Whether they involve excess, a decrease, or complete absence, problems of sexual desire drive women to consult sex therapists, couples counselors, and other practitioners (to say nothing of self-help books and talk-show hosts). Facing the Complexities of Women’s Sexual Desire, by sex therapist Vera Sonja Maass, is one of the books to address these intimate phenomena in practical clinical detail. Background chapters outline the often-conflicting factors influencing women’s sexuality and sexual response, both biological and sociocultural (e.g., media images, double standards) -'The Woman in Context' section explores individual characteristics and symptoms as manifested in relationships, particularly as terms of interpersonal styles and power dynamics