The purpose of the scholarships is to encourage men and women in recovery from sex addiction to enter college or to continue their education.

Scholarships may be used to pursue education for any undergraduate or graduate degree program at any accredited college or university (including seminary, medical school, or other institution of higher learning).

Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity!

More specific information can be found on www.EndShame.com. or visit us at Sex Therapy Los Angeles

Many argue that mental health clinicians are trying to create a disease out of an innate biological function that is fundamentally unlike ingesting a chemical into the body. It is likely the debate around the origins of sexual compulsivity will continue on, but all seem to agree that effects of it can prove devastating. Ruined relationships, lost jobs, sexually transmitted diseases, and isolation are just a few of the byproducts of a sexually compulsive way of life. So then, what is the difference between promiscuous behavior and sex addiction? Patrick Carnes, a leader in the field of sex addiction, addresses this in his book Out of the Shadows: Understanding Sexual Addiction, “Generally, addicts do not perceive themselves as worthwhile persons. Nor do they believe that other people would care for them or meet their needs if everything was known about them, including the addiction. Finally, they believe that sex is their most important need. Sex is what makes isolation bearable. If you do not trust people, one thing that is true about sex (and alcohol, food, gambling, and risk) is that it always does what it promises, for the moment.” When viewed through the Carnes lense, and given the intense pain endured by the addict, it is clear that sex addiction and promiscuity are very different matters. Having multiple sexual partners and avoiding “settling down” does not necessarily mean one is engaging in compulsive, or addictive, behaviors. For example, many who engage in polyamory believe their connections are based on trust, and experienced as intimate and fulfilling. There are no hints of worthlessness or isolation, the cornerstones of Carnes’s description of the sexually addicted and compulsive. The relationship of a sex addiction in los angeles has with the compulsive behavior is akin to the relationship alcoholics and drug addicts develop with their drugs of choice. It becomes a maladaptive means to cope with the shame and anxiety that always accompany the worthlessness and isolation. The rush of dopamine and adrenaline provide a temporary reprieve from this pain, just like alcohol and drugs. So, if we all agree the “fix” provided by various chemicals can be addictive, destructive, and thus potentially life threatening, why would this “fix” be any different? I believe this type of addiction can ultimately be far more difficult to conquer. It’s very important that sex addiction is viewed as a serious problem that warrants treatment and deep healing, not just brushed aside as the rich and powerful behaving badly.

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-psychiatry-roundup-20110523,0,4198997.story

Here is an excerpt from the study:

“The study found that the emotional centre of the brain - the amygdala - reacts to stress by increasing production of a protein called neuropsin. This triggers a series of chemical events which in turn cause the amygdala to increase its activity. As a consequence, a gene is turned on that determines the stress response at a cellular level.”

To read the article, go to:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/222991.php#bXpulseX

Take a look at this article and let us know what you think by clicking the comment button below.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2050027,00.html

Sex Therapy Treatment Los Angeles

http://www.marieclaire.com/sex-love/relationship-issues/articles/women-sex-addicts

To learn more about this problem, take a look at this article I co-wrote with Caroline Frost of CHS

recoveryview.com/2010/09/understanding-female-sex-addiction/

Let us know what you think by clicking the comment button below.

www.examiner.com/divorce-parenting-in-los-angeles/when-your-ex-is-a-sex-addict-helping-your-kids-and-healing-yourself?sms_ss=aolmail

Workshop dates are Friday, September 17 - Sunday, September 19

For more details go to www.thecenterforhealthysex.com or call 310-335-0997

]]> http://www.sexaddictionlosangeles.com/2010/08/erotic-intelligence-workshop-for-couples/feed/ http://www.sexaddictionlosangeles.com/2010/07/intensive-out-patient-treatment-for-sex-addiction/ http://www.sexaddictionlosangeles.com/2010/07/intensive-out-patient-treatment-for-sex-addiction/#comments Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:00:34 +0000 Alexandra http://www.sexaddictionlosangeles.com/?p=751 Did you just figure out that you’re a sex addict?  Have you been in sexual recovery for a while and continue to struggle with staying sexually sober on a plan?  Do you think your partner is a sex addict and think he/she needs help?

At the Center for Healthy Sex we offer a low cost, highly effective alternative to long-term, more expensive in-patient hospital care.  For over ten years, the team at CHS has been providing intensive out-patient sex addiction treatment program for those in need.

Our IOPs are usually scheduled for the middle two weeks of every month.  To learn more about our 11-day program call 310-843-9902 or visit out site at www.thecenterforhealthysex.com

At CHS we’re devoted to assisting you in restoring your sexual health!

Check out the details by clicking on this link:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126539946&sc=17&f=1001

Let us know what you think by clicking the comment button below

http://www.amazon.com/Erotic-Intelligence-Igniting-Recovery-Addiction/dp/0757314376/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267983684&sr=1-1

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/24/sunday/main6136039.shtml

Let us know what you think by clicking the comment button below

This eleven-day program provides a comprehensive look at your sexual history, sexual acting out behaviors, secrets, lies, and family of origin trauma.  Through the use of  many forms of therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy, art therapy, and EMDR our highly trained staff will create a program that is tailored to meet your individual needs.  You will be involved in group therapy, individual therapy, couples therapy, and twelve-step meetings as part of your change process.

Don’t delay getting the help you need one more day.  Call 310-335-0997 www.thecenterforhealthysex.com

Let us help you restore your sexual health!

