Addiction Services

Sexual/Compulsivity/Pornography Addiction

The Program for Sexual Addiction Recovery provides integrated treatment for individuals suffering from sexual addiction/compulsivity, including pornography and internet addiction, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or the effects of abuse and trauma. These individuals may also have coexisting psychiatric diagnoses. Compulsive behaviors, post-traumatic symptoms, or unresolved sexual trauma are often the cause of relapse in individuals who have completed traditional treatment programs. We have many years of experience and in-depth training in the assessment, treatment planning, and facilitation of interventions specific to the needs of this clinical population.

Philosophy

Consistent with other programs at Bridges Behavioral Health, we use a cognitive-behavioral-narrative-constructivist-spiritual approach to address the symptoms of compulsive behaviors, PTSD, and childhood and adult sexual and/or non-sexual abuse. Therapeutic approaches include Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Narrative therapies, psycho-educational presentations, family systems theory, and Gestalt therapy. Psychodrama can be used as therapeutic tools to help clients discover personal emotional truths concerning fear, trust, honesty, and dependency. Flexible lengths of therapy are based on the individual's clinical need, with assessment services, relapse prevention, and continuing care planning integrated into the treatment process.

Treatment is focused on assisting clients in separating their identities from their symptoms. Assignments and readings are individualized. Clients are encouraged to be supportive of one another in constructive ways. The attitude of the therapist is to be compassionate, and attention is given to assisting clients in developing compassion and empathy for themselves and others.

The strong emphasis in therapy focuses on acceptance and belonging, in an attempt to break the isolation that is common to clients struggling with these issues. The treatment is constructed to promote each client's self-esteem and sense of self-worth; to assist clients in learning to participate in creating their physical, emotional, sexual, psychological, and spiritual safety and growth; and to assist clients in the development of functional thinking processes and coping mechanisms.

Therapy has two tracks: Sexual Compulsivity and Abuse. Clients are identified to one of these based on clinical need; both offer psycho-educational and therapeutic groups specific to the track. Each approach provides a safe, therapeutic environment which allows the individual to experience reduction of pain and shame while exploring memories and perceptions associated with sexual issues.

In addressing Sexual Compulsivity treatment is designed to provide therapy for individuals with issues of sexual addiction/compulsivity, co-sexual addiction, pornographic, internet and sex and love addiction.

In addressing Abuse treatment is designed to provide clients an environment in which to process symptoms of PTSD, process their experiences of adult sexual and/or non-sexual history.

The client will collaborate with the therapist and invite family members and/or significant others to therapy to work with them in addressing relationship issues. The Family Program allows clients and family members to identify problems that have had significant impact on the family system; to change attitudes and, ultimately, behaviors between family members and clients; and to clarify the family's role of healthy support. Couple's therapy provides the opportunity for couples to begin the healing process and to receive educational and therapeutic support for recovery.

Compulsive Gambling

Treatment components for Compulsive Gambling provide focus for clients addressing compulsive gambling behaviors. A compulsive gambler is defined as an individual who suffers from a disorder in which he/she has a psychologically uncontrollable preoccupation or urge to gamble. As in other compulsive behavioral disorders, tolerance develops and greater and more frequent gambling risks are required to maintain mood elevation. As the compulsion progresses, the urge to gamble intensify, making it more difficult to resist. Left untreated, compulsive gambling will eventually interfere with almost every aspect of one's life. The range of compulsive gambling behaviors addressed in treatment includes sports betting, casino gambling, racetrack betting, manipulation of stocks and bonds and futures commodities, and speculative investments. Our treatment model focuses on feelings work, shame reduction, understanding the basic addictive disorder, and couple & family therapy. Treatment emphasizes non-judgmental and non-blaming therapy designed to assist the individual in breaking through denial while experiencing unconditional acceptance and guidance.

Objectives for compulsive gambling treatment provide:

• Diagnostic assessments to identified client population.
• Education and information about the disorder and progression of compulsive gambling behaviors to the client's identified family members.
• A safe, therapeutic environment which allows the client to experience the awareness and release of painful feelings and shame/guilt reduction.
• A therapeutic process to address underlying family-of-origin issues.
• Educational and therapeutic intervention for any co-existing behavioral disorders and/or addictions, such as compulsive sexual behaviors, drug and alcohol addiction, or eating disorders.
• Therapeutic and behavioral tools to begin recovery and attend to relapse prevention for clients and their family members.
• Continuing care assessment and planning.

Specific Treatment Interventions

• The weekly ARP meeting provides a structured time when clients with similar experiences can learn about the recovery process and begin to share strength, hope, and recovery.
• The Gambling Process Group is a three-part process that provides for an in-depth discussion and expression of feelings related to the experience of being a compulsive gambler. The educational aspect of therapy provides information about the phases of compulsive gambling and recovery, relapse prevention issues, and problems specific to compulsive gamblers.
• Topics covered in treatment include a focus on money management and the issues involved in repaying debt. Family dynamics about managing money are addressed, and the client is given tools for developing a recovery and relapse prevention plan within the family system that has experienced the impact of compulsive gambling behaviors. Interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills, and conflict resolution tools are provided with a focus on continuing recovery after leaving treatment.
• The compulsive gambler will be assigned to other specialty tracks, as appropriate.