Prescribing sensate focus without proscribing intercourse

This paper challenges the need in sex therapy to routinely proscribe or forbid intercourse, viewing it as an excessive restriction for many couples, with side effects frequently causing a flight from treatment and other treatment failures. An alternative, more moderate proposal is presented which emphasizes the couple's doing sensate focus not as a prelude to orgasm or intercourse and not explicitly forbidding spontaneously occurring sexual activity. Cases illustrate how it retains the original purposes of the former total prohibition with fewer side effects. Additional advantages arising from the gentler "proscription" are elucidated. Factors influencing selection of proscription are cited.