Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior: Rethinking Sex Addiciton 1st Edition, Kindle Edition

I am a licensed therapist & have been in SA Addiction Recovery for years. The authors neglect to consider - or even mention - Trauma, which in my mind is an abomination as it is an imperative to understanding the genesis for many people (I could wax on that alone for a few paragraphs). In addition, the authors do an injustice to readers & an understanding of the addiction by leaving a dearth where science is necessary (this includes research, studies, physiological states, neurobiological features) for clarification, explication, and elucidation. This book is a pontification of Talk Therapy, which is by no means novel. For the novice read "Out...Shadows" by Carnes. To the intermediate practitioner, check out Doug Weiss' work. And, personally, I think Alexandria Katehakis "Sex Addiction as Affect Dysregulation" is brilliant. Finally, I would intimate that this is a sales pitch just regurgitating something Carl Roger's put on the map: the importance of the therapeutic alliance. However, if you want to put all of your marbles in that bag, fine. Just realize you will be spending a lot of time with these dudes (and their pseudo-groups), which guarantees only one thing: more money out of your pocket. There is benefit with strength in numbers as enumerated much better in Katehakis' work. However, if you buy' the notion that SA Treatment can be boiled down to very simplistic, rigid, steps..then this may be the book for you. I however think it is much more complicated and nuanced in nature. Get some EMDR / Brainspotting for your Traumas; see a practitioner for Somatic Work & Body Work. Let these clowns be the side-show, or should I say the freak show. I would ask for a refund but I refuse to keep this work in my possession. End. Done.

Doug Braun-Harvey and Michael Vigorito are cleaning up the mess that sex addiction treatment has made in our culture.As a former sex addiction therapist for 25 years I can tell the public that there’s no required sex therapy training nor information and sexual health included in any of the formal training is on sex addiction. One has to go outside the industry and look for sexual health information and once I did so I realized how harmful and negligent the sex addiction model truly is.Sex addiction is act-centered putting somebody at odds with their erotic orientation.Braun-Harvey and Vigorito’s “Out-of-control Sexual Behavior” model is principal centered letting the clients determine for themselves with sexual health is and is not for them. It is not up to the therapist or any type of treatment model that should decide this for each individual person.Don’t confuse sex therapy with sex addiction treatment. Sex addiction therapists are not sex therapists. At best they are trained trauma therapists and addictionologists but far from being qualified to treat sexual health related issues.This book is timely and truly necessary.

I've been wanting to read this book for some time, and finally was able to commit some time to reading this. This book is very well thought out and laid out. Although it's on a controversial topic, this book does a great job laying out several differing perspectives. A saying in qualitative research is that there are no outliers and this is because outliers give you critical information and make you critically look at the topic that you're discussing as well as your biases. In a book like this, those outliers really seemed to be focused on and considered, which makes it more well rounded.I think those who have a lot of history with various continuing education in attachment, sexuality, relationships, and compulsive sexual behavior may feel that a lot of this book is review. That's not really a criticism though as these things are difficult to tie together in a well rounded way in a book. However, if you're a CSAT or a sexual health professional and you're looking for ways to help people who are struggling with out of control sexual behavior, or you're needing a good book to get you some good in depth information on a controversial topic in the field, this is a wonderful resource.

This is an excellent book for providers who are looking to expand their practice in treating clients with this problem. The authors do an excellent job of de-pathologizing this particular concern, and focusing (i.e., reframing) the issue instead in terms of "healthy behaviors." Note, for any providers already familiar with MI/MET, this will feel like a natural adaptation of that modality. Otherwise it contains both a solid rationale as well as useful guides for assessment and treatment. I do not think this would be a helpful nor appropriate book for clients (i.e., not a self-help book) although I don't think the authors held it out to be-just a head's up!

This book is a tremendous contribution to the field of Sex Therapy and Psychotherapy. As a long time clinician I read constantly. Rarely do I read something that enlightens and changes my thinking as this book has. The authors put a fresh, positive and truly effective spin on subjects that in much of the literature is fraught with judgment, moralizing and shame. They present a model that is clear, kind and truly effective, and are generous and practical in teaching the reader how to implement it. I whole heartedly recommend it. And I might add that even for those clinicians who do not necessarily work with the population that the book addresses, the way the authors conceptualize sexual health is brilliant and relevant to everyone.An excellent read. Hope these authors will write more!

Great book! I am excited about the work that Doug and Michael are doing with challenging, and changing, the treatment paradigm for folks who are struggling with Out of Control Sexual Behavior(OCSB). As a sex therapist, and substance use/misuse specialist, I appreciate the non-pathologizing, non-shaming, harm reductionist, approach outlined in the book. I have also used Doug's book Sexual Health in Recovery along with Treating OCSB, in a co-occurring treatment program. I would encourage providers and consumers to take a look!

A much needed contribution to the field. Practical and ethical, humane and scientifically robust. Finally a guide that lifts us out of the quagmire of therapists' discomfort with "addictions" to put patients and their well-being being first. An approach that offers effectiveness and hope without denying the true suffering of those whose sexual behaviour has breached the boundaries of their healthy being. Worth the price-tag.

a complete paradigm shift away from shaming and blaming language around sex (addiction) compulsivity. Fascinating and useful for supporting my clients.

As discribed.