Clinical Guide for the Treatment of Male Sexual Addiction
Syllabus for a Group Program with Recovery From Sexual Addiction Books
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Introduction This guide is intended to facilitate the use of the book, Recovery From Sexual Addiction: A Man's Guide and the accompanying workbook in a sex addiction group program. It supports clinical therapists by providing interventions for men who wish to end addictive sexual behaviors. This intervention program can be summarized through the following statements: Vision, Program Goal and Objectives of Therapy. Leading Vision: Assist men who are seeking answers in the right places. Program Goal: Men who participate in this program will end lustful sexual thinking, fantasies and behavior. Program Objective: Lead men through a structured clinical process intended to help them become aware and understand the complex factors that contribute to sexual addiction. The program objective is supported by exploring: · The nature, characteristics, and factors underlying sexual addiction. · The beginning of sexual addiction, often found in age-inappropriate exposure to sexual behavior or material. · Age-inappropriate exposure to sexual behavior or material which causes feelings of sexual arousal, shame, and guilt. These confusing feelings together with a lack of fatherly emotional nourishment often form the roots of sexual addiction. · Sexual addiction as a shame-based disease that began at a time of life when adult choices were not possible. The addict is not a bad person but is dealing with a bad problem. · Sex addiction may take root in late teens or early adulthood after a significant first time, sexual exposure. · Why a sexually-addicted man is not alone in his struggle. A substantial proportion of the male population struggles with elements of sexual addiction at some time during their lives. · The challenges of overcoming compulsive addictive behavior as addressed through education and behavioral modification processes. · How anger, anxiety, depressed mood, and isolation contribute to lustful thinking, fantasies, and behavior. · How empowering men to exercise choice gives them hope of changing the sexual addiction dance. · How recovery includes changing one's attachment to sexual fantasy, thinking, and behavior. · How recovery includes changing one's life by coming out of isolation, taking steps to give up depressed mood, improving family relationships, and developing a support network. · How recovery includes making and sustaining a high-level commitment to end lustful sexual thinking, fantasies, and behavior. · Providing resources to support an addiction-free life journey. Notes: At least twenty to twenty-five weekly 90 minute sessions are needed to lead sexually-addicted men through the Recovery from Sexual Addiction books. This guide is not intended to be definitive in terms of the time needed to process each concept. The goal is not to complete the book and workbook. Working at a pace the group finds remedial is far more important. As such, it is within reason to add more sessions to your program. At times the counselor will find it prudent to attend to one or more unplanned agendas brought to the session by group members. Little or no progress is made in the text or workbook during some sessions. Also, adding supplemental material to the program is often helpful to the progress of the group. All group members should be encouraged to attend a Twelve-Step Program. Appendix A of the book, Recovery from Sexual Addiction: A Man's Guide, lists Twelve-Step Programs for sexually-addicted men. Completing the book and workbook will not assure universal cessation of sexually acting-out behavior. Each man progresses on his own internal timetable. For some, ending acting-out behavior comes quickly but for others, progress is slower. It is not usual for men to repeat the program. Addiction experts Patrick Carnes and John Bradshaw believe the healing process spans years. At the conclusion of the program all group members are encouraged to continue their healing journey through individual and marital counseling as well as continued attendance at Twelve-Step Program(s).
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About the Book
The book, Clinical Guide for the Treatment of Male Sexual Addiction, will facilitate therapists’ use of the books, Recovery from Sexual Addiction: a Man’s Guide, and the accompanying Workbook in individual therapy or a group program. The guide may serve as a syllabus for a Sex Addiction Therapy Group program. It supports clinical therapists by providing insightful guidance and interventions to help men who wish to end addictive sexual behaviors. The program objective is to lead men through a structured clinical process to help them become aware and understand the complex factors that contribute to sexual addiction and steps they can take to achieve long-term recovery. Unwanted sexual behavior and addiction have become rampant in today’s society, largely through the availability of Internet pornography. For example, Family Safe Media reports that 40 million men regularly visit Internet pornography sites. It is so insidious that when a man looks to his left and then to his right he will likely encounter a man for whom pornography is a major problem in his home. Increasingly therapists will need clinical knowledge in order to work with sexually-addicted men as well as with couples in marital counseling where the male is sexually addicted. The book Clinical Guide for the Treatment of Male Sexual Addiction, is intended to guide therapist’s efforts to serve this growing population.
About the Author
Author, Paul Becker, now offers books that provide a structured educational process to identify the characteristics of sexual addiction and a path to recovery. Paul Becker is a Licensed Professional Counselor who practices in Fairfax City, Virginia. He was an Economist and Executive in the Federal Service for more than 36 years. As part of his pledge to “give back” he obtained a Master’s degree in Counseling Education from Virginia Tech and embarked on a counseling and literary career. His recent book, Why Is My Partner Sexually Addicted?: Insight Women Need, provides women, who find their partners have strayed from the marriage contract, with an understanding of the why and how of his addiction and choices women have for moving forward. Men who are sexually-addicted tell themselves lies, including, “nobody will find out,” and, “I am not hurting anyone.” In time, lies are exposed as a man’s life becomes increasingly out of control. Fortunately, countless men have discovered a new beginning through a commitment to recovery. His books, Recovery from Sexual Addiction: a Man’s Guide, and Workbook provide insights into: • What is sexual addiction? • Why can’t I just stop my destructive behavior? • The sex-addiction cycle and acting out rituals. • The role of anger, anxiety, codependency, and depressed mood in continuing sexual addiction. • Is there hope I can change my behavior? • Insights into the recovery journey. Paul Becker offers gentle guidance on how to step out of addiction, isolation, and depressed mood into a life of enlightenment. His books follow the research-supported clinical modality presented in books published by Dr. Patrick Carnes. Dr. Carnes has approved for publication the concepts included in Paul Becker’s books.