This book review of Regain That Feeling: Secrets to Sexual Self-Discovery: People Living With Spinal Cord Injuries Share Profound Insights Into Sex, Pleasure, Relationships, Orgasm, and the Importance of Connectedness is long overdue as I first read the book more than a year ago in preparation of interviewing Dr. Mitchell Tepper on my weekly radio show Eros Evolution. I was fascinated by his wealth of knowledge and expertise, and have spoken with him several times since.

Tepper is an accomplished colleague being an AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator, Sexuality Counselor, sex coach, writer, researcher, and speaker. I am an AASECT certified sexuality educator and approved CE provider.

Back to the book – In Regain That Feeling, Tepper shares his own story of sexual self-discovery after breaking his neck at age 20, and the stories of research participants and coaching clients. As you probably can imagine, surviving a serious injury or illness, or living with a chronic condition, brings a host of physical changes, emotional responses, and relationship challenges. Feelings of helplessness, of being like less of a man or woman, defective, undeserving of love, fearing rejection, and avoiding sex would come up.

As Tepper rightly pointed to me, this book is not just for differently abled people specifically spinal cord injuries (SCI), and instead for anybody and everybody who is sexual. He reveals the top seven myths holding people back from being sexual, and proceeds to unpack his seven secrets. He also provides practical advice in moving forward, as well as resources.

I was really moved reading Regain That Feeling which undoubtedly was written by somebody who wasn’t just living it, but has done extensive work with survivors of SCI. This book is easy-to-read, and sensitively written. It gave me more appreciation and understanding of what they might go through, as opposed to imagining what life must be. Because there are few resources on the connection between injury or illness with one’s sex life, I was happy I could read this book, and I highly recommend it to all survivors of SCI, their loved ones, and sexuality educators.

About the Author

Mitchell S. Tepper, PhD, MPH brings a lifetime of first-hand experience as a person living well with a chronic condition and a disability to his work as a Sexologist. Dr. Tepper is AASECT Certified as a Sexuality Educator, Educator Supervisor, approved CE provider, and Sexuality Counselor, and is a licensed PAIRS Instructor. He is a dedicated servant leader, internationally known for his research, writing, speaking, and advocacy on sexual health, disabilities and chronic conditions.

Dr. Tepper received his master’s degree in public health from Yale University and his PhD in Human Sexuality Education from the University of Pennsylvania. He is called on regularly by the media and has been featured on CNN, Discovery, PBS and in popular press, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, GQ, AARP, and HuffPost Live. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife, Cheryl Tepper, and their son, Jeremy.

Dr. Tepper is available for coaching, consultation, speaking, and training. You are invited to contact him via Regainthatfeeling.com or DrMitchellTepper.com.

About the Reviewer

Dr. Martha Tara Lee is Founder and Clinical Sexologist of Eros Coaching. She is a certified sexologist with a Doctorate in Human Sexuality. She provides sexuality and relationship coaching for individuals and couples, conducts sexual education workshops and speaks at public events. She is the author of the books Love, Sex and Everything In-Between, and Orgasmic Yoga. She is also the host of the weekly radio show Eros Evolution on OMTimes Radio. For more, visit www.ErosCoaching.com or email info@eroscoaching.com.