Sexual Behavior and Addiction
Advanced Psychotherapy Services offers both assessment and treatment for indivdudals who sruggle with problem sexual behaviors. The assessment is a comprehensive tool that can help both attorneys and courts in helping to better understand the motivation behind these behaviors as well as offering help establish guidelines for probation. The assessment process is not intended to indicate innocent or guilt, but rather is a tool that may help the courts provide insight into labeling, as well as supporting the type of treatment regimen an individual might need to keep the community as well as himself safe.
The treatment process utilizes both individual as well as group treatment and is provided in an open-ended group modality. Treatment may be long-term, and the length of treatment will depend on individual motivation, an openness to treatment, and willingness to make significant changes in one’s life.
Another added component is family treatment, where significant others, spouses, and other family members can be an active participant in treatment while gaining a better understanding of why these individuals do what they do.
Staff at Advanced Psychotherapy Services can also provide expert testimony in court cases. Currently we provide group treatment on Tuesday evening, Wednesday afternoon, Thursday morning, and Thursday evening.
Advanced Psychotherapy Services has a working affiliation with Grace Counseling on the west side of Cleveland and therapeutic groups are available Monday evening and Saturday morning. (Please call for their phone number).
Cost of treatment will vary according to insurance coverage and availability. If insurance is not available, self-pay options and individual sliding-scales can be offered.
Sexual addiction Defined
Patrick Carnes asserts that there are ten specific criteria of addiction. (These criteria, quoted directly from Facing the Shadow by Carnes, serve as guidelines for assessment and treatment of sex addicts):
1. Recurrent failure (pattern) to resist impulses to engage in specific sexual behavior.
2. Frequent engaging in those behaviors to a greater extent or over a longer period of time than intended.
3. Persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to stop, reduce, or control those behaviors.
4. Inordinate amount of time spent in obtaining sex, being sexual, or recovering from sexual experience.
5. Preoccupation with the behavior or preparatory activities.
6. Frequent engaging in the behavior when expected to fulfill occupational, academic, domestic, or social obligations.
7. Continuation of the behavior despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent social, financial, psychological, or physical problem that is caused or exacerbated by the behavior.
8. Need to increase the intensity, frequency, number, or risk of behaviors to achieve the desired effect, or diminished effect with continued behaviors at the same level of intensity, frequency, number, or risk.
9. Giving up or limiting social, occupational, or recreational activities because of the behavior.
10. Distress, anxiety, restlessness, or irritability if unable to engage in the behavior.