If you or a loved one are struggling with issues of sexual addiction, go to SAA-recovery.org for help!

http://www.wpix.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=3253482d-dc85-4e94-b93c-8d88339614e7&src=front

Read this New York Times article then let us know what you think.  Go to: http://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/16/science/some-sexual-behavior-viewed-as-an-addiction.html?sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=all

This is another example of the split we see in sex addicts all the time.  Mr. Duvall is a Republican, pro-family advocate who has clearly lead a double life.  I’m not saying that he’s definately a sex addict but his behaviors certainly make him suspect. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

To read the article go to :

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-duvall10-2009sep10,0,2300584.story?track=rss

Let us know what you think by clicking the comments button below.

12-Step wisdom cautions that relapse can only occur when opportunity and desire meet. That wisdom therefore suggests “Stay away from People, Places and Things,” to minimize your opportunities. Now, a scientific study shows that doing so not only minimizes the opportunity to relapse, but your desire as well. There is a long list of other program tools for minimizing the desire to relapse. Of course, minimizing and replacing both the desire and the opportunity as much as you can is still a big part of what recovery is all about!

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

The other program wisdom upheld by this study is the need for surrender. The phrase from the AA Big Book, “No amount of human willpower could have relieved our alcoholism” comes to mind. And another goes, “So far as alcohol was concerned, confidence was overrated…..”

To read the article on Yahoo! News, “Temptation Harder to Resist Than You Think, Study Suggests” go to:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090804/sc_livescience/temptationhardertoresistthanyouthinkstudysuggests

Psychotherapist Mavis Humes Baird talks about sex addiction as a bona fide disorder in this interview in the Huffington Post.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jon-lapook/sex-addiction-is-it-reall_b_211473.html

In this CBS News interview, Ms. Humes Baird gives clear answers to this problem

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5060423n

Let us know what you think and what you’re experiences have been by clicking the comment button below. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

Not everyone who dies of a sexually-related death is a sex addict.  But according to his ex-wives (he had five), he engaged in potentially leathel sexual behaviors when seemed to escalate over time.  Developing a tolerance is one of the ear-marks of sex addiction.

Did he ultimately kill himself due to his preference for tying himself up?  It sure looks that way.  Although one of his ex-wives states that he used to tie himself up, the reports of the condition he was in when found dead indicate that there was another party present.

I’m no Sherlock Holmes but my speculation is that the sex-play went awry with one or both parties pushing the envelope too far.  When it was clear that Mr. Carradine was dead, his sexual partner fled the scene.

For more detailed information on the topic, go to http://http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/06/10/2009-06-10_thai_tabloid_david_carradine_photos_show_fishets_wig_womens_lingerie.html

This is a faith-based message which I neither endorse or condem.  As they say in the 12-step tradition, “take what you like and leave the rest.”  To view the video go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTJkfUibkIY&feature=PlayList&p=5D83675D836231D3&index=0

 http://www.queerty.com/is-sex-addiction-a-myth-20090420/

Recovery from these addictions requires clear boundary plans that are monitored by others in the person’s recovery community such as a sponsor, therapist, etc. 

In his article entitled “Sex Addiction Common Alongside Eating Disorders,” author Matthew Teimeyer examines the parallel between these  two behavioral addictions.  To read the article, click on

http://eatingdisorders.about.com/od/cooccurringdisorders/a/eatingandsex.htm

Often young women think they can handle the work and tell themselves that it’s just a “temporary” solution until they get back on their feet financially. Unfortunately, the money can be seductive and instead of saving the money and getting out, they start to create a lifestyle with it. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

This, sadly, becomes a trap that can have women turning to prostitution before they know it. If you or someone you know is thinking about selling their sexuality, now is the time to assist them in getting help before the trap-door closes.

To read more on this topic, go to

http://www.onerecovery.com/

Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Is sex addiction really a problem or a sociallly constructed idea?  Is it just an excuse to “behave badly,” or really a problem that creates destruction in people’s lives?

Go to this link to read more and click the comment button below and let us know what you think!

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/09/30/is-sex-addiction-really-a-disease/

http://www.theinsider.com/news/737448_Evan_Handler_s_Addiction_To_Cybersex

In an article posted at Sexualhealthconnection.com, the author states, “More and more people are putting themselves forward as sex addicts. Such is the extent of the problem that the Mayo clinic estimates up to 6 percent of adults in the United States are affected. The reason why some experts use the term ‘addiction’ or ‘compulsive sexual behavior’, is because the course and effects of the condition closely matches that of diseases such as alcoholism.”

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

http://www.healthcentral.com/sexual-health/c/65058/40750/addiction

If you have any comments, please click the comment button below and let us know what you think.

However, it is important to realize that there is a key difference between promiscuity and sexual addiction. Your roommate may be happy regaling you with stories about the casual sex she had last night, but for sex addicts the sex is not happy sex. Like any addiction the behaviour is merely the process to get to the big payoff at the end, which for sex addicts is the usually the release of chemicals in the brain that one experiences during climax.

Click here to read the entire article.

The Department of Justice has reduced prostitution, and therefore exploitation of women, to a mere scandal.  Despite the fact that prostitution violates and harms women both emotionally and physically, Mr. Spitzer is being slapped on the hand.  Mr. Spitzer is quoted as saying that he feels like he’s paid for his “sin” implying it’s time to move on, and Alan Dershowitz is quoted as saying that it was “no big deal.”

Based on the depth and breadth of Mr. Spitzer’s actions and sexual behaviors, the loss of his position as Governor of New York state, and the wreckage he undoubtedly caused his family, my guess is that Mr. Spitzer is most likely a sex addict.  Because he simply “sinned,” he will sadly, never make it to treatment to face his problems.  This ruling by the DOJ sends a message to women thoughout the country that the “good ‘ole boys” club is alive and well.

As a woman, I am personally offended and incensed by this ruling.  As a citizenn, I find it irresponsible at best and unconscionable at worst.  It makes me wonder who paid whom and how deep does the prostitution ring in New York state go?

