It was rare in the industry to employ a full time sex counselor for men and women who were addicted to sex. To be treated by an older male than his clients normally were.
Dr. James Newcomb was a distinguished looking man. Tall, about 170 pounds, intense blue eyes, salt and pepper hair, and a body maintained by gym workouts three times a week. Dr. Newcomb was married over 30 years now, and his wife and he had three children, twin boys who were 15 years old. There daughter was 11 years old
His wife Grace did not work, as James profession paid him an astonishing salary. James was shocked when his yearly income exceeded six figures, but was good at his job and a good husband and father. He was an orderly man.
The clients who wound up in James office were very complicated individuals. James heard often their stories of shame, regrets, total lack of self control, cheating couples, paid escorts whose working lives were ending as age took it's toll on their bodies. He took none of this home or ever got involved emotionally with any client.
That was unethical and unprofessional. He was a man of decency and moralistic values.
His new client was a good looking man in his mid-thirties. His wedding ring shone on his tanned finger. He was dressed in a grey suit and had dark black hair combed back. He was a handsome man married to his childhood crush, a sexy girl named Mary. Her husband's name was Tony Ulrich. The couple was childless.
The first of the Doctor's observations was that his wife was not with him. Normally, married couples were helped in sessions together. This practice generally repaired mangled relationships induced by sexual misbehavior.
They shook hands, introduced themselves and sat apart across a small mahogany desk. James spoke first.
"How can I best help you Mr. Ulrich?"
"Just call me Tony, OK?"
"Fine, call me Jim. The easier people talk to each other the more comfortable and revealing they can be. The reason or reasons you are here today have been ongoing and serious in nature, usually for long periods of time. Would that description be true of your situation Tony?"
Tony was clearly uneasy. Jim decided immediately to change his approach as Tony blushed and muttered "yeah, pretty much I guess."
Tony's body was in turmoil. He was scared to death. He did not want to be here. His presence was demanded by his wife. If he did not do this, she would leave him and divorce could be in his near future. He felt a huge amount of shame and a fear not only of today, but the tomorrow's that would follow.
"Doc, er Jim, I'm in terrible trouble. I don't know where to start. This feels awful."
"Your honesty Tony is admirable. The less you hide over these sessions the better I can help you. To hold back just beginning is likely to get you nowhere. I hate to see patient's make that mistake and pay the high costs of these sessions then disappear before a month or two passes."
The doctors soft spoken words eased some of Tony's distress.. His face brightened a little bit, and he made eye contact with Jim.
He sighed audibly. "Your right Jim. I'm relieved that you told me that. I feel like I'm living in a prison and only I can see the steel bars, alone in a cell." Tony's hands were shaking.
"How long have these impacted feelings of isolation, or being so different from other people rob you of living a normal, reasonably happy life Tony?"
The soothing tenor of the doctor's voice was empathetic, and sincere. Tony calmed down a little bit, but he could not look directly at JIm.
"I would say at least three years now, maybe longer."
"Was some radical change in your sex life with your wife also as long as you just said?"
"y.. yes"
"What happened Tony. Were you caught cheating on your wife? Did you stop being attracted to her physically?"
"No I did not cheat on her. She says I did. She's a very pretty woman, and she knows it."
The doctor sensed it was going to be extremely painful for Tony to tell him exactly what was going on.
"This secret seems to be eating you alive from the inside out. The pressure you are living with is abnormal and could lead to a severe depressive episode that will make a bad situation even worse."
Tony's eyes were wet. He felt he would explode and storm out of this office and just accept that his marriage was history. Oh he was fucked. Royally fucked he thought.
"Do.. Jim about 3 or 4 years ago I began having intense sexual dreams. I.. I thought about my wife fucking other men while I watched. She would never do something like that, but I wanted her too. What the hell is wrong with me?"
"You have the same dream countless men have Tony. Married men get bored with vanilla sex that has no real passion. Lust was something a couple feels before they live together for some time. Life becomes a series of daily or weekly rituals. Sexually a man's mind wants to see wild, uninhibited sex from the woman he married. More pure lust rather than just emotional love. Your only one of thousands of men I've seen over the years admit this to anyone else but themselves, Your in the stage of your life where reality is fighting fantasy. Tony, fantasy wins that fight all the time."
A long silence ensued. Tony was not shaking now. His eyes were dry. Jim sensed he might be ready to open up soon. He hoped so. He did not like seeing any of his clients suffer. Life is just so damn hard on most people.
"Jim, I had more wicked thoughts than the one I told you. What you said opened my eyes, and I realize I'm not some kind of freak."
"Did you ever talk to you wife about this fantasy Tony."
"I tried once. It led to a horrible fight. She was beyond angry. I thought we were done really."
"Did you two have sex again after this blow up Tony?"
Another loud sigh. The kind that expels some of the tension in a person. A small sign of honest communication.
"Yeah, about a month later I guess. She came home early one night and told me she was so sorry, she should not have gone crazy like she did. She was pissed off because she loves me, and would never have sex with another man. So we started kissing and wound up in bed and had great make up sex."
The doctor smiled. "and life goes on and the woman is happy again huh?"
"well, just for a little while Doc, er Jim."
"Can you tell me about any of those wicked thoughts you mentioned before Tony?"
His face turned beet red. His eyes were glued to the carpeted floor. His words came out in a flat monotone voice.
