Sex Addiction & Intimacy Anorexia Treatment: A New Paradigm

Potential clients often ask us about our approach to sex addiction treatment and sex addiction counseling. They want to know if we practice have a codependent model or a trauma model. Our response is that we do not practice either. Codependency and trauma need to be treated throughout the process of recovery, and they are not gender specific. Traditionally, the label of codependency generally falls upon the female partner as well as the blame. Traditionally, the trauma model and other similar paradigms blame the male partner as the offender who caused the trauma to the woman to make her the victim and shame him as the perpetrator. I have not found these paradigms to be successful in order to maintain long-term positive change and improvement.

As I wrote last week in The Windshield and Sex Addiction Recovery, there are some women who are treated as the victim and, in some cases, are encouraged to stay there. He is being shamed by her, the therapist, and himself, which is a great motivator early in recovery. However, this model does not work long term and keeps the couple perpetually in the ditch and needing a tow truck.

So, what does this really look like? Let’s take a side-by-side look at the distinct difference I have observed in my own recovery and as a therapist. It has taken me over 11 years to see the differences. By sharing my experience, I hope to save you some time, money and pain. Take a few minutes to review the following table.

Old Paradigm	New Paradigm
Immediate short-term change	Slow long-term change
“When are you going to change?” “Why are you not changing?”	“When am I going to change?” “Why am I not changing?”
Women are treated as the victim to motivate Men are treated with guilt and shame to motivate	Women are treated as the victor Men are treated with grace and love
All about knowing and being reminded of your badness in the past	All about discovering and being reminded of your Goodness and the future
“You will never be a good enough man or woman.”	“You are a good man or an amazing woman!”
All about self-confidence and self-identity	All about God-fidence and His identity in you
Easily offended and lives in offense, bitterness, resentment	Releases the offense and understands what true forgiveness means
The addiction to being offended is unrecognized and untreated	The addiction to being offended recognized and treated.
Treatment of sex addiction only	Treatment of sex addiction AND intimacy anorexia
Focus and treatment on sex addict only	Focus and treatment on sex addict, partner, AND the marriage
Heart is at War	Heart is at Peace
Externally Motivated	Internally Motivated
Heart of Fear	Heart of Love
Scarcity Minded	Abundant Minded
The slave believes they have “rights”	The servant lays down their “rights” for their partner
“I have to do this work because of you!”	“I get to do this work, because I want to.”
“This is what we are fighting against.”	“This is what we are fighting for.”
Comparison	Call to Holiness
I am inviting God on this journey	God is inviting me on His journey
The couple acts as enemies	The couple works as teammates
Emotions dictate how they act	They act how they want to feel
Victim of a “disease”	You choose to sin
Dualistic	Non-Dualistic
The 12 Steps are politically incorrect	The 12-Steps still work
Spirituality is relevant, God is irrelevant	God AND spirituality are relevant
Use traditional therapeutic techniques and “try harder”	The use of Energy Psychology: Splankna, NET, EFT, EMDR“ and work smarter
Therapist has done little to none of their own recovery work	Therapist is working on or has completed their own 12 Steps
Bondage	Freedom
Leads to death of individuals or marriage	Leads to life of individuals and marriage

For more information, check out the Sex Addiction Recovery Association website at www.sarecoveryassociation.com. The association has a number of training programs from basic to advanced coming soon in 2016. The training model provides specific details that we believe will revolutionize sex addiction recovery. We believe transformed people…transform people. Are you ready?

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Cory Schortzman Executive Director

Cory Schortzman is an author, speaker, teacher and licensed mental health professional. Since 2008, he has served as the Executive Director of Transformed Hearts Counseling Center in Colorado Springs, CO. He is the founder of SARA, the Sexual Addiction Recovery Association. Cory is passionate about helping couples and individuals overcome sex addiction. He is also passionate about bringing awareness to the public and supporting the elimination of sex and human trafficking. Cory has been married since 1998 to his beautiful wife, Kerry, and lives in Colorado with their four daughters. He and Kerry have been seen on the CBS Early Show, Inside Edition, and ABC Good Morning America, Fox 21 News, and TLC/Discovery discussing the harm of sex addiction and the joys of recovery. He has also been heard on numerous radio programs.

Cory’s books include: Out of the Darkness, Into the Light the Workbook, Into the Light the Steps, Ashes to Beauty the Steps, 301 Dating Ideas, 301 Conversational Ideas, 301 Ways to Say I Love You, 301 Ways to Love Your Children & 301 Recovery Tools & Tips.