To get the full impact of this ruling, you can read the entire article at:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/168395?gt1=43002

To read the review in the International Hearld Tribune, go to:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/27/arts/writer.php?page=1

The cantania’s solicit women from El Salvador promising them factory or  restaurant jobs in the U.S. where they can make better money to support their families at home.  Sad to leave their families and children behind, but filled with hope for a better life, these women end up as sex slaves fighting for their lives.

In San Francisco, women are brought to the U.S. from Thailand with similar promises.  If you have ever gone to a massage parlor for a “sensual massage” then you most likely have been participating in the human sex trafficking trade.

Many sex addicts who frequent strip clubs or massage parlors tell themselves that they’re not hurting anyone, that prostitutes are making a living, or that hiring a prostitute is a victimless crime. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

Think again.  By hiring these women, you are most likely participating in human sex trafficking and violating innocent women in the worst way possible.  If you’ve ever hired a prostitute consider making amends by contributing to organizations that work to prevent the sex traffic trade. Click here to make a donation: http://www.klaaskids.org/s

If you hire prostitutes with any reqularity, consider you have a problem and get help immediately. Find a sex addiction therapist in your area: www.sash.net

For more on this story go to: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27098993/

“You have a pleasure center in the back of your brain and when you’re masturbating those chemicals are being released in your pleasure center,” he said. “But what happens is pornography gets boring and your pleasure center wants more so you escalate from softcore porn to hardcore, from strip clubs to prostitution. It’s like starting on marijuana and then moving to crack cocaine so you can reach the same pleasure release you had the first time you got high. That’s why you get deeper and deeper into an addiction.” Sex Addiction Los Angeles

To read more of this man’s story go to:

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20080823/NEWS/49009/1005

All of these articles accurately describe the problem even though some people want to challenge that it’s real.  If you, or someone you love, have been touched by this problem, you know how real it is.

Here are the links to the various articles talking about this problem:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/29/AR2008082902754.html

http://news.aol.com/health/article/is-sex-addiction-a-disorder-or/154267

http://www.newsweek.com/id/156768

http://wcbstv.com/local/sex.addiction.treatment.2.806473.html

Let us know your opinion by clicking the comment button below

A blog for sex addiction??  This may seem a little odd, but a lot of people get relief by being in community when difficulty strikes.  If you need support because you’ve been cheated on by a partner who is stuck on cyberporn, check out this website:

http://wordpress.com/tag/understanding-cybersex-addiction/

To find a certified therapist in your area, go to www.iitap.comand check the directory for a local listing. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

These workshops, located in beautiful downtown Austin, Texas are designed for men new to recovery, men struggling to maintain sexual sobriety, or men undecided as to whether they are sexually addicted. This is the eighth year of this program. 

Dates: 

 March 6 -  8, 2009

If you are looking for a treatment center for drug and alcohol recovery or sexual addiction, you can go to this website:

http://www.treatment-centers.net/sex-addiction.html

 Sex Addiction Los Angeles

This link takes you right to the sex addiction treatment center page but it’s chock full of other resources as well.

Good luck in your recovery!

Therapeutic competencies vital to the treatment of Sexual Addiction will be
discussed and practiced in a safe and professional environment.  The format
will be lecture, small group discussion and informal case presentation.  The
privacy and confidentiality of participants and clients will be respected
throughout the workshop.

Clinical issues will include:
           *Transference and Counter-Transference
*Recovery Process
           *Family and Significant Other Work
*Disclosure Issues
           *Referral and Case Management issues
*Ethics and Legal Issues

Workshop Facilitator:
Steven DeLugach, MS, LPC has been treating Sexual Addicts and their families
since 1989.  He has 20 years of experience working with Chemical Dependents,
Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Sexual Addicts.  He is a Certified Sexual
Addictions Therapist Supervisor {CSAT} and is the Chair the International
Institute for Trauma & Addiction Professionals {IITAP} Professional
Certification Board.

Schedule:
           Monday June 23rd, 2008
               9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
           Lunch will be provided on site.

Location:
           4700 SW Macadam Ave, Suite 101
           Portland, Oregon 97239
           503-233-5827
Fee:
           $185 for the workshop, which includes lunch.

           CSAT candidates can receive 6 hours of CSAT case consultation or
CEU’s by presenting a case during the workshop.

Certificates of Completion will be issued.

To register contact my office at 503-233-5827.
Please register by phone before June 16th 2008.

Thanks for your support and interest in the field of Addiction and Intimacy,

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

COSA is a fellowship of recovering men and women who are partnered with sex addicts.  They extend and share their experience, strength and hope with anyone who needs help. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

If you are seeking support for this problem, contact COSA by going to the following website:

http://www.cosa-recovery.org

In this article from Christianity Today, you will see that the Christian community is availing itself more and more to the facts that this problem can strike anyone.  This problem, like all addictions, does not discriminate when it comes to status, race, or religion.

Here’s a quote from the article:

“A widely recognized authority, Patrick Carnes, author and executive director of the Gentle Path program at Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services in Mississippi, estimates that 8 percent of adult men and 3 percent of adult women become sexually addicted at some point in their lives (this article will focus on the greater problem, male sexual addiction). That means roughly 12 million or more Americans may have this disorder. ”

To read the entire article, go to http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/march/19.28.htm

Pay-per view in hotel rooms can be one of the biggest temptations and a battle not everyone wins, especially in early recovery. 

CleanHotels.com is a network of lodging facilities that - based on some of the best research available - do not offer in-room, “adult” (pornographic) pay-per-view movies.

