SEX ADDICTION: A Consumer's Guide to Psychological Treatment
It happens-more often than we would wish-that people has psychological
problems. A century ago, these people might have been sent off to
a good friend, a relative, or perhaps a priest who would have offered them sympathy, wisdom, and prayer. But today, as one writer observes, we have a "secular priesthood," a panoply of professional and nonprofessional counselors and therapists, all of whom stand ready to deal with the psychological troubles that were once the province of family and Church (London, 1964).
One in five people will seek the advice of these therapists sometime during
their lives, fully half oft hem for problems that are quite serious and painful.
How should they go about it? From the many available therapists and therapies,
how should they choose the ones that are most likely to help, and help
quickly.
In this information, we bring together a group of issues associated with treatment,
often issues that have been remarked upon earlier. First, we describe
those who treat psychological difficulties. We then consider the ingredients
that all good therapies have in common, regardless of whether they are biological,
psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, or humanistic, and regardless
of whether they are practiced by highly trained professionals or by
non professionals. Understanding these ingredients should enable anyone to
make a better choice of a therapist, and also to avoid the pitfalls of poorly
practiced treatments (which are also described in this info).
Subsequently,
I recommend the best treatments for sex and love addiction and other problems below.
Our recommendations are based on good evidence where that exists and on
clinical wisdom where it does not. Finally, we discuss community psychological
approaches that are concerned with prevention as much as treatment,
and with social and economic remedies as much as psychological
ones.
WHO TREATS WHAT?
A large number of people and disciplines are concerned with treating psychological
difficulties, and it is sometimes hard to distinguish among them.
Some professional training takes many years to acquire, while other skills
may require just a few months. Some therapists are certified and licensed in
the states in which they reside. Others are not. A potential client is always
entitled to inquire carefully about the training, licenses, certificates, and experience of anyone he or she consults.
Do not be embarrassed to do this. It is equivalent to looking carefully at all the rooms in a house before purchasing or renting it. Professionals and nonprofessionals alike respect these questions;
they spare all concerned from making costly mistakes.
Psychologists who offer psychological assessment and therapeutic services
have obtained advanced graduate training in clinical, counseling, or
school psychology. Usually, but not invariably, they hold a Ph.D. (Doctor of
Philosophy) or a Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology) degree. The former degree
emphasizes training in both research and therapeutic techniques, while the
latter emphasizes only therapeutic training. Training in these areas requires
four or five years after the bachelor's degree, and it is usually followed by an
extensive internship. Additionally, nearly all states require psychologists to
pass a licensing or certification examination.
Not all psychologists are qualified to assess and treat sex addiction. Only those trained
in clinical, counseling, or school psychology should be consulted.
Clinical psychologists work mainly with people who suffer psychological difficulties,
counseling psychologists deal with vocational problems as well, while school
psychologists focus on academic difficulties, mainly with children.
Psychiatrists are physicians who, after completing college, have earned a
medical degree, and have completed a three-year residency in a mental
health facility. Subsequently, many but not all psychiatrists take an examination
in psychiatry and become board-certified. Psychiatrists are the only
psychological professionals who can prescribe medications and administer
such treatments as electroshock. Of course, psychiatrists often make use of
psychological treatments as well.
Psychiatric social workers have completed a two-year postgraduate program
in individual and group social work techniques, which includes extensive
training in interviewing and in treatment.
Psychiatric nurses are centrally concerned with the care of hospitalized
psychiatric patients. Beyond their basic courses in nursing, they receive
training in psychiatry and psychology, as well as supervised experience on a
psychiatric unit. On any psychiatric ward, the nurse is usually the person in
charge of ward management, housekeeping, and recreation, as well as the
one who administers medication.
Psychoanalysts are fully trained mental health professionals-psychiatrists
mainly, but also psychologists, social workers, and sometimes clergy
-who have undertaken further training in a specific treatment method:
psychoanalysis. Such training is offered in psychoanalytic training institutes,
and requires several years to complete. Psychoanalysts-in-training
must undergo their own personal psychoanalysis, as well as treat several
clients psychoanalytically, before they are considered fully accredited.
