Sex Addiction Therapy

This Can Change. Without shame. Without secrecy.

Nanaimo • Squamish • Online Counselling

Individual & Couples Counselling | Workshops & Intensives

Now Accepting New Clients

Is This You?

The Cycle of Promises and Relapses

You may have promised yourself this was the last time. That you’d stop. That once the stress eased or the relationship stabilized, this wouldn’t have the same pull. And yet, it keeps happening .

Many people struggling with sex addiction live double lives. You might be high-functioning, responsible, and outwardly composed, while privately carrying cycles of compulsion, secrecy, shame, and self-loathing. The relief or rush is temporary, but the despair is devastating.

It’s Not a Moral Failure or a Willpower Problem

This pattern doesn’t come from being broken; it comes from adaptation. Sex addiction often develops as a nervous-system strategy: a fast, reliable way to change how you feel when emotions become overwhelming .

It isn’t about wanting sex too much. It’s about using sex to escape something you don’t know how to process. Over time, what started as coping becomes something that feels uncontrollable, and shame keeps it alive.

Common Signs of Sex Addiction

You may recognize yourself in these signs, even if you’ve never had language for it before:

Loss of Control: Repeated attempts to stop or control behaviors that don’t last.
Regulation Strategy: Using pornography, fantasy, or hookups to cope with stress, loneliness, or uncomfortable emotions.
Escalation: Needing more intensity, novelty, or secrecy to get the same relief.
The Double Life: Hiding behaviors, lying by omission, or compartmentalizing parts of your life.
Emotional Disconnect: Feeling disconnected from your partner while remaining sexually driven.
The Cycle: Acting out followed by remorse, vows to stop, and a familiar return to the behavior.

Our Approach to Recovery

Recovery isn’t about suppressing sexual desire or white-knuckling abstinence. It’s about reclaiming choice and defining what sexual health looks like. As Certified Sex Addiction Therapists (CSATs), we combine structured recovery programming with trauma-focused care to deliver comprehensive sex addiction treatment.

Phase 1: Breaking the Cycle

We use task-model programming to build awareness and structure around addiction and relapse dynamics. Using tools from CBT and DBT, we help you interrupt compulsive cycles and build skills to manage urges and emotions in real-time.

Phase 2: Healing the Roots

We address what drives compulsive sexual behavior beneath the surface. Through trauma-focused therapies like EMDR, ART, and IFS (Parts Work), we process the unresolved experiences or attachment wounds that made the behavior necessary in the first place.

Phase 3: Health & Integrity:

The goal isn’t just stopping compulsive sexual behavior; it’s restoring internal stability, health, and integrity. We support you in building a healthy lifestyle, so life in recovery becomes something you enjoy, not something you have to force.

Meet Our Sex Addiction Recovery Team

Ryan Slobodian

FOUNDER / THERAPIST

Nick Abraham

ADDICTION & TRAUMA THERAPIST

FAQs: Sex Addiction Therapy

Understanding the Struggle

How do I know if I have a sex addiction?

Sex addiction is not defined by how much sex you have, but by the role it plays in your life. You may be struggling if sexual urges feel out of control, if you use sex to numb difficult emotions, or if you continue the behaviour despite negative consequences, like relationship conflict, job loss, or health risks.

What is the difference between Sex Addiction and Love Addiction?

While they often overlap, the primary driver is different.

Sex Addiction is usually driven by a need for sensory release, escape, or numbing through sexual behavior (pornography, anonymous sex, and risky behaviours).
Love Addiction is driven by a desperate need for attachment. It often looks like clinging to unavailable partners, fearing abandonment, or feeling empty without a romantic obsession.

Is "Sex Addiction" a recognized diagnosis in BC?

Yes. While the term sex addiction is commonly used by the public, the World Health Organization’s ICD-11 classifies it as Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder (CSBD). This allows qualified professionals in BC to treat it as a legitimate health condition.

My partner is struggling with sex addiction. Do you offer support for me?

Yes. We recognize ‘Partner Betrayal Trauma’ as a distinct issue. You need your own safe space to process the pain and clarify boundaries, regardless of whether your partner is in recovery.

Relationships & Hope

Can a sex addict truly love someone?

Yes. A person struggling with addiction can love their partner genuinely; however, the addiction often blocks their ability to express that love consistently, maintain trust, or be emotionally present and intimate. Recovery focuses on removing those blocks so that healthy, mature love can flourish.

Can a relationship survive sex addiction?

It is difficult, but yes, healing is possible. If the partner with the addiction commits to a rigorous recovery plan and the betrayed partner receives their own support to process the trauma and set boundaries, many couples rebuild a relationship that is stronger and more honest than before.

Can a sex addict stay faithful?

Yes, but usually not without a recovery plan and accountability. White-knuckling (trying to stop through willpower alone) rarely works long-term. With professional treatment to address the root causes and relapse dynamics, many people achieve long-term sobriety.

Treatment & Logistics

How do you treat sex and love addiction?

Treatment goes beyond just stopping compulsive sexual behaviour. We use a combination of therapies including CBT (to change thought patterns), Trauma Models (to identify the root cause), and Attachment work (to build healthy relationships). We also offer Intensives for those who need immediate containment.

Is treatment covered by health care in BC?

While specialized sex addiction treatment is not always fully covered by MSP, many extended health benefit plans cover services provided by Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC). We recommend checking your specific plan for coverage details.

Is my attendance completely confidential?

Absolutely. Confidentiality is a part of our code of conduct as psychotherapists. We understand the high stakes regarding career and reputation. Your records are strictly private and are never shared with employers or family members without your explicit written consent.

Are there local support groups in British Columbia?

Yes. Recovery thrives in community. In addition to therapy, many clients benefit from peer support groups such as:

SMART Recovery BC: Science-https://www.saa-meetings.org/based peer support.
Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA): 12-step groups available in-person and online.

Sex Addiction: Service Details

Rates & Coverage:

- Standard sessions: 50 mins.
- CSAT-Certified Therapists available. - Check insurance for "Registered Clinical Counsellor".

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