Sex addiction therapy
Sex Addiction Therapy in New York and Online
Therapy for repeated, unwanted sexual behavior, online or offline, with Brad Salzman, LCSW, CSAT, a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist and the founder of the New York Sexual Addiction Center.
What is sex addiction?
Sex addiction can be defined as repeated unwanted sexual behavior. It affects men and women, single and married, young and old. When someone has decided that they want to stop acting out sexually, whether online or in real life, and they repeatedly find that they cannot stop, no matter how hard they try, they may be suffering from sex addiction.
Common patterns include Internet pornography, one-night stands, prostitution, anonymous sex, massage parlors, strip clubs, and more.
Signs to take seriously
- Are you struggling with compulsive sexual behavior?
- Are you going to strip clubs, massage parlors, adult bookstores, or escorts more than you want to?
- Do you get involved in risky or dangerous relationships that might result in physical harm or legal problems?
- Have you been caught by your partner or spouse, a family member, or your boss? Or are you afraid of being found out?
- Do you keep secrets about your sexual behavior from the people closest to you, as if you were leading a double life?
None of these on its own means you are an addict. If several sound familiar, it is worth talking through with a specialist.
The double life
Many of the people Brad works with are successful in public and struggling in private. They may have a second phone or hidden accounts, cover their tracks at home and at work, and carry the constant strain of keeping two lives apart. Over time, the secrecy itself can become as exhausting as the behavior.
The stakes often rise: money spent, risks taken at work or while traveling, health worries, and the fear of what would happen to a marriage or a career if the truth came out. Many people first call after a crisis, when a partner discovers messages or an employer raises a concern. Therapy can help you steady things and decide what to do next.
What therapy with Brad involves
Work usually starts with a careful assessment: what the behavior is, when it started, what tends to trigger it, and what it has cost you. Brad’s approach has two stages. First, practical steps to stop the problem behavior. Then, the deeper issues underneath it, which are often connected to long-standing difficulties with emotional intimacy.
Depending on what you need, Brad draws on approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, DBT, EMDR and 12-step work. Many clients find that support between sessions, such as a recovery group, helps alongside therapy. If your partner is struggling too, Brad also offers separate support for partners.
Brad is a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist. What a CSAT is and how the training works.
Sessions are online, so you can meet privately from home or the office. How online sessions work. For concentrated work in a short time, see intensive programs.
Common questions
Is sex addiction a real problem?
The term “sex addiction” is widely used, and many people struggle with sexual urges and behavior they cannot control, even when it causes harm. In therapy, what matters most is not a label but whether the behavior is unwanted, hard to stop and causing problems.
What if I'm not sure I'm an addict?
You don't need a label to reach out. If you have tried to stop a sexual behavior you did not like and failed, a free consultation is a good place to talk it through.
Is porn use part of this?
Often, yes. Compulsive pornography use is one of the most common patterns Brad sees. Read more about porn addiction therapy.
Learn more
What clients say
“Brad was the first therapist who really got to the heart of the matter and helped me face the issues that were creating so many problems in my life. He is straightforward and direct, and I always felt he was genuinely concerned with my welfare. Thanks to him, my marriage is much better, and I can now look at myself in the mirror and like the person I see there.”
“I’ve worked with Brad for the past 4 years of my recovery journey. It has been a life-changing experience, and I would not be where I am today without his support.”
Free, confidential consultation
Sessions are held online. Licensed in New York (LCSW).