If you are an addict in recovery, travelling alone, you might want to take an extra step to protect yourself from slipping, check out this website:

www.cleanhotels.com

Preoccupation, ritualization, social isolation and compartmentalization are all earmarks of sex addiction. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

To understand more on how the brain works and how Mr. Spitzer could have proceeded with these behaviors in the face of prosecuting others who did, read this Forbes article.

http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2008/03/12/spitzer-addictive-behavior-oped-cx_dpb_0312addictive.html

Why would someone so seemingly together with a future so bright throw it all out the window?   There’s no sound intellectual reason for this because we’re asking, “why do smart men do such profoundly dumb things?”  Entitlement, compartmentalization, and denial work in ways to shut out the intellect.  Emotions run high when a person is used to being in a position of power and actually “gets off” on that power.

High risk sex like hiring prostitutes, having anonymous sex in a bathroom or having sex with an employee all create an adrenaline rush that can make a person feel euphoric and invincible.  People in power positions often delude themselves into believing that they won’t get caught. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

These kind of sexual behaviors can lead a person to wanting more and more to the extent they forget about everything that’s important to them.  They are in a dissociative state so nothing matters but the experience and the “high.”

We can only hope that Mr. Spitzer finds his way to getting the kind of help he needs and that his family finds some way to heal from the pain we can only imagine they are going through.

For more details on what exactly happened to Elliot Spitzer you can go to the CNN website at www.cnn.com

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

For more information on this topic, take a look at this article and let us know what you think by clicking the comment button below.

http://www.health.propeller.com/story/2008/01/20/sexual-addiction-and-its-related-behavioral-patterns

Dr. Charles Parker was the keynote speaker and he kicked off the conference talking about the importance of looking at the brain via SPECT scanning.  This innovative process allows for an actual look at the sex addicts brain to better determine exactly what’s going on.  Often sex addicts have deficits in the brain due to early childhood attachment trauma, actual blows to the head via accident’s, and/or due to excessive drug and alcohol abuse.  Sex Addiction Los Angeles

Dr. Patrick Carnes pioneering leader in the field of sexual addiction, is empahsizing the importance of changing the brain via intensive focus in order for the sex addict to stay sexually sober over time and to effect long-term positive change.  Dr. Carnes task-centered approach is what we use at the Center for Healthy Sex when treating sex addicts.

For more on this topic, visit Dr. Parker’s web blog at: http://www.corepsychblog.com

The Adult Video News Media Network, a trade publication, estimates that the porn industry earns $14 billion annually, and there are estimates that there are 4.2 million pornographic sites online with 40 million visitors daily. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

On Feb. 15, “Nightline” co-anchor Martin Bashir moderates the “Nightline Face-Off: Is America Addicted to Porn?” in New Haven, Conn., during Sex Week at Yale University.

You can Start watching the debate Thursday Feb. 21 on ABCNEWS.com, plus watch the full story on “Nightline” Friday, Feb. 22 at 11:35 p.m. ET

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=4245514&page=1

In an article in Frontiers Magazine called “Once is not enough,” Michael Liberatore raises the question of who defines sex addiction for the gay man.  Sex Addiction Los Angeles

The article states:

But as gay men, aren’t we socialized differently regarding how much sex is too much sex?  If we compare ourselves to the average straight male, don’t we all seem a bit compulsive?

I think this is a very personal question and each person has to answer according to their criteria of what’s healthy for them and what isn’t.  Gay people may be more suseptible to becoming sexually compulsive due to the stident homophobic culture they grew up in, and the impact sexual accessability has on them.

The article continues:

“It’s tricky for gay men,” explains Alexandra Katehakis, MFT, of the Center For Healthy Sex in Beverly Hills. “Anonymous sex is part of gay culture. It’s up to the individual to decide if they feel their behavior is addictive. By that, I mean are they entrenched in secrets and lies…or have they tried to curb their activities, and found it impossible? If they can’t stop—if their lives have become unmanageable, then they need to con•sider their behavior as addictive.”

To read the article, go to: http://www.frontierspublishing.com/2620/features/feat.htm

Click on the comment button below and let us know what you think about this topic.

Check it out at: http://www.sexaddictmeditations.blogspot.com

Let us know what you think by clicking the comment below.

In the tradition of the 12-steps “unmanagability” really means “messes.”    People who are involved in any kind of addiction will always have some mess in their lives because they favor the addictive behaviors over taking care of their needs and their responsabilities.  These messes are a result of the addiction and are considered evidence for how the addict’s life has become unmanagable.

Unmanagability can range from being chronically late to work, not being fully present with your kids, getting caught in lies, loosing a job, getting arrested, feeling like a fraud, drifting apart from your friends and family, giving up hobbies, missing opportunities, etc.  The list goes on and on. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

If you care to share any moments of unmanagability due to your addiction, we would love to hear from you.  Please click the comment button below.

Dr. Milton Magness is offering numerous recovery-related MP3 downloads at www.RecoveryOnTheGo.com.  They are designed to help people make better use of their daily commute and exercise time.  Some of the titles include:

• Am I a Sex Addict?
• Getting Started in Recovery,
• Accountability in Recovery, and
• Disclosure.

An advantage of MP3s is that they can be listened to again and again to help internalize the recovery tips and tools they contain.

For more information go to www.RecoveryOnTheGo.com or call Dr. Magness at (713) 630-0111. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTJkfUibklY

Let us know what you think by clicking the comment button below.

Recovery puts an end to the drama because the recovering addict and partner, begin to address their trauma in addition to their resentments, abuses, hurts, ways they have abused others, secrets, lies, and the lack of integrity in their lives.

If you or someone you know constantly has drama in their lives, you can bet it’s coming from unresolved trauma.  The new year is a good time to seek therapy and/or 12- step help so you can start moving in the direction of recovering your life and creating a positive vision for what you want in your future .

Good luck in your recovery!