The clergy, that is, ministers, rabbis, and priests, are increasingly being
trained to do personal counseling, not only with problems of a distinctly religious
nature, but often with problems that go quite beyond those. While
the quality of training in pastoral counseling, as it is sometimes called, is
highly variable, many clergy augment their seminary training in graduate
departments of psychology or social work, and in postgraduate institutes.
Psychiatric attendants or aides are paraprofessionals who work exclusively
in psychiatric hospitals. Their training can vary widely. Some are high
school graduates. Others have attended community colleges, many of which train mental health paraprofessionals to work on psychiatric wards. Most attendants receive brief on-the-job training to work with the severely disturbed.
From the viewpoint of hospitalized patients, the attendants are the
most important people in their day-to-day lives. It is the attendants with
whom they interact most, and who determine whether their experience in
the hospital will be pleasant or unpleasant.
Skills therapists also work in psychiatric hospitals and have special abilities
in the work-related, recreational, or artistic realms. These include occupational,
art, and educational therapists, music and dance therapists, as well
as recreational therapists of all kinds. These therapists enable patients to
pass time pleasantly and constructively. They also provide a setting for developing
psychosocial skills and for expressing personal problems. A dance
therapist, for example, may enable a person to express feelings through
dance that cannot otherwise be expressed verbally.
Marriage and family counselors deal with relationship problems that
arise within the family. These therapists usually have postgraduate training,
but commonly they do not possess doctoral degrees. They are licensed to
treat family problems.
NOTE: The provision of therapeutic services has become a big business that has
spawned a host of nonprofessional therapists during the past decade or two.
Massage therapists, hypnotherapists, primal therapists, Zen therapists, and
Bioenergetics therapists, are among those who, for want of a better term, we
call miscellaneous therapists. Becoming one or another of these therapists
may require little or much training. But it is not formal training at a recognized
academic or medical institution. Commonly, the government neither
licenses these therapists nor certifies their skills, nor are there professional
organizations that control their activities. Finally, by and large what they
offer has not been evaluated for therapeutic effectiveness.
As a result, caveat emptor-client, beware!
Example: A young man had been "tight and tense" for more than two years when he
began to experience paranoid delusions and hallucinations. He was referred by a
friend to a massage therapist, who treated the client with deep massage while encouraging him to recall "the memories that are stored in your muscles and bones." This treatment continued for eighteen months. The man's condition deteriorated until finally he became so discouraged and disordered that he required hospitalization. Had he been seen earlier by a trained therapist, there seems little
doubt that a combination of drugs and counseling would have brought about improvement
in short order.
Several nonprofessional peer self-help groups exist to help overcome specific
problems, and these groups appear to be quite effective. Alcoholics
Anonymous (AA) is one such group; Weight Watchers and TOPS (Take Off
Pounds Sensibly) are' others. Similar problem-oriented groups, such as
Daytop Village and Phoenix House, exist for drug addicts.
One type of self-help group deserves special note, and that is the consciousness
raising (CR) or "rap" group. This form of self-help grew originally
out of the political needs of minority groups, and it now extends to
women, the elderly (e.g., The Gray Panthers), homosexuals (e.g., Gay Liberation),
and a variety of mental patient groups.
The Issue: Fundamentally, such groups are political and intellectual.
Through the common exploration of "personal"
problems, group members come to understand that their difficulties
are often shared by others. The recognition that painful individual problems
are neither unique nor idiosyncratic encourages members to seek larger solutions
to these problems, often through social and political action.
Example: Jane Williams experienced enormous discomfort at her office. Her boss continually
put his arm around her and frequently suggested that they see ach other
after work. At first, Jane felt that she had some how provoked his interest. Resolving
to put an end to his advances, she dressed conservatively for work and kept a
professional distance. To no avail. Finally, with great embarrassment, she mentioned
the problem at a meeting of a women's group to which she belonged, and
she was surprised to find that many of her friends had had the same experience.
