So ...What do you do for living ?

In social or work related situations, what is the most common question people ask you ?

Generally, the question “what do you do for living” would often be asked when meeting people for the first time ...

It often reminds me of an occasion when I attended a friend’s birthday party few years ago. As I was being introduced to some of the people, the inevitable question of one’s occupation/job came up, but before I even had a chance to answer the question my friend responded ‘Monika is a sex therapist’.

Some people around me made a sharp exit, or began giggling, and a few inquisitive ones started to ask questions.  I remember standing there not sure how I felt being introduced as a sex therapist.  What my friend called me was not entirely inaccurate, but the fact that it was said by somebody else and the expression on people’s faces was something that left me wondering.

We have all met people of different professions and more traditional trades such as carpenters, teachers, nurses, social workers - even funeral directors and professional gamblers.

What we do, for most of us, is just a part of our identity and not who we are as a whole person. We are friends, husbands, wives, children, parents – and lovers - among other things. But inevitably the question of what we do for living will come up more often than any other topic.

Part of who I am and what I do is a psychotherapist, sex therapist, counsellor and couple therapist. To this day the mention of “sex therapist” still brings different (and still sometimes unexpected) reactions from people.

So, I am still left wondering - what is it about the word sex that makes people react in such a way ?