Check it out and let us know what you think! 

http://gratefulrecoveringsexaddict.blogspot.com

• What are the signs and symptoms?
• What causes compulsive sexual behaviors?
• What are the risk factors?
• When to seek medical advice
• Is there a way to screen for the problem and is thera a diagnosis?
• What are the complications?
• What does treatment entail?
• What are the best measures for prevention?
• What part does self-care play in recovery?

If you or a loved one is suffering from this problem, you can read the entire article on the Mayo Clinic’s site:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/compulsive-sexual-behavior/DS00144

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

Do you believe that sexual addiction is real?   * 12819 responses Yes, I think some people have a destructive relationship with sex.
63% No, I think it’s largely an excuse some people use for cheating or other bad behavior.
30% I’m not sure.
7%

What do you think?  Please click the comment button below and let us know.  Sex Addiction Los Angeles

This article, called “How to Cure a Sex Addict,” provides clear information about what course a person might take in order to get help for his or her problematic sexual behaviors.

http://slate.com/id/2156023/

Let us know your thoughts on this by clicking the comment button below.

The four fundamental goals of the workshop are:

To understand the origin, function, and consequences of their addiction

To reduce the shame underlying and caused by the addiction

To develop a robust recovery plan and understand tools needed to maintain sobriety

To share the healing experience of healthy community

The dates for these 3-day workshops are:

October 12-14, 2007

February 9-10, 2008

April 11-13, 2008

The workshops are held in beautiful, eclectic Austin, Texas.

The cost is $850.  Meals and accommodations are not included.
Learn more about the workshops at

www.sexual-addict.com/workshops-men.htm

Contact Dr. Michael Johnson directly at 512-928-4357 or Doctor@Sexual-addict.com.

(Workshop Presented by Insight Coaching, LLC)

“Craigslist has become the high-tech 42nd Street, where much of the solicitation takes place now,” said Richard McGuire, Nassau’s assistant chief of detectives. “Technology has worked its way into every profession, including the oldest.” Sex Addiction Los Angeles

To read the entire article, go to:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/nyregion/05craigslist.html?r=1&em&ex=118913760&oref=slogin

It has recently come to light that uber-conservative U.S. Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge stemming from a Jun 11th arrest in a men’s restroom at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for engaging in lewd conduct with an undercover police officer. The officer stated in his report that Craig appeared versed in the subtle signs used to identify willing sex partners in public places. As part of his plea agreement, Craig was fined $1000 and sentenced to ten days in jail, which was deferred to one year’s probation.

Craig now declares he did nothing wrong, that his actions in the airport men’s restroom were misconstrued and he was set up by the police. He’s even gone so far as to bash the “liberal gay agenda” for smearing him. Interestingly, though, the Senator has asked the people of Idaho, his constituency, to forgive him. This is a curious tack as he maintains he is innocent and did nothing wrong or untoward. Why ask for forgiveness if no crime or misstep occurred? This is perplexing and seems contradictory.

If Senator Craig’s behavior is applied to a sexual addiction framework, then contradictions become much clearer and even understandable. I am not diagnosing Craig as a sexual addict, but his actions and subsequent claims about his actions align quite well with what is known about sexual addiction and sexual compulsivity. Whatever his actual clinical diagnosis, his actions point to, at the very least, problematic sexual behavior.

In all likelihood, covert sexual activity in some form has been present for quite some time in Craig’s life. While the actual behavior may have evolved over the years, the function it serves in his life has probably remained constant, which is to tolerate his mood, feelings and emotions as well as to feel connected to another person without risking emotional abandonment. These are the functions served by sexual addiction.

All problematic and addictive activities, whether chemical or behavioral, require defenses in order to continue to operate in one’s life. Senator Craig’s defenses have caught my attention because they are remarkably well developed, if not transparent to a trained eye or even a casual observer. A defense doesn’t have to make sense to be regarded as well developed; it just needs to be strong.

Sexual addiction thrives in contradiction and requires a significant ability for denial. As the addict engages in increasingly risky sexual behavior, this ability to deny needs to increase as well, or the addict’s construct will crumble. This construct, called splitting, enables the addict to operate and tolerate, via compartmentalization, any guilt and shame associated with the sexual behavior. For the Senator to acknowledge his behavior in the restroom, he would have to confront his guilt and shame. At this time, he apparently is not ready to commit to such an undertaking.

Craig is claiming the airport police set him up. The Senator employs another common tool of the sexual addict, victimization. By assuming the role of victim, the sexual addict can alleviate themselves of responsibility for their harmful actions. True remorse and guilt cannot be experienced from this stance because that would require honesty and a breakdown of the wall of denial. Victimization has a symbiotic relationship with denial, each relying on the other for support and continuation.

While in congress, Craig has voted against same sex marriage, voted against including sexual orientation as a protected status from employment discrimination, as well as other outwardly hostile actions toward the gay community. From a Freudian perspective, this defense would be regarded as reaction formation, where unacceptable emotions or feelings are replaced by their direct opposite. While I am not claiming Craig to be gay, his voting record in Congress, when applied against his sexual behavior in the airport restroom, would allow himself to feel distance from his own unacceptable homosexual behavior and/or desires. He may very well be having sex with men for a variety of possible reasons, such as ease of accessibility, increased risk (producing a greater high), as well as having an attraction to men. All could be true and no one reason is mutually exclusive of another. Regardless of his reason for having sex with men, if he did have sex with men, then voting hostilely in Congress toward the gay community would provide him a certain degree of cover against being or feeling gay-identified.

