Join Esther Perel—best-selling author and internationally acclaimed expert on couples and sexuality—as she discusses obstacles and anxieties couples face when their quest for secure love conflicts with their pursuit of passion. Contrary to popular belief, sexual problems are not always the result of relational problems, and improving the emotional relationship may do little to improve the sex. Using case examples and video vignettes, Perel probes the bonds and conflicts between love and desire and crack open the mystery of eroticism that lies in the tension between them. Attendees will gain numerous clinical learnings and applications, including: a multicultural perspective on differing notions of love, marriage and sexual behaviors, highlighting the relationship between culture and sexuality; an identification of common blocks to eroticism including the fear of abandonment or entrapment, and the shame, guilt and worry that preclude the pursuit of pleasure; an understanding of how changing the sexual relation can transform a couple's entire relationship; strategies for helping couples balance their need for security and closeness with their quest for separateness and passion; and techniques for helping couples cultivate eroticism, bringing a sense of aliveness to the relationship—all among many others.