The fact that the problem was not idiosyncratic gave her considerable comfort,
and subsequently, a diplomatic visit to the personnel office brought about a
much-hoped-for transfer to another department.
problems. A century ago, these people might have been sent off to
a good friend, a relative, or perhaps a priest who would have offered them sympathy, wisdom, and prayer. But today, as one writer observes, we have a "secular priesthood," a panoply of professional and nonprofessional counselors and therapists, all of whom stand ready to deal with the psychological troubles that were once the province of family and Church (London, 1964).
One in five people will seek the advice of these therapists sometime during
their lives, fully half oft hem for problems that are quite serious and painful.
How should they go about it? From the many available therapists and therapies,
how should they choose the ones that are most likely to help, and help
quickly.
In this information, we bring together a group of issues associated with treatment,
often issues that have been remarked upon earlier. First, we describe
those who treat psychological difficulties. We then consider the ingredients
that all good therapies have in common, regardless of whether they are biological,
psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, or humanistic, and regardless
of whether they are practiced by highly trained professionals or by
non professionals. Understanding these ingredients should enable anyone to
make a better choice of a therapist, and also to avoid the pitfalls of poorly
practiced treatments (which are also described in this info).
Subsequently,
I recommend the best treatments for sex and love addiction and other problems below.
Our recommendations are based on good evidence where that exists and on
clinical wisdom where it does not. Finally, we discuss community psychological
approaches that are concerned with prevention as much as treatment,
and with social and economic remedies as much as psychological
ones.
WHO TREATS WHAT?
A large number of people and disciplines are concerned with treating psychological
difficulties, and it is sometimes hard to distinguish among them.
Some professional training takes many years to acquire, while other skills
may require just a few months. Some therapists are certified and licensed in
the states in which they reside. Others are not. A potential client is always
entitled to inquire carefully about the training, licenses, certificates, and experience of anyone he or she consults.
Do not be embarrassed to do this. It is equivalent to looking carefully at all the rooms in a house before purchasing or renting it. Professionals and nonprofessionals alike respect these questions;
they spare all concerned from making costly mistakes.
Psychologists who offer psychological assessment and therapeutic services
have obtained advanced graduate training in clinical, counseling, or
school psychology. Usually, but not invariably, they hold a Ph.D. (Doctor of
Philosophy) or a Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology) degree. The former degree
emphasizes training in both research and therapeutic techniques, while the
latter emphasizes only therapeutic training. Training in these areas requires
four or five years after the bachelor's degree, and it is usually followed by an
extensive internship. Additionally, nearly all states require psychologists to
pass a licensing or certification examination.
Not all psychologists are qualified to assess and treat sex addiction. Only those trained
in clinical, counseling, or school psychology should be consulted.
Clinical psychologists work mainly with people who suffer psychological difficulties,
counseling psychologists deal with vocational problems as well, while school
psychologists focus on academic difficulties, mainly with children.
Psychiatrists are physicians who, after completing college, have earned a
medical degree, and have completed a three-year residency in a mental
health facility. Subsequently, many but not all psychiatrists take an examination
in psychiatry and become board-certified. Psychiatrists are the only
psychological professionals who can prescribe medications and administer
such treatments as electroshock. Of course, psychiatrists often make use of
psychological treatments as well.
Psychiatric social workers have completed a two-year postgraduate program
in individual and group social work techniques, which includes extensive
training in interviewing and in treatment.
Psychiatric nurses are centrally concerned with the care of hospitalized
psychiatric patients. Beyond their basic courses in nursing, they receive
training in psychiatry and psychology, as well as supervised experience on a
psychiatric unit. On any psychiatric ward, the nurse is usually the person in
charge of ward management, housekeeping, and recreation, as well as the
one who administers medication.
Psychoanalysts are fully trained mental health professionals-psychiatrists
mainly, but also psychologists, social workers, and sometimes clergy
-who have undertaken further training in a specific treatment method:
psychoanalysis. Such training is offered in psychoanalytic training institutes,
and requires several years to complete. Psychoanalysts-in-training
must undergo their own personal psychoanalysis, as well as treat several
clients psychoanalytically, before they are considered fully accredited.