All of these defenses are, in part, very adaptive for the active sexual addict. This is how the sex addict operates and integrates their behavior into their life, allowing them to maintain their level of functioning. The problem starts to become evident as containment is breached and compromised, as with Craig becoming arrested and publicly humiliated. He has lost containment and an opening has been created. This opening, however painful for the Senator now, can ultimately be a blessing for him, if he chooses to avail himself of the opportunity for growth.

As a clinician who specializes in treatment of sexual addiction and compulsivity, I have heard many stories similar to Senator Craig’s. I can only imagine the pain he and his family are experiencing; it is a pain all too familiar to the sexual addict. Hopefully, eventually, he will realize that the pain of staying on his current path is greater than the pain of change…and that is the growth path. But for that to happen, he must first be willing to set aside his much-developed defenses and look honestly at himself and his behavior.

For more information about sexual addiction treatment contact Aaron Alan at aaron@centerforhealthysex.com   Click the comment button below and let us know what you think.

If you think you have a cybersex addiction, you should seek 12-step and professional help.  Visit www.sash.net to find a therapist in your area.

http://www.utdallas.edu/counseling/selfhelp/porn-addiction.html

What do you think?  Take a look at the article below then let us know by clicking the comment button below.

http://www.news.softpedia.com/news/Sexual-Addiction-Cultural-or-Psychological-55683.shtml

This news story is a brief telling of one woman’s pain and her willingness to get help.  http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=local&id=5316157

If you are female and think you might have this problem, you can get immediate help.  To find a qualified sex addiction therapist in your town, go to www.sash.net and check the directory.

Take a look at it here http://www.slate.com/id/2156023 and let us know what you think by clicking the comment button below.

http://www.sexaddiction.ca/index.php

Sadly, all parties are missing the strong possability that Mr. Haggard is a sex addict and it remains to be seen whether he is gay or straight.  It doesn’t sound like the “restoration” program he will go through will include sex addiction treatment but will “restore” his heterosexuality. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

Sadly, we are still living in the dark ages about this problem.  To read the article click on the link listed.  Please let us know your thoughts about this by clicking on the comments button below.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/article/2006/11/16/haggard_scandal

It was shocking to hear his congregants minimizing his behaviors on the radio, and in some cases out right denying them.  It is interesting to hear the anger on various blogs today about his immorality and the thrill that comes from bringing the religous right down. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

What both sides are missing is that Mr. Haggard needs serious help. An obvious lesson here is that a person can pray “until the cows come home” and it will not make a difference in their sexual acting out behaviors.  God alone cannot fix this problem because if that were the case, Mr. Haggard would have fixed this problem a long time ago.  In fact, he stated that he has been struggling with his own personal darkness in this area his entire adult life.

Sad as this is, it may be the most important time in Mr. Haggard’s life and therefore in his ministry.  Getting into sexual recovery and making the changes he needs to live a congruent life will be the greatest gift he can give to himself and others.  Let’s hope he does.  For the latest article on this topic go to:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15536263/

For more on this topic go to:

http://www.southernvoice.com/2006/9-15/news/national/index.cfm

Porn Addiction Los Angeles

For more information go to

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/beckseries/

www.sexworkersanonymouswso.com

www.asafeshelter.com

www.sexindustrysurvivalguide.com

Please let us know if you go to these sites by clicking the button below.

Sex Therapy Los Angeles

One way to protect your family while they enjoy the internet is to find tools that will make Internet use safe.  This site offers software, books and free articles to help prevent exposure to pornography and prevent addiction.

http://www.familysafemedia.com/parental_control.html

If you are struggling, you’ll find you’re not alone.  I hope you find this helpful.  http://freya42.proboards46.com/index.cgi

Sex addiction is no joke.  If you need help, get it now!

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/westmoreland/s 470056.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/sexual-addiction

If you are addicted to porn and have ever wondered, “Is There Hope for Me?” According to David Zailer the answer is Yes! His own life proves that hope and grace are available to everyone. David has found healing and transformation from childhood sexual abuse, family secrets, drug addiction and the production of pornography. He can help you find healing as well!

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

Join us as David shares about his process and experience that changed his live and how he helps others find healing their own lives!

You will learn:

* The most necessary ingredient for
recovery from sexual addiction
* How sexual healing leads to a life of integrity
* How to discover your own freedom
* How shame effects our physical, emotional
and spiritual health
* How to give up the need to be right
* The power of the 12-Steps
* Operation Integrity, what’s it all about?

David Zailer currently facilitates recovery groups for sexual addiction as well as assists others in recovery from drugs and alcohol. David also has authored  “When Lost Men Come Home” to help men gain or regain their sexual integrity.

Contact Tess Marshall, Kick Porn Expert @ www.KickPorn.com or email her @ TessMarshall@TessMarshall.com 616-460-6729

The DSM-IV, states that paraphillias involve recurrent fantasies, urges or behaviors of a sexual nature that center around children, non-humans (animals, objects, materials), or harming others or one’s self.

Because they are so often associated with abusive sexual practices that generate real victims, many people tend to regard persons who display sexual deviancies as monsters. Further, many people tend to assume that all sexual deviants are equivalently awful and repugnant. Neither of these statements are accurate. While they are ultimately responsible for their choices (including those that harm other people), and should be punished and thereafter closely monitored to prevent further abusive practices, even predator child-molesting pedophiliacs are legitimately suffering from mental, emotional and spiritual disturbance and should be able to participate in mandated treatment. Whereas pedophilia (child molestation) is a particularly awful sexual deviancy, there are other forms of sexual deviancy such as transvestism and many forms of fetishism that harm no one and that do not deserve to be thought of in the same breath as child molestation.

To read about paraphillia’s in more detail go to http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/center_indexphp?id=98 Let us know what you think about this topic by clicking the comment button below.

A recent Israeli study has found a connection between sex drive and the DRD4 gene (also known as the dopamine D4 receptor gene), which has a role in the way the brain uses the neurotransmitter dopamine.

