Are you concerned with your sexual behavior, whether it be watching explicit sexual material (aka porn), hooking up or practicing any other type of consensual sexual behavior? Does it feel compulsive or out of control for you?
We don’t call it sex addiction. We approach OCSB (out of control or compulsive sexual behavior - as defined by the participant) from a Harm Reduction perspective.
As a clinician who has specializes in sex and drug linked behavior, Cynthia at You Rule, is an AASECT certified sex therapist. She has been working in consultation for over five years with Doug Braun-Harvey, one of the authors of the book Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior: Rethinking Sex Addiction. You Rule Therapy integrates the Sexual Health Principles in their work with those who identify as men and who are concerned about their sexual behavior; be it hookups, porn or another kind of consensual sexual behavior that feels distressing.
Ryan Dooley, AMFT and Cynthia Hoffman, LMFT CST are very excited to be running a group for men who identify concerns about their sexual behavior This is an ongoing group with rolling start dates. It is held on Mondays from 6pm to 7:30. We ask for a commitment of 3 months. We run the group in person in the mission in San Francisco.
OCSB Groups encompass helping participants understand the Sexual Health Principles outlined in this handout.
What Is Sexual Health? (According to the Harvey Institute)
The Harvey Institute promotes sexual health as an integral component of health and well-being that requires a respectful and positive approach to sexual behavior and sexual pleasure. Sexual health balances sexual rights such as safety, consent, non-coercion, non-discrimination with congruence between individual and societal sexual values, behavior and desires regarding sex with oneself and with others
Out of Control Sexual Behavior (OCSB): According to Vigorito and Braun-Harvey:
OCSB is a sexual concern for those who identify as men, who have consensual sexual urges, thoughts or behaviors that feel out of control for the individual. OCSB focuses on helping those who identify as men organize their sexual health concerns by using the Principles of Sexual Health. In this way, the group helps the participant organize their sexual health concerns by using these Principles of Sexual Health and focus change in the direction of each participants’s sexual health goals.
Group for exploring compulsive sexual behavior