The clergy, that is, ministers, rabbis, and priests, are increasingly being
trained to do personal counseling, not only with problems of a distinctly religious
nature, but often with problems that go quite beyond those. While
the quality of training in pastoral counseling, as it is sometimes called, is
highly variable, many clergy augment their seminary training in graduate
departments of psychology or social work, and in postgraduate institutes.
Psychiatric attendants or aides are paraprofessionals who work exclusively
in psychiatric hospitals. Their training can vary widely. Some are high
school graduates. Others have attended community colleges, many of which train mental health paraprofessionals to work on psychiatric wards. Most attendants receive brief on-the-job training to work with the severely disturbed.
From the viewpoint of hospitalized patients, the attendants are the
most important people in their day-to-day lives. It is the attendants with
whom they interact most, and who determine whether their experience in
the hospital will be pleasant or unpleasant.
Skills therapists also work in psychiatric hospitals and have special abilities
in the work-related, recreational, or artistic realms. These include occupational,
art, and educational therapists, music and dance therapists, as well
as recreational therapists of all kinds. These therapists enable patients to
pass time pleasantly and constructively. They also provide a setting for developing
psychosocial skills and for expressing personal problems. A dance
therapist, for example, may enable a person to express feelings through
dance that cannot otherwise be expressed verbally.
Marriage and family counselors deal with relationship problems that
arise within the family. These therapists usually have postgraduate training,
but commonly they do not possess doctoral degrees. They are licensed to
treat family problems.
NOTE: The provision of therapeutic services has become a big business that has
spawned a host of nonprofessional therapists during the past decade or two.
Massage therapists, hypnotherapists, primal therapists, Zen therapists, and
Bioenergetics therapists, are among those who, for want of a better term, we
call miscellaneous therapists. Becoming one or another of these therapists
may require little or much training. But it is not formal training at a recognized
academic or medical institution. Commonly, the government neither
licenses these therapists nor certifies their skills, nor are there professional
organizations that control their activities. Finally, by and large what they
offer has not been evaluated for therapeutic effectiveness.
As a result, caveat emptor-client, beware!
Example: A young man had been "tight and tense" for more than two years when he
began to experience paranoid delusions and hallucinations. He was referred by a
friend to a massage therapist, who treated the client with deep massage while encouraging him to recall "the memories that are stored in your muscles and bones." This treatment continued for eighteen months. The man's condition deteriorated until finally he became so discouraged and disordered that he required hospitalization. Had he been seen earlier by a trained therapist, there seems little
doubt that a combination of drugs and counseling would have brought about improvement
in short order.
Several nonprofessional peer self-help groups exist to help overcome specific
problems, and these groups appear to be quite effective. Alcoholics
Anonymous (AA) is one such group; Weight Watchers and TOPS (Take Off
Pounds Sensibly) are' others. Similar problem-oriented groups, such as
Daytop Village and Phoenix House, exist for drug addicts.
One type of self-help group deserves special note, and that is the consciousness
raising (CR) or "rap" group. This form of self-help grew originally
out of the political needs of minority groups, and it now extends to
women, the elderly (e.g., The Gray Panthers), homosexuals (e.g., Gay Liberation),
and a variety of mental patient groups.
The Issue: Fundamentally, such groups are political and intellectual.
Through the common exploration of "personal"
problems, group members come to understand that their difficulties
are often shared by others. The recognition that painful individual problems
are neither unique nor idiosyncratic encourages members to seek larger solutions
to these problems, often through social and political action.
Example: Jane Williams experienced enormous discomfort at her office. Her boss continually
put his arm around her and frequently suggested that they see ach other
after work. At first, Jane felt that she had some how provoked his interest. Resolving
to put an end to his advances, she dressed conservatively for work and kept a
professional distance. To no avail. Finally, with great embarrassment, she mentioned
the problem at a meeting of a women's group to which she belonged, and
she was surprised to find that many of her friends had had the same experience.
The fact that the problem was not idiosyncratic gave her considerable comfort,
and subsequently, a diplomatic visit to the personnel office brought about a
much-hoped-for transfer to another department.
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http://theliberatormethod.com/Welcome.html