To read the rest of this article go to:

http://www.geneticsandhealth.com/2006/05/26/d4d4-gene-and-sex-addiction/

Click the comment button below to let us know what you think about this.

http://www.sarr.org

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

If you visit this site, let us know what you think by clicking the comment button below.

Russell is 30, married, and is a sex addict. ‘Every week was the same. I would play rugby on a Sunday morning, meet this woman after the game at the same car park and then have sex in my car. Yet the intensity and excitement would begin when I packed my kitbag on Saturday night. It sounds bizarre but I got sexually excited cleaning my boots the day before, because I knew what was to come the next day. It wasn’t about who I was meeting or how I felt about her or anything. There was no love. She was just a means to an end. A supplier almost. Sex Addiction Los Angeles

To read the rest of this article go to: http://www.channel4.com/health/microsites/0-9/4health/sex/sar_addiction.html

Learn more about the making of this film at http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/04/03/DDGK5l1KUD1.DTL&type=movies

Click the comment button below and let us know what you think.

Like in the United States, there are many different kinds of treatment facilities for this population group. Although other treatment modalities are mostly preferred, Germany is probably the European country with the most 12 step groups outside the US. There are about 15 different 12 step groups in existence, among them Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Emotions Anonymous, Incest Survivors Anonymous to name a few.

Knowing the data on the substance dependencies might make it easier to relate to the numbers on sex addiction. There had been an estimation of about 500,000 sex addicts in Germany which corresponds to the 0.6% to the total population. Probably the numbers are higher. Among the self-help groups, Sexaholics Anonymous, S-Anon and Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous are spread to about 40 cities throughout Germany. They founded in Germany around 1984 and have about 1000 members. Sex Addicts Anonymous is also active with a couple of groups.

The acceptance of the diagnosis of sex addiction among professionals is not very high, even though the addictiveness of some progressive forms of paraphilias have long been recognized. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, some psychiatrists published on the addictive nature of nonparaphilic sexual behavior such as a Don Juanism or nymphomania. The psychiatrist Hans Giese (1962), one of the founders of modern scientific research on sexuality in Germany, stated that all addictive sexual behavior, regardless of sexual practice or orientation, should be classified as a form of perversion—what we would call a paraphilia today.

The official diagnostic classification system used in Germany is the International Classification of Diseases (ICD 10) of the World Health Organization. Use of the DSM IV is spread mainly throughout the scientific community. To classify different types of sex addiction in the ICD 10, there are, of course, categories for the diverse kinds of paraphilias and also a rather vague category “Hypersexuality”. These may be used in everyday clinical routine. Sometimes sex addiction may be classified as an “impulse disorder not otherwise classified.” But most often the diagnosis is simply omitted, especially when there are other diagnosis available such as depression.

Germany still has a functioning social system in which health care is available for everybody. Any person with a valid ICD 10 diagnosis gets the psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care available. So there is no problem to get insurance coverage for a disorder like sex addiction. But on the other hand, there is very little knowledge about sex addiction among professionals working in the therapeutic field. Sometimes, it is even denied. An influential senior professor for sexology wrote in a scientific paper that sex addiction is only an invention of the media. Among addictionologists, excessive sexual behavior is being sidelined sort of hoping it will normalize as the drinking or drug use normalizes.

A sexual history is seldom taken in-depth in these institutions. There is not one hospital or department which has a specialized treatment program for sex addicts. There are, however, some specialized clinics in which multi-addicted clients are treated. In these hospitals, 12 Step groups like SLAA or SA are available and supported. But the self-help groups or better “mutual aid groups” (Kurtz/Ketcham) do most of the work on sex addiction there. The treatment facilities are not yet offering a specialized treatment program including things like a celibacy contract, relapse prevention training or education on healthy sexuality. But lately, some clinics have started to get interested in therapeutic possibilities. In private practice, the situation is similar. A qualified therapy is offered maybe by a handful of professionals throughout the country.

Hopefully, there seems to be some greater interest in the topic and a change of attitude during the last years. The media has taken more interest and there has been some serious coverage in newspapers, radio and television. A medical department of a German university in Berlin has specialized in the research of the biology and behavior of addictions. They work on alcohol and drugs but also on “impulse disorders” like gambling or compulsive spending. Currently, they also have an ongoing scientific study on sex addiction. Also sex therapists, who are more and more confronted by thisaddiction—sometimes through clients who have already diagnosed themselves as sex addicts—have begun to address it seriously. As yet another source, Christian therapists have taken an interest in the subject. German professionals who have been engaged in this topic have also been supported from the United States. We have had seminars done by an American member of a 12 step group or by a well-known author on sex addiction.

There are positive developments in the field. There is access to a better understanding of the sex addiction problem in Germany but they are still far away from the end of neglecting or minimalizing of the problem. In the interest of our clients, it can only be hoped that continuous effort and input from all the different professional groups involved will fuse into the use of qualified and refined treatment programs.

Dr. Kornelius Roth, MD lives in Bad Herrenalb, Germany and is a board-certified psychotherapist who specializes in multi-addiction work using the 12-step approach and trauma treatment modalities. He attended medical school at the University of Heidelberg. He is also member of SASH.

1. We admitted that we were powerless over lust — that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to sexaholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The Twelve Steps and Traditions are adapted with permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (”AAWS”). Permission to adapt and reprint the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions does not mean that AAWS has approved the contents, of this publication, nor that AAWS agrees with the views expressed herein. AA is a program of recovery from alcoholism only. Use of the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions in connection with programs which are patterned after AA, but which address other problems, or in any other non-AA context, does not imply otherwise.

