Alice B. Stockham took 'KAREZZA' from the Italian term 'carezza' meaning petting or gentle stroking. Because of birth control as well as 'spiritual exaltation' she pled for a radical change of sexual behavior. She was convinced, that there was a tremendous difference between the usual copulation ending with orgasm respectively ejaculation and the sexual merging according to the Karezza technique without a climax. In spite of the 'sexual revolutions' during the 20th century her Karezza method has been generally ignored until today. But it may give men and women a chance to control the sexual drive by means of their own mental power which can be successfully trained.

Alice Bunker Stockham (1833-1912) was a gynecologist from Chicago, an enthusiastic fighter for a marital and sexual reform. She was the fifth woman in the U.S.A., who got the degree of a Medical Doctor. Apart from her medical practice she was engaged in charity and interested in spiritual topics. She also applied homeopathy, fought against alcoholism, served probably sometimes as a trance medium and was an active feminist, a suffragette. It is time to rediscover the life and work of this outstanding figure.