Less than one percent of the population has run a full 26.2-mile marathon. I used to think that those who do so were crazy. Recently, I signed up to run a half-marathon. I guess that makes me half crazy. :)Curiously, though, I had a blast running 13.1 miles! As I was rounding the bend on...
I appreciate the practicality of the tools used by 12 step-groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Sex Addicts Anonymous. The tools help in establishing consistent sobriety, which is the basic foundation upon which all subsequent growth depends. How important are these simple tools...
No matter what populations you work with, sex addiction is likely something that impacts your clientele. Your clients may be dealing with it first hand, or they may have spouses, partners, or family members who are. For this reason, it is helpful for all counselors to have some...
Should I Watch "50 Shades of Grey"? A Psychiatrist's Advice For Young People With the movie now out and available, many people are posting their thoughts and concerns regarding the messages implied in 50 Shades Of Grey. One article I recently encountered addresses...
Introduced in the 1980’s, the concept of sexual addiction provides an explanation for otherwise irrational and self-destructive sexual behavior. How can you then detect sexual addiction? Notable sex addiction expert Patrick Carnes once made an analogy that sheds...
“Your husband is having an affair with my wife.” Sue pressed the phone to her ear. She could barely recognize Brian, her kind, soft-spoken neighbor, as he spat out his angry message. Her brain couldn’t compute, so she asked him to repeat himself. When he did, and the meaning of...
Adults may experience their own resistance towards bringing up the topic of sexting with their teens because it can be uncomfortable to discuss. Some tips for bringing up this topic with your teens can be useful. One tip is to preface the conversation with something like, "Honey, I want to check...
How many times in your relationship have you tried to have a conversation about an important topic when the conversation began veering out of control and over the top? It certainly has happened to me and my spouse often enough that we have adopted a way of handling things by calling a...
Media, news, and education have informed us that substance addictions can cause brain changes. This phenomena is widely studied and accepted, but people typically associate these brain changes with alcoholism and physical dependency. Sex addiction is just as powerful. Brain scans have shown that...
No matter how you discovered it, the realization that your partner has been unfaithful can rock your world like an earthquake. You may be feeling shock, horror, rage, terror, or grief. You may have a strong desire to do something destructive (yell, hit, throw things, kick the cheater...