SA adaptation © 1982, 1984, 1989, 2001 SA Literature.
Reprinted with permission of SA Literature.

Please let us all know by clicking the comment button below.

http://www.sarr.org/

http://www.rcirclesfoundation.org/

Good luck in your recovery!!

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

Likewise, a sex offender may not be compulsive in his/her behaviors.  It’s also important to understand the difference between violent and non-violent sex offenders.

For a clear understanding of these differences, go to

http://www.crescentlife.com/disorders/sexual_addiction.htm

Let us know what you think by clicking the comment button below.

Your church has a comprehensive website directing you on how to get the help you need.  Click here and start your recovery today!

http://www.ldsr.org/intro.phtml

If you are female and think you may be sexually addicted, take a look at this www.celebraterecovery.com/SmallGroups/sa_Women.asp

I also recommend “Women, Sex and Addiction” by Charlotte Kasel, Ph.D.

http://www.porn-free.org/

http://www.celebraterecovery.com/SmallGroups/sa_Men.asp

Good luck and let us know what you think!

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

http://wfrv.com/topstories/local_story_334113721.html

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

The answer, paradoxically, is to learn how to take care of yourself. This will create a trickle-down effect. Recovery for a loved one of an addict (child, spouse, co-worker, friend, etc.) begins with the admission that you are powerless over people, places and things…including the addict. The only thing you have control over is your own actions and reactions. If we learn to stay “on our side of the street” and take our own inventory, not theirs, we will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. (pg. 83, Alcoholics Anonymous).

Therapy and/or 12-step programs, for example Al-Anon, S-Anon, or CODA, are where the significant others are going to find their solutions. Usually the answer to your problem lies within yourself. With professional help and guidance, partners and loved ones can find a new freedom and a new happiness, whether or not the addict recovers. It’s not an easy path but it is entirely possible to succeed with the right support. I encourage anyone dealing with addiction in their lives to seek some professional help and suppport. It’s the best thing you can do for you AND the addict.

For more information about support for family members you can contact Jill Vermeire, MFT at www.mytherapistjill.com

Sex Therapy Los Angeles

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

In fact, most sex addicts look like you and me.  They’re your neighbor, doctor, secretary, lawyer, school teacher, well, you get the picture.  When you learn about this problem that a friend of loved one has, go easy on them.  Remember, they’re in pain and need help.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/brothers/238438_joyce20.html

COSA cooperates with, but is not affiliated with Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA)
and our annual conventions are running concurrently in 2006. Attendance and
participation at a national convention offers a unique opportunity, for new
and seasoned members alike, to grow in their knowledge of the program by
attending meetings, workshops and speaker presentations.  We encourage all
of those who qualify to attend.

The COSA 2006 National Convention will be held in Indianapolis, IN, over
Memorial Day weekend, May 23-26, 2006.  On behalf of the COSA National
Service Organization (COSA NSO), I would like to encourage you to attend the
informational session during the upcoming SASH conference if you plan to
attend, and to share this information with patients and colleagues.

For more information about the meet and greet session and the COSA 2006
National Convention, or about COSA in general, please email our Public
Information Committee at COSA_PI@yahoo.com
<mailto:COSA_ConventionPI@yahoogroups.com>

We would like to encourage
those who are unfamiliar with COSA, or who have additional questions about
our fellowship, to visit our website at www.cosa-recovery.org
Thank you for your help in reaching those who still suffer.

In Service,

Christi G.
Chair, COSA National Service Organization

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

That said, it seems to me that women often get left behind when talking about sex addiction. I think that’s partially because women are continually trying to define what sex and sexual liberation means to them after centuries of sexual repression.  I also think that women don’t come into treatment for sexual addiction due to the shame and stigma attached to admitting to such a problem.

However, the thinking today seems to be, if men can have a lot of casual sex, why can’t women?   The TV series, “Sex in the City” really put that out on the air waves.  What Samantha and the gang were up to would not have been cool if the cast were all men.  They were glamourous, promiscious and proud of it.  I guess I worry that women could be getting themselves into trouble and not recognizing it.

Take a look at this article and see what you think.

http://www.sexualwholeness.com/isw/resources/7093/Farree2001.pdf

http://www.worldtalkradio.com/archive.asp?aid=4358

Sex Addiction Los Angeles

Let me know how you like the show by clicking on the comments button below.

Often partners of sex addicts report that they begin to stop trusting their best judgment even though their partner can’t account for his/her time.  Additionally, money can go unaccounted for as can cell phone calls and mood swings.  Sometimes partner’s report that their sex life has diminished considerably and that they feel physically and emotionally neglected.

Other signs your partner may be a sex addict include regular arguing about sex, angry exchanges around sex or feeling terrible or dirty after sex with your partner. Should you think that you may be involved with a sex addict, you may need counseling and/or a self-help group like S-Anon.  http://www.sanon.org/

For more information on this topic, check out http://www.sexaddicthelp.com/Articles/inlove.htm

If you have any questions or would like to add your comments, please click on the “comments” button below.

You want to find a therapist that uses a cognitive/behavioral/task-oriented approach, and preferably, someone who is a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT).  What that means is the therapist holds the addict accountable for what they are thinking, doing and committing to on a daily basis.  Treatment should include weekly homework, reading of recovery books, checking in with the therapist once a week (if not daily) and enforced consequences if the addict doesn’t  keep to their commitments.

12-step groups are super important too because they help the addict reduce their shame and get out of isolation.  Sex addicts get “sober” in groups because they begin to hear that they are not alone and that other people have done similar, and sometimes, worse things.  Groups help people learn that they can get their needs met from others.  In the process sex addicts not only help themselves, they help their fellow addicts.  For more information, check out http://www.medicinenet.com/sexual_addiction/article.htm