In January 2005, I interviewed David Akinsanya, then of the BBC, for a documentary called Sad to be Gay. The BBC special aired without this footage due to some technical issues and time constraints. Through the permission of David and the BBC, I have been granted permission to use the interview for educational purposes. This segment is at the beginning of the interview and demonstrates an application of the sexual identity therapy framework that Mark Yarhouse and I were beginning to develop at that time. As time permits, I plan to post additional segments of the interviews.
4 thoughts on “Values Focused Counseling: Sexual Identity Therapy illustrated”
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“I came into this interview knowing that he did not want to find this with a man. ”
Did you have a previous conversation with David and he told you this or just the producers who told you this?
If it was David who told you this, did he say he didn’t want a long term relationship with a man or that he couldn’t have a long term relationship with a man?
I came into this interview knowing that he did not want to find this with a man. I probably should have noted that up front. When they contacted me from BBC to film this, the producers made me aware that David felt he had tried to find this and had indeed had 3 (?) longer term relationships but felt it was not what he wanted. He reconciled with his father and started to want a traditional family that he did not have. My approach is to begin clarifying values and beliefs from the start since and accept the stance held by the client (keeping in mind that it may change).
From that segment it appears that what David is looking for is a committed relationship and a family. He seems to think the only way to achieve that is with a woman.
I realize this was only an initial interview, but I’m curious why you didn’t suggest the possibility of his achieving his goals with a man.
Glad you put this up. I’m looking forward to the rest of it.