm the sanctity of sexual relations in marriage to counterbalance the shame, guilt, embarrassment and media distortions that generally rule the dialog on sexuality. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I felt compelled to write this book because of the significant marital problems associated with intimacy issues in marriage. Sexual issues contribute to the incidence of divorce, emotionally disconnected marriages, physical and emotional ailments and vulnerability to temptation. Because there were so few resources available that I thought were effective enough at addressing the problems, I felt the need to write this book . I knew I had information and insights that could help many couples, and wanted to get this information out to as many people as quickly as possible. Sexual issues are one of the primary causes of divorce and dissatisfaction in marriage, and are particularly insidious due to the “taboo” nature of the subject and the difficulty couples have with openly addressing it. In the course of teaching classes on marriage I came to realize how real the sexual struggles were for many couples, and wanted to do something about it. I not only knew sex was causing problems in marriage, but more importantly, I knew something critical was missing from most marriages. It’s not just that sexual problems are weakening and destroying marriages, but that there is “something more” for couples to discover. As I began to search for this intangible “something” and then began to find it, I knew I had to share it. I could also see that there was a great marital “resource void”--particularly in resources written with the unique female perspective and insights. (Women generally struggle with sex more so than men, because sex is more of a complex issue for them.) The lack of resources written by women created a void of information that was needed to enlighten both men and women regarding the intricacies of the female heart, mind and body. Not only are women a great mystery to men, but in many ways women are also a great mystery to themselves. Another critical resource void was regarding “sex books” written within the context of traditional family values. Polls show that about 85% of the population believes in God, and about 80% of them consider themselves to be Christian. With the availability of “And They Were Not Ashamed” we finally have a book that is comprehensive, in-depth and frank, yet still respectfully reverent, written with the unique female perspective and insights. I remember one woman who told me she wasn’t interested in working on the sexual relationship in her marriage because she felt like that meant she would have to wade through a bunch of smut to get there. Another woman told me she had no interest in a “sex book” written by a man, because of course she knew what a man was going to say, “You need to have sex more often.” She didn’t need to hear that. This book, "And They Were Not Ashamed--Strengthening Marriage through Sexual Fulfillment," addresses the delicate sexual issues in a way that couples have needed for a long time.
Date:	2006-01-24
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Subject:	What is CFLE
Question:	What do the initials "CFLE" after your name mean?
Answer:	CFLE stands for "Certified Family Life Educator," which is a certification designed by the National Council on Family Relations (www.NCFR.org). Family life professionals who submit to a thorough review process of their academic preparation, professional development, and work experience are granted recognition as a qualified family life educator. This credential denotes a proven background and knowledge in the following content areas: Families and Society, Internal Family Dynamics, Human Growth and Development, Human Sexuality, Interpersonal Relationships, Family Resource Management, Parent Education, Family Law and Public Policy, Ethics, and Family Life Education Methodology. Family life educators are qualified to work one-on-one or in groups to offer support and education, as well as give and receive information of importance to the well-being of a particular family, couple or individual. Information given would be tailored to meet the needs of the individual or group. Family life educators may also provide brief focused counseling by actively exploring personal, couple or family problems to help identify ways to resolve or improve the situation. Additional referrals may be made for more intensive therapy. (Source: "Tools for Ethical Thinking and Practice in Family Life Education" by The National Council on Family Relations.)
Date:	2006-01-24
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