Sex Addiction
Like love addiction, sex addiction is what many psychologists call a “process addiction,”
meaning that it involves addiction to a certain behavior, rather than a substance. Process addictions tend to be much less understood in the therapeutic community than substance-related addictions, but, fortunately, sex addiction is one of my specialties at my Austin practice. In fact, I am one of the only Certified Sex Addiction Therapists (CSAT) in the Austin area.
Outward symptoms of sex addiction vary, but often include compulsive behaviors related to pornography, masturbation, phone or computer sex services, voyeurism, or even, in the most severe cases, sexual assault or rape. No matter how you or your loved one’s sex addiction manifests, I’m here to help you get on the path towards healing.
Because so much stigma is attached to sex addiction, it can be difficult for many people to seek help. Our society often condemns open discussions of sex, even though such discussions are necessary in order for individuals to disintguish between healthy sex and unhealthy sex. My treatment approach for sex addiction is multifaceted, involving a combination of individual counseling, couples counseling (should the client be in a relationship), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy if trauma is involved (as it often is).
The first step in any addiction treatment program is admitting you have a problem. I can help you differentiate excessive and unhealthy activities — such as watching pornography at work, paying for sex, or cheating on your partner — from healthy, everyday sexuality. Once the two of us have determined that you do, indeed, have a sex additction, we can move on to discovering the root cause of the problem. Often, the catalyst for an individual’s addiction has nothing to do with sex itself. For instance, many sex addicts come from dysfunctional families, and may have suffered prolonged childhood neglect or emotional abuse. If we determine that childhood trauma is at the root of your addiction, we can use trauma-focused therapies, such as EMDR, to help you heal.
As a CSAT, I have been trained not only in EMDR, but also cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and many other treatment modalities, which can not only help you heal from your addiction, but also prevent relapses throughout the course of your recovery. Because many addicts suffer from co-occurring disorders — such as PTSD, OCD, or ADHD — I can also help you receive the treatment you need to heal from mitigating conditions, whether through additional counseling or psychiatric medication, should that be necessary.
Without help, sex addiction can lead to the loss of personal relationships, financial instability, sexual dysfunction, depression, and other debilitating consequences. With a multimodal approach to healing, recovery is possible. I will help you not only overcome your symptoms and discover the root cause of your addiction, but help you find your life’s purpose once the weight of sex addiction has been lifted.